Kazakhstan is classified as generally a safe travel destination by the U.S. State Department. American tourists are advised to exercise normal precautions when traveling to the country.
For travel guidance, U.S. authorities divide countries into four advisory levels:
Level 1: Exercise normal precautions;
Level 2: Exercise increased caution;
Level 3: Reconsider travel;
Level 4: Do not travel.
Kazakhstan is classified as Level 1 under the U.S. State Department’s Travel Advisory, alongside Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Norway and Portugal.
By contrast, some popular tourist destinations are at a higher advisory level. The U.K., Spain, France, Italy, Sweden and Turkey are currently at Level 2. The highest advisory level, Level 4, applies to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Level 1 does not mean that Kazakhstan is recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. The Travel Advisory is not an international safety ranking, as the State Department primarily assesses risks for U.S. citizens planning trips abroad.
However, the Level 1 designation could be a positive signal for Kazakhstan’s tourism industry, as international travelers may take State Department advisories into account when planning trips. Kazakhstan’s placement in the same advisory category as destinations such as Japan and Canada indicates that U.S. travelers should take the same general level of precaution.
A recent visit to Almaty by Kanye West demonstrated Kazakhstan’s potential to attract thousands of foreign tourists. According to Galim Khusainov, former head of Bank CenterCredit and a financial expert, the country should capitalize on this effect and develop a sustainable event-tourism market.
