The Bayjelek Observation Tower was photographed on June 29th in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi
Beijing, October 18 (Xinhua) — Since the official launch of China’s “Kazakhstan Tourism Year” in 2024, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan has continued to rise.
According to Ctrip data, the number of travel orders from Chinese tourists to Kazakhstan has increased by 229% year-on-year since the beginning of this year, an increase of 262% compared to 2019, with Almaty city being the most popular among Chinese tourists.
Recently, one of the events in China’s “Kazakhstan Tourism Year” series, “Almaty Tourism Day,” was held successively in Xi’an and Beijing. Harbin’s largest city extends a warm invitation to Chinese tourists.
At present, air routes such as Beijing Almaty, Hangzhou Almaty, Urumqi Almaty, and Almaty Sanya have been opened between the two countries. We believe that with the efforts of both sides, the air routes will be further strengthened, “said Shalkarbayev, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in China, during the aforementioned event.
According to Shalkarbayev, Kazakhstan has held over 20 events in China this year to showcase its magnificent natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. Kazakhstan has rich historical and cultural relics, beautiful mountains and rivers, and hospitable people. We sincerely invite Chinese tourists! “He said.
Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao stated in an interview with Kazakh media that the “Kazakhstan Tourism Year” was successfully launched in March this year, and Kazakhstan is becoming a new popular destination for Chinese tourists to travel abroad.
Last November, the China Kazakhstan visa free agreement officially came into effect, making it more convenient for tourists to travel between the two countries. According to data from Kazakhstan in February this year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan has increased 12 times since the mutual visa exemption between China and Kazakhstan. According to statistics from Kazakhstan, from November 10th last year to the end of March this year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan reached 126000.
Apart from Almaty, Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is a must visit destination for Chinese tourists. In addition, destinations such as Shymkent and Aktau are also highly favored by Chinese tourists, “said Mao Lin, a researcher at Ctrip Research Institute. Kazakhstan has excellent resource endowments, and as the popularity of tourism to Kazakhstan continues to expand, its popularity will continue to rise.
The central axis landscape of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, captured on June 29th, features the “Khan’s tent” shopping center in the distance. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi
Shalkarbayev said that tourism cooperation is one of the important contents of bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and China. The two countries continue to deepen tourism cooperation, which will help the two peoples better understand each other’s culture and history.
The Chinese market is very important for the tourism industry in Almaty. This year, we have taken more measures to facilitate Chinese tourists, including training more Chinese tour guides and increasing Chinese services at public facilities such as the airport, “said Toksheyitova, director of the Almaty Tourism Bureau.” We hope that every Chinese tourist who comes to Almaty for tourism can have a comfortable experience, leave unforgettable impressions and happy memories