Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — As part of an international press tour organized in Astana during the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 international technology conference, representatives of Kazakhstan’s tourism industry presented the tourism potential of the capital and Almaty to journalists and international guests.
The presentations showed how the country’s two largest cities are developing complementary models of urban, business, cultural and nature-based tourism.
The event was part of the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 program, which brought together representatives of technology businesses, international companies, investors, experts and media outlets. During the conference, participants in the press tour had the opportunity not only to learn about Kazakhstan’s technology agenda but also to assess the country’s tourism infrastructure and opportunities for international travelers.
Kazakhstan’s tourism industry is gradually moving beyond the traditional perception of the country as a destination primarily for nature enthusiasts and steppe routes. Astana and Almaty are developing two complementary models of urban tourism, offering international travelers a combination of business infrastructure, culture, gastronomy, events, modern urban environments and nature-based routes.
This trend is particularly evident in tourist flows and infrastructure development in the country’s two largest tourism centers. In 2025, more than 1.6 million tourists visited Astana, including more than 380,000 foreign visitors. Compared with the previous year, international tourist arrivals in the capital increased by 7%. During the same period, about 2.5 million tourists visited Almaty, including more than 754,000 international visitors. Compared with 2023, the number of international tourists in Almaty increased by nearly 40%.
From Administrative Capital to Standalone Tourist Destination
For Astana, a key objective is to change the city’s perception in the international tourism market. The capital is seeking to position itself not only as Kazakhstan’s administrative and business center but also as a standalone travel destination.
The presentation of Astana’s tourism potential during the press tour demonstrated a broad range of opportunities, from events and business tourism to gastronomy, culture, medical services and nature-based routes. Particular attention is being paid to the city’s ability to host international events and use them as an additional driver of tourist trips.
The event economy plays an important role in this. The city hosts 11 major events annually, including Eurasian Book Fair, Comic Con Astana, AI Bridge, Qazaqstan Barysy and BaiQymyz. This calendar makes it possible to combine business trips and participation in major events with cultural programs, gastronomy and urban tourism.
For international journalists and press tour participants, this provides an opportunity to see Astana not only as a venue for a technology conference but also as a standalone tourism product featuring museums, theaters, modern architecture, restaurants and new attractions.
Almaty: The “City Plus Mountains” Model
The press tour also presented Almaty’s tourism potential. While Astana emphasizes its image as a modern capital and center for international events, Almaty offers a different model — a combination of a major city and mountain nature.
In 2025, about 2.5 million tourists visited Almaty, including more than 754,000 international visitors. Tourism already accounts for 4.1% of the city’s gross regional product. Almaty has more than 400 accommodation facilities, over 12,500 hotel rooms, more than 7,250 cafes and restaurants, 22 museums, 161 historical and cultural monuments and more than 40 tourist attractions.
At the same time, Almaty’s main competitive advantage remains the opportunity to combine urban and nature-based tourism within a single trip. A tourist can head to the mountains in the morning and return to the city in the evening to visit restaurants, museums and cultural spaces. The city is therefore promoted through the concept of “mountains by day — city by night.”
Thus, the press tour held as part of AI & Digital Bridge 2026 presented international media not only with Kazakhstan’s technological capabilities but also with the broader context of the country’s development as a tourism destination.
