International star concerts boost Kazakhstan’s tourism economy
Concerts by international stars have become a significant source of revenue for Kazakhstan’s tourism sector. Jennifer Lopez’s concert in Almaty alone attracted 7,000 international visitors from 35 countries and generated more than 5 billion tenge (roughly $9.2 million at the time) in direct tourism spending, while total turnover exceeded 10 billion tenge (roughly $18.5 million at the time). This is part of a broader trend: over two years, investment in Kazakhstan’s tourism sector exceeded 2.2 trillion tenge ($4.8 billion at the current exchange rate), according to the Prime Minister’s press service.
Foreign card transactions rise during concerts
According to Mastercard, significant increases in cashless transactions made with foreign cards were recorded during major events in Almaty: transactions rose 16% during the UEFA Champions League match between FC Kairat and Real Madrid, 11% during Jennifer Lopez’s concert and 3% during the Backstreet Boys’ performance.
In 2025, Almaty alone hosted 49 concerts by international artists. In 2026, performances by Deep Purple, Megadeth, Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, along with a Cirque du Soleil tour, the Park Live festival and Astana’s SOLANA FEST, further boosted the number of major international events, with foreign visitors purchasing more than 12,000 tickets.
To streamline event management, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has created a 2026 calendar featuring 55 key events and launched the event.qaztourism.kz platform.
Private investment in the sector reaches 1.3 trillion tenge
Currently, 328 investment projects worth a total of around 1.3 trillion tenge (approximately $2.8 billion) are being implemented. Their phased commissioning is expected to create around 10,000 permanent jobs and add 25 new international-standard hotel complexes, including properties operated by Hilton and Mandarin Oriental. The expansion of the Oi-Qaragai mountain resort is another significant project.
Kazakhstan welcomes 15.7 million foreign visitors in 2025
In 2025, 15.7 million foreign nationals visited Kazakhstan, 11.1 million of whom were classified as tourists, up from 9.2 million in 2023. Foreign visitors spent $2.9 billion in the country.
The 5th World Nomad Games in Astana also made a significant contribution to inbound tourism, attracting 12,400 foreign visitors who spent 7.5 billion tenge. In 2025, the Almaty, Zhetisu and Kyzylorda regions recorded the strongest growth in inbound tourism. The number of tourists from China increased significantly, rising by 46.8% to more than 960,000. In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan welcomed 7 million foreign tourists, with the largest share coming from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
Domestic tourism also continues to grow
Domestic travel by Kazakhstani nationals grew from 7.1 million people in 2023 to 8.7 million in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, nearly 2 million people used accommodation services, more than 802,000 of whom chose key resort areas: the Almaty Mountain Cluster, the Burabay resort area, and the Mangystau, Turkestan and Altay zones.
Roadworks cover 11,000 kilometers in 2026
The government is also focusing on expanding transport logistics. In 2026, roadworks covered 11,000 kilometers of public roads, including the repair and construction of access roads to the Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi, Kenderli, Bayanaul, Zerenda and Kolsai resort areas.
As part of efforts to develop aviation, new regional airports are being built in Katon-Karagay, Zaisan and Kenderli. The airport in Arkalyk has been restored, while the airport in Balkhash has resumed operations. For the summer season, 45 subsidized weekly flights were introduced on popular tourist routes. In the railway sector, 15 additional summer routes were launched, including 10 trains to Lake Alakol.
The development of the Almaty Mountain Cluster includes plans to integrate ski resorts through the construction of 30 cableways and 161 kilometers of ski runs, with the aim of attracting up to 5 million tourists annually.
Number of national park visitors rose nearly 1.5-fold
Ecotourism is also developing, with the number of visitors to state national parks rising from 2.4 million in 2023 to 3.7 million in 2025. In the first half of 2026, the parks welcomed 1.7 million visitors. In these protected areas, 179 tourist routes and 42 nature trails have been developed. Since 2026, children under 18 have been admitted to national parks free of charge.
