Kazakhstan to Chinese tourists: “You’re more than welcome”

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has proposed the launch of a special program aimed at attracting more tourists from China. Minister Erbol Myrzabosynov presented the idea on June 16, during the official opening ceremony of the Year of China’s Tourism in Kazakhstan, held in Astana.

Specifically, the minister suggested introducing a «Welcome Chinese» program to create more favorable conditions for Chinese tourists. According to the ministry, the initiative would support hotels, travel agencies and tourist attractions in adapting their services to better meet the needs of Chinese visitors.

Myrzabosynov also proposed organizing bilateral events at the nexus of tourism, sports and culture, along with enhancing academic mobility between tourism-focused educational institutions in both countries to boost knowledge exchange.

Last year was declared the Year of Kazakhstan’s Tourism in China, during which 37 events were held across China’s major cities, leading to a noticeable increase in tourist flows. For example, in 2023, Kazakhstan welcomed 367,000 Chinese tourists, while in 2024, the number reached 655,000.

In May, Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KNB) Border Service reported a surge in visitors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, marking a 62% year-on-year increase in 2024.

However, last year, most Middle Eastern tourists came from Oman (15,000 visitors), followed by the UAE (14,700) and Saudi Arabia (9,000 tourists).