Kazakhstan showcased its tourism offerings at four major travel exhibitions, including ITB China, ITE Hong Kong, COTTM, and the China International Medical Tourism Fair. These events facilitated over 50 new partnerships with leading Chinese tour operators, some of which have already included Kazakhstan in their tour packages. The country also organized press tours and familiarization trips, recognized as highly effective advertising tools. This information was shared by Nurtas Karipbayev, Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, at a press conference in the Central Communications Service.
Throughout the year, various cities and regions organized 10 large-scale familiarization tours, hosting representatives from the tourism industry and 30 influential public figures with a combined audience of over 100 million subscribers. These events generated sustained interest in Kazakhstan.
“We will continue our work in this direction. Participation in tourism exhibitions and the organization of informational tours remain the main areas of our joint work,” stated the representative of the Ministry.
Almaty emerged as the most popular destination in Kazakhstan for Chinese tourists. To further promote the country, Tourism Days were held in major Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Xi’an, and Beijing, attracting over 400 participants. Astana, the modern and dynamic capital, was presented as a new destination for business and medical tourism during a road show in Beijing. To effectively promote Kazakhstan as a tourist destination, over 300 bilateral meetings were held in Astana, Beijing, Almaty, Urumqi, and Hong Kong.
Significant emphasis was placed on promoting Kazakhstan’s tourism potential through mass media. The three-part documentary “Bond with China” about Kazakhstan was broadcast on CCTV, China’s largest television channel. Systematic work was also carried out through marketing platforms and social networks, with well-known bloggers visiting the country. As a result of joint efforts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, social media posts about Kazakhstan garnered over 60 million views.
“For cultural exchange purposes, cultural events such as the “Kazakhconcert” group’s tour in Dezhou and Langfang, and an exhibition from the National Museum of Kazakhstan in Tianjin were organized in collaboration with local governments and the Ministry of Culture and Information,” the speaker noted. “It is worth mentioning that the opening of the Year of Tourism in Beijing featured the “Nauryzfest” ethno-festival, and Urumqi hosted a gastro-festival.”
In light of the growing popularity of auto tourism in Kazakhstan and China, several international events were held this year to develop this sector.
According to the speaker, the “Silk Road” rally, the Silk Road motorcycle tour, and the “Paris-Peking Motor Challenge” international event contribute to strengthening Kazakhstan’s image as an attractive country for auto tourists and stimulate the development of infrastructure and related services. Thanks to such initiatives, Kazakhstan occupies an important place on the map of international auto tourism.
