【Text by Observer Net, Wang Yong, Editor: Zhao Qiankun】

According to a recent report by Kazakhstan's "Astana Times", on August 12, Saltanat Tompiyeva, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, stated that Kazakhstan plans to expand air links with China, open new flight routes and increase the number of flights. "Our plan includes not only increasing the frequency of flights, but also expanding the coverage of flight routes."

China is one of the most important sources of tourists for Kazakhstan. According to data released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan in 2024 reached 655,000, an increase of 78% compared to 2023, and the number of Chinese tourists staying in hotels and other accommodation facilities rose to more than 173,000, an increase of 66% year-on-year. This growth is attributed to the 30-day visa exemption policy between China and Kazakhstan and the expansion of air routes. Related reading: "More than 10 cooperation documents! 'China is the priority tourism market for Kazakhstan' "

Kolsay Lake National Park, "Astana Times"

Data shows that in the first quarter of 2025, Almaty received 145,000 foreign tourists, a significant increase compared to the same period last year, with Chinese tourists increasing by 39.3% year-on-year.

The report mentioned that this year is the "China Tourism Year" in Kazakhstan, and Almaty has held over 30 promotional events in multiple cities in China, showcasing natural scenery and cultural heritage, attracting a large number of Chinese tourists to travel to Almaty.

Currently, Almaty has direct flights to multiple cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Urumqi, Yining, Hangzhou, and Sanya.

Almaty International Airport said that since the beginning of 2025, the passenger volume between Almaty and China has exceeded 230,000, an increase of 62% compared to the previous year.

The Kazakhstani news agency (known as "Kazakhstan News Agency") reported that in 2025, the cooperation between Kazakhstan and China continued to accelerate. Kazakhstan has fully integrated the WeChat Pay system and continuously expanded the air corridors, adding direct flight points to strategic cities such as Guangzhou and Chengdu, building a "4-hour aviation circle" covering major tourist markets. At the same time, with the theme of the "China Tourism Year" in Kazakhstan, more than 50 cultural and tourism festivals, art exhibitions, and folk experience activities were planned and implemented throughout the year. The tourism development model integrating natural resources, historical heritage, and participatory experiences has helped Kazakhstan become the most recognizable cultural tourism destination along the Belt and Road Initiative.

In May this year, Kazakhstan participated in the ITB China 2025 International Tourism Trade Exhibition in Shanghai, with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the national tourism company Kazakh Tourism, and tourism authorities, hotel industries, and major travel enterprises from Astana, Almaty, Akmola, and Mangystau, comprehensively showcasing Kazakhstan's rich tourism resources.

Charyn Canyon, Almaty, "Astana Times"

A relevant official from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan stated that with the implementation of the visa exemption policy between China and Kazakhstan, the continuous increase in flight frequency, and systematic promotion efforts targeting the Chinese market, participating in the international tourism exhibition in Shanghai provided an important opportunity for improving Kazakhstan's visibility among Chinese tourists and increasing the number of tourists received.

Data shows that as of July 15, 2025, the number of passengers passing through the Jihamu Port in Xinjiang, China, to enter and exit Kazakhstan has exceeded 49,000, and the number of vehicles passing through this port has approached 12,000.

A representative of a local tour operator in Kazakhstan stated that the number of cross-border tour groups between China and Kazakhstan has significantly increased recently. Their organization organized various car tour routes to Kazakhstan from May to June, with itineraries ranging from 1 to 30 days, providing services to 28 tour vehicles.

Kazakhstan News Agency reported that Chinese tourists are increasingly interested in Kazakhstan, which is due to the effective promotion of Kazakhstan's tourism destinations on Chinese social platforms. Last year, the number of views of videos related to Kazakhstan on Chinese social media platforms exceeded 5 billion. In addition, Kazakhstan has established cooperation with online tourism platforms in China, allowing Chinese tourists to book tourism itineraries, hotel rooms, and other services in advance.

A senior official from a major tourism institution in Kazakhstan stated that Chinese tourists mostly like to visit areas such as Almaty and Astana, "we are currently promoting other equally worth visiting areas, such as East Kazakhstan, Mangystau, and Chimkent, and promoting the overall tourism potential of Kazakhstan".

The official stated that content about traveling to Kazakhstan on Chinese social media platforms is still relatively limited, and in the future, digital promotion projects will prioritize China.

According to a previous report by the "Astana Times", the two countries have achieved remarkable results in the field of people-to-people exchanges, including the establishment of Chinese Cultural Centers, Lu Ban Workshops, branch campuses of Chinese universities, and science and technology centers in Kazakhstan. President Tokayev of Kazakhstan stated that Kazakhstan will support cultural and tourism exchange activities between the two countries and has designated 2025 as the "China Tourism Year" in Kazakhstan to enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation.

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