Almaty set to develop Kok Zhailau Gorge to boost tourism
Secretary general of the National Ski Association of Kazakhstan Askar Valiyev suggested developing the country’s mountain skiing infrastructure, including the Kok Zhailau Gorge, Kazinform News Agency reports.
He said professional Kazakh mountain skiers facу various challenges. The high occupancy rates at existing ski resorts limit the opportunities for training athletes. He stressed the need to create our own modern infrastructure for training and holding international competitions. He highlighted the Kok Zhailau Gorge project based on the principles of ecological sustainable development and rational use of natural resources.
He proposed to integrate the neighboring ski resorts of Shymbulak and Oi Qaragai, and develop all these small resorts lying between them as well as the Almaty cluster, including the Kok Zhailau.
President of PGI Management (Pas Grau Internacional) Joan Viladomat presented the Almaty Superski concept at the meeting on the Almaty mountain skiing resort development. The Almaty Superski is a ski resort including the Kumbel Peak and Kok Zhailau Gorge with ski tracks stretching over 65 km. Its development will generate over 5,000 jobs.
As stated there, over 2.3 million tourists, including over 680,000 foreign travelers, visited the city in 2024. Steady growth is observed in the city economy: the volume of tourist services increased by 30%, tax revenues doubled. The implementation of large-scale projects and the creation of modern infrastructure will strengthen the position of the city and the country as the leading tourist center of the region.
Earlier it was reported that over 35km of ski tracks will be built for beginner skiers in Almaty.
