In 2024, Kazakhstan welcomed 15.3 million tourists. Among them, 10.4 million individuals stayed in the country for more than one day, classifying them as foreign tourists, according to a report from the Kapital.kz business information center, citing the press service of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The average duration of stay for tourists in Kazakhstan is four days.
According to the National Bank, tourists from abroad spend an average of 1,500 dollars during their visit to Kazakhstan. The total expenditure of foreign tourists in the country exceeded 1.2 trillion tenge in 2024.
From 2019 to 2024, more than 605 investment projects in the tourism sector were implemented, amounting to a total of 550 billion tenge, with 87 investment projects successfully completed in 2024. Notable large investment projects include: the "Makhambet" hotel in Shymkent for 4.9 billion tenge; the family park Keremet Park in Atyrau region for 3 billion tenge; and the "Ak-Zhaik" recreation area in Almaty region for 1.8 billion tenge.
The tourism sector is experiencing a steady increase in investments in fixed capital:
• 2019 - 502 billion tenge;
• 2020 - 629 billion tenge;
• 2021 - 593 billion tenge;
• 2022 - 513 billion tenge;
• 2023 - 787 billion tenge;
• 2024 – 947.5 billion tenge.
The ministry reminded that a new type of visa, Neo Nomad, has been introduced in Kazakhstan. This visa is designed for modern nomads—foreign tourists who combine work and leisure. Foreign tourists will be able to stay in Kazakhstan for up to one year while remaining employed by their overseas companies.
“The economic impact of introducing this visa is expected to be around 3.6 billion tenge per year, assuming 500 individuals obtain the visa. Foreigners who take advantage of the Neo Nomad visa will live and spend money in Kazakhstan without occupying jobs in the domestic labor market, which is an important aspect of this program,” the ministry explained.
The ministry also noted that, according to The New York Times, Almaty was listed among the top 52 travel destinations, and according to Lonely Planet, Kazakhstan was included in the list of the best countries for travel in 2025. Condé Nast Traveller Italia ranked the ski resort "Shymbulak" among the top 5 best travel destinations. CNN Travel published a list of 25 recommended travel destinations for 2025, granting Kazakhstan a special status. Specifically, Almaty was recognized as one of the best travel destinations and referred to as the "capital of new style" in Central Asia.
In the coming years, Kazakhstan plans to implement comprehensive development plans for three priority tourist destinations: the Shchuchinsk-Borovoe resort area; the Mangistau resort area; and the Almaty mountain cluster.
By 2027, 181 investment projects worth over 1.1 trillion tenge are planned to be implemented. Employment in the tourism sector is expected to increase to 800,000 people, and 10,000 new jobs will be created in rural areas through the development of agritourism. The number of domestic tourists is projected to rise to 11 million, and the number of beds is expected to reach 280,000. All hotels will be integrated into the eQonaq information system. Additionally, the goal is to achieve 50th place in the global Travel and Tourism Development Index.
Earlier, the head of state signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Special Status of the City of Turkestan." The law establishes the special status of Turkestan as a spiritual, historical-cultural, tourism center, and architectural heritage of the country. In Zhanaozen, a project for the construction of tourist facilities in Bozjyra was presented during preliminary public hearings. In 2028, the Bozjyra Safari hotel complex is planned to be commissioned in the Karakiyansky district of the Mangistau region, and in 2029, the Ayrakty Safari Hotel will be built in the Mangistau district.