ASTANA (TCA) — An ambitious task is set before tourism in Kazakhstan — to increase the industry’s share in GDP from 1% in 2016 to 8% by 2025, Minister of Culture and Sports Arystanbek Mukhamediuly said at a press conference on January 25, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
“2017 was a turning point in the history of Kazakhstan’s development. Thanks to the personal participation of the Head of State and the successful holding of Expo-2017 in Astana, the world opened Kazakhstan as a new tourist destination located at the crossroads of the cultures of the West and the East. For the first time since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has received clear outlines on the world tourism map,” Mukhamediuly said.
He said that an updated Concept for the development of the tourist industry was adopted until 2023, in which the cluster principle was identified as key to the successful transformation of tourism into the active sector of the country’s economy.
The foundation was laid for the development of tourism in the so-called “post-Expo” period. The program documents for the development of the infrastructure of Astana and the Shchuchinsk-Borovoe resort zone were adopted.
Legislative changes have been initiated with the aim of economic transformation of tourism into a full-fledged competitive branch of Kazakhstan, capable of attracting both domestic and foreign tourists, the minister said.
“We are also planning to introduce electronic visas to increase the flow of inbound tourists; continue to stimulate the development of domestic tourism; improve the quality of tourist services in all locations through the introduction of international standards in the development of the industry; launch a large-scale information campaign to attract domestic and foreign tourists. In addition, it is very important for us to create the best tourist climate in the world,” the minister concluded.
