Tourism - The Times Of Central Asia

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Tourism

Kazakhstan’s Tourism Industry Generated More Than $1.3 Billion in Tax Revenue in 2025

Kazakhstan’s tourism sector generated more than $1.3 billion in tax revenue in 2025, an 18% increase from the previous year, as foreign visitor spending and investment in the industry continued to grow, Tourism and Sports Minister Yerbol Myrzabosynov said. Speaking at a government meeting, Myrzabosynov said foreign tourists spent approximately $2.9 billion in Kazakhstan last year, while investment in the tourism sector rose by 33% to reach $2.74 billion. The figures highlight the growing importance of tourism to Kazakhstan’s economy as authorities seek to diversify sources of growth beyond the country’s traditional resource sectors. Ecotourism was among the fastest-growing segments of the industry. Kazakhstan’s national parks attracted 3.7 million visitors in 2025, up from 2.8 million a year earlier. To manage increasing visitor numbers and protect natural ecosystems, the government updated national ecotourism standards last year and plans further investment in park infrastructure, hiking trails, and tourism routes. Medical tourism has also emerged as a strategic growth area. According to Myrzabosynov, Kazakhstan received approximately 80,000 foreign patients in 2025, benefiting from comparatively affordable healthcare services and growing international recognition of local medical facilities. Ten healthcare institutions in Kazakhstan currently hold Joint Commission International accreditation, and authorities are preparing a roadmap for the development of medical tourism for 2026-2028. Business and conference tourism is another priority sector. The minister said Kazakhstan hosted 13 major international events in 2025, generating approximately $18 million in economic activity. However, he noted that infrastructure limitations continue to constrain growth, particularly in Almaty, the country’s largest commercial center. “Almaty needs a modern international-standard convention and exhibition complex,” Myrzabosynov said, calling for a decision on the project to support further expansion of the meetings and events industry. The government is also seeking to expand tourism linked to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, one of the world’s most historic space launch facilities. Under a recently approved development concept, processing times for permits required by foreign visitors have been reduced to 10 days, making access easier for tour operators and tourists interested in both rocket launches and regular visits to the complex. Visitor numbers to Baikonur increased from 5,200 in 2024 to 7,600 in 2025, according to the ministry. Myrzabosynov said several facilities transferred to Kazakhstan’s control, including Gagarin’s Start, the launch pad used for Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 flight, a fueling and assembly complex, and a dynamic testing facility, have significant tourism potential but require modernization and substantial investment. He also emphasized the importance of developing year-round event tourism at Baikonur to attract visitors between launches and improve use of existing infrastructure. As Kazakhstan expands its tourism offerings, authorities are also looking to develop niche segments of the market. Earlier, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said it expects the number of foreign gambling tourists visiting the country to double following the opening of new casino facilities in four regions of Kazakhstan.

Tourism

Passenger Bus Service Connects Tashkent and Lake Issyk-Kul

A seasonal passenger bus service connecting Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, with Cholpon-Ata, the main resort city on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, has been launched, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport has announced. The route, operated by Uzautotrans Service using Yutong buses, opened on June 8. The service will depart from Tashkent’s main bus station on even-numbered days in June. Return trips from Issyk-Kul to Tashkent will run on odd-numbered days. Tickets cost 365,000 Uzbekistani sum, or about $30. Lake Issyk-Kul is Kyrgyzstan’s premier tourism hub and is especially popular with visitors from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia. According to data from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce and the 2GIS mapping service, tourism activity in the Issyk-Kul region has tripled over the past six years. By the end of August 2025, which marked the close of the summer resort season, the volume of tourist services along the lake’s shores had tripled compared with 2019.

