In 2023, Kazakhstan experienced a surge in foreign tourists, with a notable increase in visitors from China and India.
Increasing Tourist Interest in Kazakhstan
Last year, Kazakhstan hosted 9.2 million foreign tourists, with significant interest from countries such as India, Germany, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Tourist Data
The Kazakhstan Ministry of Tourism and Sports shared foreign tourist data for 2023, noting that the ease of visa-free travel has boosted interest in the country.
Boom in Chinese Tourists
Thanks to a visa-free travel agreement between the country and the Chinese government, the number of Chinese visitors surged from 18,000 in 2022 to 370,000 in 2023. Additionally, the number of direct flights between the two countries has increased to 44 per week.
Contributions from Other Countries
Kazakhstan was visited by 78,000 tourists from India, 85,000 from Germany, and 36,600 from South Korea. The country also welcomed 10,500 tourists from the United Arab Emirates.
Visitors from Neighboring Countries
Uzbekistan was the leading neighboring country with 3.6 million Uzbek citizens traveling to Kazakhstan in 2023. Other visitor numbers included 2 million from Russia, 1.6 million from Kyrgyzstan, and 700,000 from Tajikistan.
As of 2023, Kazakhstan successfully hosted a total of 9.2 million foreign tourists.