Three years after legalizing cannabis, Thai authorities are set to restrict its sale, allowing marijuana purchases only with a doctor’s prescription. The decision comes amid a sharp rise in cannabis-related businesses and addiction rates since the drug was legalized. Authorities have also reported an uptick in tourists attempting to smuggle…
If you’ve ever dreamed of receiving a letter from Hogwarts, riding the Hogwarts Express, or sipping butterbeer in a cozy magical coffee shop, these three locations in Kazakhstan might just make your dreams come true. Hogwarts Express in Karaganda In the heart of Karaganda, there’s a place that’s sure to…
American superstar Jennifer Lopez will perform in Kazakhstan as part of her world tour in early August. Despite the initial frenzy during the first days of ticket sales, tickets are still available on the Freedom Ticketon website for both Almaty and Astana concerts. According to the seating chart on the…
The Tajik government has adopted an Open Skies policy, lifting key restrictions on foreign carriers. This move effectively abolishes the principle of parity between domestic and international airlines, which previously limited the number of foreign flights to match those of national carriers. Under the new rules, all restrictions on flight…
A cableway is a popular and spectacular means of transportation in mountainous regions. However, despite being fairly widespread and generally safe, incidents still occasionally occur. On June 23, a cable car on Mount Karren in Austria got stuck for over four hours due to a thunderstorm, leaving 19 passengers and…
Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, has canceled several flights to Dubai and Doha scheduled for June 23, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East. The following routes have been suspended: Atyrau-Dubai-Atyrau (KC191/192). Astana-Dubai-Astana (KC205/206). Almaty-Dubai-Almaty (KC897/898). Astana-Doha-Astana (KC655/656). Passengers affected by the cancellations can either rebook their tickets for a…
Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost airline, has suspended flights between Astana and Abu Dhabi since June 19, due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. However, flights from Almaty and back are still being operated. Passengers planning to return from Abu Dhabi to Astana are offered a flight via…
Kazakhstan aims to develop its film tourism industry, positioning itself as an attractive destination for international filmmakers. Potential filming locations include the forests of Eastern Kazakhstan, the outskirts of Ridder and Ust-Kamenogorsk and the Burabay National Park, according to Kazakh Tourism. What is film tourism? Film tourism is a form…
Kazakhstani superstar Dimash Qudaibergen recently shared memories of his first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the show “Idei Menyayut” (Ideas Change the World), filmed at Nazarbayev University. According to Dimashnews.com, the meeting took place in 2017, when Dimash performed at a special event in Astana in honor of…
On June 16, Shymbulak, a well-known ski resort in Almaty, is launching a special promotional offer: people are invited to hike up to the resort on foot before 11 a.m. each morning until June 30 in exchange for a discounted cable descend ticket and a free cup of flavored tea…
Kazakh Tourism is developing a concept for tourism development at Baikonur. The agency plans to turn the cosmodrome into a point of attraction for event, scientific and industrial tourism, according to a draft concept presented at the «Baikonur: From Silk Way to Milky Way» event, which was attended by tourism…
Russia has been developing a new space station called the Russian Orbital Service Station, which is set to replace the International Space Station (ISS). The new orbital station will consist of several modules. The first is scheduled for launch in December 2027 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East,…
Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen made a special guest appearance at French music legend Lara Fabian’s solo concert at London’s OVO Arena Wembley. A video of the two stars performing the iconic song «Adagio» on stage has since surfaced online. Fabian’s concert was part of her Voices world tour. In addition…
Bayan Alaguzova, a well-known Kazakhstani movie producer, has announced plans to make the final movie in her trilogy — following the acclaimed “Baqyt” (Happiness) and “Zhauap Ber” (Give an Answer) — about strong women fighting male-driven injustice. She offered a sneak peek at her plans via Instagram Stories. Even though…
Till Lindemann — German musician, poet and actor, best known as the frontman of Rammstein, Lindemann and Na Chui — is set to perform in Almaty on Jan. 7, 2026, as part of his solo tour Meine Welt across Central Asia. Lindemann is also recognized for his collaborations with a…
Birdwatchers from Europe, the U.S. and Russia are increasingly flocking to Kazakhstan to observe its diverse avian species. While birdwatching or avitourism is a popular form of ecotourism in Europe and North America, it remains relatively unknown among most Kazakhstanis. Both local and Russian ornithologists organize expeditions and photo tours…
Russia-administered Baikonur, a city in Kazakhstan famous for its spaceport, is unlikely to see new hotels unless tourists begin visiting the site more often, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the city’s mayor Konstantin Busygin. According to him, the recent launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft attracted…
Emin Agalarov, a well-known Azerbaijani singer and entrepreneur, visited Mangystau, admiring the natural beauty of the region. «What an amazing planet we live on! Thank you for the warm welcome, Kazakhstan,» Agalarov captioned the vivid video from the region. The footage shows the singer visiting Bozzhyra and Aktau. Although it…
On May 29, a new international tourist train will depart from Xi’an, China, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, arriving on May 31, according to Kazakhstan’s Tourism Industry Committee. More than 250 passengers are expected on the inaugural journey, including not only tourists but also civil servants, researchers, physicians, athletes and Vice Mayor…
Kursiv.media compared five-night stays at Rixos resort hotels in Egypt, Turkey and Kazakhstan, finding that Rixos Water World Aktau is, on average, 36% cheaper than similar Rixos hotels in Turkey and 20% cheaper than those in Egypt. The comparison was based on bookings for two adults from Aug. 1 to…
According to the Tourism Industry Committee under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, the Almaty Mountain Cluster (AMC) is expected to become the largest year-round tourism project in Central Asia by 2029. On May 23, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov was shown the project development plan. He also took…
Azerbaijani singer and businessman Emin Agalarov plans to develop a resort zone on the Caspian coastline in Mangystau, Kazakhstan. The project aligns with Azerbaijan’s Sea Breeze Resort and will feature beaches, residential developments and recreational areas. A corresponding memorandum of cooperation between the resort and Kazakh Tourism has already been…
Kazakhstan has gradually become a more popular destination for Chinese travelers. Over the past five years, the influx of tourists from this country has risen ninefold, making the Chinese the second-biggest group of foreigners staying in Kazakhstan’s hotels, as reported by Kazakh Tourism. In 2024, more than 650,000 guests from…
Kazakhstan is set to launch direct flights to Jordan in mid-2026. The flights will be operated twice a week by Jordan’s flag carrier airline Royal Jordanian, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport. Currently, flights to Jordan from Kazakhstan require a connection in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. The Freedom Travel service…