Tourism

Turkmenistan Eases Restrictions for Foreign Tourists

Turkmenistan has begun gradually easing restrictions on foreign visitors and tourists, though local residents and human rights advocates say the changes have had little impact on the daily lives of the country’s citizens. Reports of a more accommodating approach toward foreign travelers have emerged from both tourists and representatives of the international tourism industry. Canadian traveler Elise Williams said that before visiting Turkmenistan in early 2026, her tour operator advised her not to stray far from her hotel and to avoid taking photographs independently in public places. Upon arrival, however, she found the situation less restrictive than expected. “I felt fairly free and was able to take many photographs in different locations,” Williams said. Tourism industry representatives have also noted signs of change. Dylan Harris, head of the British travel company Lupine Travel, said visas for Turkmenistan are now being issued more quickly and that his company has not experienced a single visa refusal over the past year. According to Harris, the application process has become significantly easier following the introduction of an electronic visa system. He believes the authorities are seeking to make the country more accessible to the outside world. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan developed a reputation as one of the most closed countries in the post-Soviet region. Foreign visitors frequently encountered visa denials, travel restrictions, and limitations on photography. A new phase of liberalization began in 2025 with the launch of the electronic visa system, which tourism operators say has reduced bureaucratic barriers and made travel planning more predictable. However, residents interviewed by independent media outlets argue that the recent changes primarily benefit foreigners rather than Turkmen citizens themselves. While international visitors may face fewer restrictions, locals say longstanding controls affecting domestic travel, access to information, and everyday freedoms remain largely unchanged. The contrast highlights the limited nature of Turkmenistan’s opening. While the government appears to be taking cautious steps to attract more foreign visitors, the country remains one of the most tightly controlled societies in the region. For now, the easing of tourist restrictions appears to be aimed more at improving Turkmenistan’s international accessibility than at broader domestic liberalization.

rail tourism

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Continue to Popularize Rail Tourism

Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and Oʻzbekiston temir yoʻllari, also known as Uzbekistan Railways, organized this year’s second Keruen Express train tour from May 1 to 6. More than 130 passengers traveled along the Almaty-Turkestan-Samarkand-Tashkent-Almaty route. Over five days, participants visited major architectural and historical sites in both countries, including the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum in Turkestan, the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum and the Registan in Samarkand, and the Hazrati Imam Complex in Tashkent. The Keruen Express promotes rail tourism and the region’s historical heritage while strengthening cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Rail tourism is gaining traction in Central Asia. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, KTZ expanded its popular Jibek Joly (Silk Road) tourist train route to include Tajikistan. The updated route now reaches the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, extending the tour beyond Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The train-tour projects are part of a regional push to promote Central Asia as a unified tourist destination. Regional leaders have advocated for a shared visa-free regime for foreign visitors, similar to Europe’s Schengen Area, to encourage cross-border travel and boost international tourism. Speaking at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank in Samarkand on May 4, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed creating a Central Asia Tourism Ring as a unified tourism space connecting the countries of the region. Mirziyoyev called on neighboring countries, the ADB, and other partners to form a portfolio of tourism development projects and jointly finance them. Mirziyoyev also highlighted Central Asia’s tourism potential, noting that amid global instability, millions of tourists are seeking safe destinations, and the region has significant opportunities in pilgrimage, cultural, gastronomic, ethnographic, extreme, and medical tourism.

