Kazakhstan’s tourism sector: Higher rankings, more visitors, growing investments
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan has released key statistics on the country’s tourism sector in 2024, highlighting key achievements and ongoing projects, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the ministry, in 2024 the country ranked 52nd among 119 tourist destinations in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index, up from the previous ranking, in which Kazakhstan was in 66th place.
The ministry also reported that Kazakhstan was visited by 15.3 million foreign tourists, excluding labor migrants and persons who arrived for permanent residence in 2024. Of these, 10.4 million people stayed in the country for more than a day, and the average length of their stay was 4 days.
According to the department, tourists spend an average of $1,500 per trip in Kazakhstan, with the total expenses of travelers exceeding 1.2 trillion tenge in 2024.
The ministry also notes a steady increase in investment activity in the tourism sector. In 2024, investments in fixed assets reached 947.5 billion tenge. In total, 605 investment projects were implemented in the industry from 2019 to 2024, 87 of which were successfully completed in 2024.
Kazakhstan has introduced the Neo Nomad visa, allowing remote workers from abroad to live in the country for up to a year while remaining employed by foreign companies. The initiative is expected to generate around 3.6 billion tenge annually while integrating digital nomads into the local economy without impacting the domestic job market.
“Foreign tourists will be able to stay in Kazakhstan for up to one year while remaining employed by their foreign companies. This will not only allow them to immerse themselves in the culture and life of the country, but will also bring economic benefits to Kazakhstan. Foreigners who use Neo Nomad visa will live and spend money in Kazakhstan without taking up jobs in the domestic labor market - which is an important aspect of this program,” the ministry highlights.
By 2027, it is planned to implement 181 investment projects worth more than 1.1 trillion tenge. Employment in the tourism sector is expected to increase to 800 thousand people, including the creation of 10 thousand new jobs in rural areas due to the development of agrotourism. The goal is also to increase the number of domestic tourists to 11 million people and integrate the eQonaq information system into all hotels.
Earlier, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the special status of Turkistan city as a spiritual, historic and cultural and tourist center of the country.
