""Kazakhstan's tourism industry: dynamics, investments and NeoNomad Visa"

"Tourism should become a new point of economic growth. There are attractive tourist spots in every region of the country. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to build the necessary infrastructure, including with the involvement of private investors." Kassym-Jomart Tokayev President of the Republic of Kazakhstan As a result of systematic measures implemented in the field of tourism, both the indicators of inbound tourism and Kazakhstan's position in the world ranking are significantly improving in the country. In 2024, according to the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index, Kazakhstan ranked 52nd among 119 tourist destinations. In the previous ranking, the country was in 66th position. In 2024, Kazakhstan was visited by 15.3 million foreign visitors traveling for various tourist purposes, with the exception of those who arrived for work or permanent residence. Of these, 10.4 million people stayed in the country for more than one day, which allows them to be classified as foreign tourists. According to official statistics, the average length of their stay is 4 days. According to the National Bank, tourists from far abroad spend an average of 1,500 US dollars during their visit in Kazakhstan. The total amount of expenses of foreign tourists in the country in 2024 exceeded 1.2 trillion tenge. In the tourism sector, there is a steady increase in investments in fixed assets. The dynamics of investments in the industry for 2019-2024 is presented below: 2019 – 502 billion tenge 2020 – 629 billion tenge 2021 – 593 billion tenge 2022 – 513 billion tenge 2023 – 787 billion tenge 2024 – 947.5 billion tenge In 2019-2024, more than 605 investment projects totaling 550 billion tenge were implemented in the tourism sector, of which 87 investment projects were successfully completed in 2024. Major investment projects include: Makhambet Hotel in Shymkent (4.9 billion tenge); Keremet Park family Park in Atyrau region (3 billion tenge); recreation area "Ak-Zhaiyk" in Almaty region (1.8 billion tenge). In addition, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, a new type of Neo Nomad visa has been introduced. This visa is intended for modern nomads – foreign tourists who combine work and leisure, traveling and working remotely. The new visa regime takes into account the international experience of more than 50 countries that have successfully implemented similar programs after the pandemic. Foreign tourists will be able to stay in Kazakhstan for up to one year, while remaining employed in their foreign companies. This will not only allow them to immerse themselves in the culture and life of the country, but will also bring economic benefits to Kazakhstan. It is expected that the economic effect of the visa introduction will amount to about 3.6 billion tenge per year if 500 people receive a visa. Foreigners who use Neo Nomad will reside and spend money in Kazakhstan without taking jobs in the domestic labor market, which is an important aspect of this program. Kazakhstan's tourism potential is successfully advancing in the international arena. Thus, according to The New York Times, Almaty is among the 52 best tourist destinations, and according to Lonely Planet magazine, Kazakhstan is included in the list of the best countries for travel in 2025. In addition, Condé Nast Traveller Italia has included the ski resort "Shymkent" in the TOP 5 best tourist destinations. CNN Travel has published a list of 25 destinations that it recommends for travel in 2025, awarding Kazakhstan a special status. In particular, Almaty was recognized as one of the best tourist destinations and named the "capital of the new style" of Central Asia due to its unique atmosphere combining majestic natural landscapes and dynamically developing urban culture. In the coming years, Kazakhstan will continue to actively develop the tourism industry, implementing large-scale projects and initiatives such as: Implement comprehensive development plans for three priority tourist destinations: Shchuchinsko-Borovskaya resort area Mangystau resort area The Almaty mountain cluster. By 2027, it is planned to implement 181 investment projects worth more than 1.1 trillion tenge. To increase employment in the tourism sector to 800,000 people, and create 10,000 new jobs in rural areas thanks to the development of agrotourism. To increase the number of domestic tourists to 11 million people, as well as to increase the number of beds to 280 thousand. Cover all hotels with the eQonaq information system. In addition, take the 50th place in the global Travel and Tourism Development Index. These initiatives will not only strengthen the country's position on the global tourism map, but also open up new opportunities for travelers, businesses and local communities.