Kazakhstan to Enhance Tourism by Expanding Flights and Introducing Subsidized Routes
Kazakhstan plans to subsidize more than 20 routes, including nine tourist destinations, with 6.4 billion tenge (US$13.2 million) allocated for next year to promote tourism and enhance the attractiveness of local sites.
The Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs held a meeting on October 7 to discuss strategies for developing tourism in Kazakhstan.
Plans for 2024 include launching five subsidized flights to Turkistan, alongside additional commercial flights by FlyArystan. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced that preparatory work has commenced for the construction of three new airports in various regions of Kazakhstan, while eight other airports have already undergone modernization.
The Civil Aviation Committee revealed that the government is considering increasing flights to Aktau, the regional center of Mangistau, from other regional hubs. This year, the number of weekly flights to Aktau rose from 115 to 137.
During the meeting, participants also reviewed the challenges faced during the last tourist season at the Balkhash and Urzhar resorts, where high airfares resulted in a significant decline in tourist numbers.
“The country prioritizes transport accessibility to resort areas. As you know, this year the competition for subsidized flights on the Balkhash-Almaty, Balkhash-Astana, Urzhar-Astana, Astana-Usharal routes did not take place, and commercial flights were operated on these routes. However, subsidizing flights remains one of the important measures of state support,” said Deputy Chairman of Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Timur Nakhipbekov.