TCA Interviews

From Almaty to Bali: Two Cyclists from Kazakhstan on Their Bicycle Journey

Alina and Maksim Pak, a young married couple from Almaty, have spent several months cycling from Kazakhstan to the Indonesian island of Bali, a journey of more than 8,000 kilometers across multiple borders. Their daily updates on Instagram have drawn widespread attention, turning them into social media personalities. The Times of Central Asia spoke with them about how they embarked on the journey, the challenges they faced, and how the experience has changed them. TCA: Cycling from Almaty to Bali sounds bold. Do you remember the moment when the idea became a plan? Who initiated it? Maksim: It’s been my dream since childhood back when I used to ride a BMX bike. I thought about it a lot, but it always seemed impossible. Then one day I realized: if not now, then when? Alina initially thought it was a joke, but eventually I convinced her. We mapped out the route in just three or four days, and preparation took 45 days. We found sponsors, posted videos every day, learned blogging along the way, and gradually gained support from people. [caption id="attachment_48398" align="aligncenter" width="225"] @instagram.com/alina_pakk[/caption] TCA: Were you scared at all? Alina: Very much so. But not on the road, at the beginning, during preparation. We had almost nothing, no proper gear, no clear plan, no certainty that it would work. It felt like we physically wouldn’t even be able to start, too many “buts” and too few resources. But every day we sat down and visualized how we would travel, what we would eat, who we would meet. The fear was there, yes. That’s exactly why we went. If it’s not scary, then the goal isn’t big enough. TCA: What does a typical day on the road look like? Are all days different? Maksim: Our routine formed quite quickly. We wake up around 7 a.m., nature doesn’t let you sleep longer, especially when the tent is in the sun. We have breakfast, pack up, and by 9 a.m., we’re already cycling. The first stretch is about three hours, then we take a mandatory lunch break and rest for an hour or so, otherwise the body doesn’t recover. After that, we ride again until 5 or 6 p.m., depending on how we feel and the road conditions. When we find a place to stop, we set up the tent, and then the second shift begins: we work, editing videos and replying to messages. The day ends around 10 p.m. And yet every day is completely different, new cities, new people, new landscapes. It never gets boring. TCA: You’ve already cycled through China, Vietnam, Thailand, and are now in Malaysia. Which country surprised you the most? Are people the same everywhere? Maksim: Honestly, every country surprised us in its own way. It’s impossible to single one out. In some places it’s the nature, in others the food, in others the way people treat strangers. Overall, people are very similar everywhere, despite different languages and cultures. Everyone has the same concerns, work, family,...

Tourism

Tajikistan to Make Tourism Pitch at Rock Spire Site

Tajikistan, where tourism has long been hindered by security concerns and a lack of infrastructure, plans to host an international tourism conference this summer in one of the country’s most picturesque areas. People from more than 20 countries are expected to attend the event in the mountainous region of Childukhtaron on June 4-5, according to tourism officials in Khatlon, the southern province that encompasses the natural spires of rock. The name, Childukhtaron, derives from ancient lore about girls who turned into towering rock formations to thwart an invading force. Childukhtaron is dozens of kilometers away from Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan, the scene of occasional incursions into Khatlon from the Afghan side by suspected drug smugglers as well as incidents of deadly attacks on Chinese workers. Tajikistan has stepped up security close to the border and says the area is under control, while tourism officials are confident that Childukhtaron is far enough away from the frontier to be secure. Still, some travelers might be deterred by long-running safety concerns about Tajikistan. A number of countries warn against travel to the immediate Tajik-Afghan border region and advise caution in other parts of the country because of concerns about terrorism. Canada, for example, says: “Avoid all travel to within 10 km of the border with Afghanistan due to the dangerous security situation and the threat of terrorism.” Earlier this year, China advised its nationals to leave the border area. The Tajik initiative in Childukhtaron is one of the latest efforts to attract visitors to parts of Central Asia that have much to offer tourists, but can be relatively difficult to visit because of long distances, basic infrastructure, and, in Tajikistan’s case, security concerns. Earlier this month, Turkmenistan hosted an international tourism conference, though it remains to be seen whether one of the world’s most closed countries will significantly ease regulations that deter some travelers. In contrast, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have taken big strides in developing tourism infrastructure. In the case of Khatlon in Tajikistan, authorities say foreign tourism in the province is on the rise. Khatlon officials say 344,000 tourists entered the region in the first quarter of 2026, according to the state Khovar news agency. The agency’s report didn’t provide a breakdown of domestic and foreign tourists or a figure for the same period last year. Khovar indicated that tourism in Khatlon is a work in progress, referring to the “development potential” of cities and districts there. Childukhtaron is in the Muminabad district, about 250 kilometers south of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital. That’s a drive of some hours, and some tour operators advise at least an overnight stay in the district. More adventurous travelers can consider renting a jeep or all-terrain vehicle to access remote areas. Childukhtaron “consists of pyramid-shaped rocks up to 60 meters high, which have been eroded by long-term winds,” Khovar reported. “There have been many legends and traditions about the Childukhtaron Mountains among the population and indigenous peoples since ancient times.”