Kazakhstan plans to develop eco-, agri- and ethnographic tourism. This will attract an additional inflow of foreign travelers, the country's Ministry of Culture and Sports notes. To this end, new tour routes, trails, observation sites, and parking spaces will be established in the country. According to experts, special attention will be given to national parks, for example, the Almaty region’s Altyn-Emel, Kolsai Lakes, Ile-Alatau, and Sharyn National Parks.
“A management model in key areas without excessive strain on the ecosystem has been introduced in Kazakhstan since 2019 to develop these types of tourism. As a result, the concentration of people in the national parks will not exceed five percent. For example, a visitor center and a bridge over the Bolshaya Almatinka river have been built, an educational trail has been created and improved, and glamping sites and campsites have been opened. A visitor center was also established in Turgensai last year. Litter bins and an information board have been installed in the Altyn-Emel National Park. In addition, voluntary certification with a quality assessment system will be introduced to develop ecotourism. There will also be a registry and an online booking system for guest houses,” Nurbol Baizhanov, Spokesperson for the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports, said.
Regarding agritourism development, all those who are interested will have the opportunity to experience farm life and participate in masterclasses on national cuisine and tastings of eco-products. The research will be carried out to determine which promising locations could become a center of attraction for those tourists who give preference to this type of recreation. Also, a pool of artisans will be created as part of ethnographic tourism. The status of the profession will be separately secured. In addition, centers will be opened with the establishment of a network of workshops, and standards and visual identity of national handicrafts products will be created. Such applied arts will be promoted both inside and outside Kazakhstan.
