Top 5 most visited regions of Kazakhstan
For the nine months of 2023 the number of domestic tourists grew by 11% to reach some 5.4 million, while the number of international tourist arrivals grew by threefold to hit 835,000 people, Kazinform News Agency learnt from the Kazakh Tourism and Sport Ministry.
Almaty leads in the number of international arrivals with 409,394 travelers. Ski resorts, picturesque landscapes, and favorable weather make Almaty the leading tourism destination. Recently Condé Nast Traveller Italia recommended Shymbulak ski resort in Almaty as one of the 5 must-see destinations. At the same time, the New York Times featured Almaty as one of the top travel destinations in its list of '52 Places to Go' in 2024.
Astana secured second place with 220,000 international travelers followed by Mangistau region which received 34,435 international tourists.
Atyrau region and the city of Shymkent also rank among the Top 5 best places to visit with 24,431 and 20,837 international travelers.
Thanks to its tourist potential and traditional hospitality, Kazakhstan has become one of the most popular global tourist destinations. Kazakhstan has a visa-free regime with 81 countries. The country’s airlines fly to more than 120 destinations in 28 states.
