Tourism in Kazakhstan

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View of Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Hazrat-e Turkestan, Kazakhstan.jpg
View of Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Number of international tourism arrivals in Kazakhstan Tourism in Kazakhstan.svg
Number of international tourism arrivals in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country by area and the largest landlocked country. Tourism is not a major component of the economy. As of 2014, tourism has accounted for 0.3% of Kazakhstan GDP, but the government had plans to increase it to 3% by 2020. [1] [2] [ needs update ]

Contents

According to the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017, travel and tourism industry GDP in Kazakhstan is $3.08 billion or 1.6 percent of total GDP. The WEF ranks Kazakhstan 81st in its 2017 report, which is four positions higher compared to the previous period. [3] Kazakhstan received 6.5 million tourists in 2016.

Industry

In 2012, Kazakhstan ranked 51st in the world in terms of number of tourist arrivals. In 2000 total 1.47 million international tourists visited Kazakhstan, which was increased to 4.81 million in 2012. [4] The Guardian describes tourism in Kazakhstan as, "hugely underdeveloped," despite the attractions of the country's dramatic mountain, lake and desert landscapes. [5] Factors hampering an increase in tourist visits are said to include "shabby infrastructure," "poor service" and the logistical difficulties of travel in a geographically enormous, underdeveloped country. [5] Even for locals, going for holiday abroad may cost only half the price of taking a holiday in Kazakhstan. [5] High-end tourists like Britain's Prince Harry have visited for the skiing. [6]

According to the UK consulting firm Brand Finance, Kazakhstan is one of the fastest growing nation brands of 2019. The country was ranked 44th in the 2019 report, which is 7 spots higher than in the previous year. According to the report, a good nation brand can help boost inbound tourism and promote economic cooperation with other countries. [7]

Government initiative

The Kazakh Government, long characterized as authoritarian with a history of human rights abuses and suppression of political opposition, [8] has started an initiative named the "Tourism Industry Development Plan 2020". This initiative aims to establish five tourism clusters in Kazakhstan: Astana city, Almaty city, East Kazakhstan, South Kazakhstan, and West Kazakhstan Oblasts. It also seeks investment of $4 billion and the creation of 300,000 new jobs in the tourism industry by 2020. [9] [5]

In May, 1999 the Kazakhstan Tourism Association (President - Roza Asanbayeva) was founded with the approval of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. KTA is a non-commercial, non-governmental organization including following members: the Kazakhstan Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Honour President - Kuat Tanysbayev), Amadeus computerized reservation systems, tour operators, insurance companies, airlines, universities and the media. The association's main objective is to protect the interests of over 400 members, by lobbying the government and promoting tourism within the national economy. [10]

The 2006 comedy film Borat, which portrayed Kazakhstan as a comically backwards, racist and antisemitic country, resulted in an increase in tourism. [11] The government banned the film and took out advertisements to defend the nation's honor. By contrast, upon the release of the sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , in 2020, the national tourism agency Kazakh Tourism adopted the film's catchphrase as its slogan – Kazakhstan. Very Nice! – and produced a number of videos featuring it. [12]

Visa policy

Kazakhstan offers a permanent visa-free regime for up to 90 days to citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia and Ukraine and for up to 30 days to citizens of Argentina, Azerbaijan, Serbia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. [13]

Kazakhstan established a visa-free regime for citizens of 45 countries including European Union and OECD member states, the USA, UAE, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. [14]

In September 2020, Kazakhstan started issuing visas electronically. [15] The country also expanded the list of countries whose citizens can get single-entry business visas, tourist visas and medical treatment visas online. The new list includes 109 states. [15]

Arrivals by country

Most visitors arriving to Kazakhstan were from the following countries of nationality: [16]

Tourism to Kazakhstan by state, 2013–2016
Country2016201520142013
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus
Flag of Turkmenistan.svg  Turkmenistan
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Total

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Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, with a coastline along the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Astana, known as Nur-Sultan from 2019 to 2022. Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, was the country's capital until 1997. Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, the largest and northernmost Muslim-majority country by land area, and the ninth-largest country in the world. It has a population of 19 million people, and one of the lowest population densities in the world, at fewer than 6 people per square kilometre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Kazakhstan</span> National economy of Kazakhstan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astana</span> Capital of Kazakhstan

Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kassym-Jomart Tokayev</span> President of Kazakhstan since 2019

Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev is a Kazakh politician and diplomat who is currently serving as the President of Kazakhstan since 12 June 2019. Shortly before that, he served as acting president after the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who previously held the presidential post for nearly three decades.

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Asqar Uzaqbaiuly Mamin is a Kazakh politician and economist who served as the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan from 2019 to 2022, resigning due to pressure from the 2022 Kazakh unrest. He served as First Deputy Prime Minister from 9 September 2016 to 21 February 2019. Previously, he was the president of the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the national railway company of Kazakhstan. He also serves as the president of the Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation, a position he assumed in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karim Massimov</span> Former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Kazakhstan</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Kazakhstan</span> Policy on permits required to enter Kazakhstan

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References

  1. ↑ Joanna Lillis for EurasiaNet, part of the New East (17 July 2014). "Summer holiday in Kazakhstan? Astana eases visa restrictions to attract tourists | World news". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kazakhstan: Astana Announces Visa-Free Travel for 10 High-Investing States". EurasiaNet.org. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Country profiles". Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "International tourism, number of arrivals – Kazakhstan". Mecometer.com. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Lillis, Joanna (17 July 2014). "Summer holiday in Kazakhstan? Astana eases visa restrictions to attract tourists". The Guardian . Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Prince Harry in Kazakhstan: ski resorts and other attractions". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Nation Brand report 2019" (PDF). Brand Finance.
  8. ↑ Zarakhovich, Yuri (27 September 2006). "Kazakhstan Comes on Strong". Time. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Kazakhstan to develop its tourism industry. Environment. Tengrinews.kz". En.tengrinews.kz. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Две крупнейшие ассоциации туризма в Казахстане отмечают дни рождения".
  11. ↑ "Borat 'has given Kazakhstan tourist boost'".
  12. ↑ Stein, Joel (26 October 2020). "Kazakhstan, Reversing Itself, Embraces 'Borat' as Very Nice". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  13. ↑ "Visa Information". Timatic . IATA. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  14. ↑ "Kazakhstan abolishes visa requirements for travellers from 45 countries". The Lonely Planet.
  15. 1 2 "Kazakhstan amends regulations on visa issuance to foreign nationals". kazakh-tv.kz.
  16. ↑ Туризм Казахстана. 2.4 Количество посетителей по въездному туризму
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