Akmola region is a priority object for realizing the country's tourism potential. The share of the region in the provision of services in the field of tourism is about 10% (17.2 billion tenge out of 182.9 billion tenge), about 9% of all accommodation places in the country are concentrated here (340 out of 3970 units in the republic).
The basis of the tourism product is the development of ecotourism, which is the anchor destination with the highest potential (the duration of the season is from 3 to 5 months). The growing popularity of this type of tourism is facilitated by the systemic infrastructural “cultivation” of natural areas, the functioning of tourist routes with landscaping elements (benches, gazebos and wooden bins). Also an important direction in the structure of the regional tourism product is the development of niche types of tourism: sacred, cultural and educational, hunting and trophy.
On the territory of the region there are Shchuchinsko-Borovskaya, Zerenda resort areas, Korgalzhyn biosphere reserve and a zone of near-capital tourism.
More than 600 tourism enterprises operate in the region (340 accommodation facilities, 15 sanatorium and resort institutions, 204 roadside service entities, 57 travel agencies (22 tour operator profile, 35 travel agency profile) that have licenses for the right to carry out tourism activities).
6 tour operators have developed 73 tourist routes.
The results of 2022 are characterized by positive dynamics in key tourism indicators.
In 2022, the number of accommodation places in the region amounted to 340 units with a total fund capacity of 5577 rooms (5441 rooms - an increase of 102%) with a one-time capacity of 14.5 thousand beds.
Placements provided services worth 17.2 billion tenge (10.5 billion tenge), with an increase of 164% by 2021. The number of visitors served by accommodation facilities amounted to 443.2 thousand people (327.8 thousand people - an increase of 135%), incl. non-residents - 15972 people, provided - 952673 bed-days.
According to the results of the 1st quarter of this year. the number of accommodation places in the region decreased by 4% and amounted to 326 units with 5437 rooms. Placements provided services in the amount of 3.7 billion tenge (2.6 billion tenge), with an increase of 142% compared to the same period in 2022. The number of visitors served by accommodation facilities amounted to 85.6 thousand people (68.1 thousand people - an increase of 126%).
The total tourist flow (the number of visitors served) in 2022 amounted to 1.2 million people (the number of those who visited the SNNP "Burabai" - 711.2 thousand people, the number of those who visited the SNNP "Kokshetau" - 17.1 thousand people, the number of those who visited the SNNP "Buiratau" - 1.5 thousand people, the number of those who stayed at the places of accommodation - 443.2 thousand people, the number of their sanatorium treatment - 28.0 thousand people). It is expected that, with the collected growth rate, by 2025 this figure will reach more than 1.6 million visits.
According to the results of 5 months (January-May) 2023, the volume of investments in fixed assets increased by 3.5 times (4.1 million tenge) compared to the corresponding period last year and amounted to 15.8 million tenge.
In 2023, it is planned to implement 65 investment projects for a total investment of 23.3 billion tenge, including:
- private investment - 14.3 billion tenge (construction of a health-improving center (project cost - 4.5 billion tenge, Republican Public Organization "Industrial Trade Union of Healthcare Workers "Senim", Akkol district); construction of a resort hotel "Wyndham Residence Aqkol Club" (project cost - 2.0 billion tenge, Sirius Plus LLP, Akkol district); construction of a recreation area and a children's health-improving sports complex (project cost - 2.1 KZT bln, Nur-Sultan Capital Construction Company LLP, Tselinograd district Reconstruction of the Zvezdny health center (project cost – 0.8 bln tenge, Edelweiss LLP, Burabay district) Construction and reconstruction of a recreation area (project cost – 0.6 bln tenge, First Chill LLP, Arshalyn district);
- state investments - 9.0 billion tenge (construction of houses of culture, leisure centers, sports and training bases and complexes).
For the construction of transport infrastructure in 2023, funding in the amount of 4.5 billion tenge was supported for the implementation of 5 projects (reconstruction and construction of the road network in the village of Burabay (3rd stage) street 1 line, 12.7 million tenge; reconstruction and construction of the road network in the village of Burabay (3rd stage) Dzhambula street, Kazakhstanskaya, International, 940 million tenge; overhaul of the Burabay highway Bai-Katarkol" km 0-20, 400 million tenge; construction of a road around Lake Tekekol to the road "Northern detour of Lake Chebachye", 178 million tenge; overhaul of the road "Schuchinsk-Nikolaevka" 0-62.8 km, 3 billion tenge).
At the same time, the SCHBKZ notes a number of problematic issues that impede the development of mass tourism, such as: lack of parking lots, unsatisfactory collection and disposal of garbage, there is a shortage of toilets and changing cabins on the beaches.
In order to improve the sanitary condition of the resort in this year. the operational headquarters and the Action Plan for sanitary cleaning and improvement of the ShchBKZ were approved, 33 million tenge was allocated from the regional budget.
As part of the improvement in the village of Burabay, the current repair of the monument to veterans of the Great Patriotic War, the reconstruction of the central square and the restoration of small architectural forms were carried out.
In the village of Burabay, in places of mass flow of tourists, 27 sanitary and hygienic units were installed (including 5 (MIO) - free of charge), 27 garbage sites, 110 metal containers (30 - MIO, 80 - SNPP), 50 wooden containers and 220 stationary bins, 80 benches, a schedule for cleaning and garbage disposal in the summer was approved (frequency up to 6 times a day), dismantled 27 illegally installed commercial pavilions, 20 locations allocated for the sale of souvenirs, ice cream and drinks.
Currently, the development of a master plan, combined with a detailed planning project, is being completed for the settlement of Burabay with an area of 700 hectares (LLP Design Institute "Kazgiprograd").
As part of the improvement of the most visited places in the resort area, a project is being implemented to build 1 parking lot for 500 cars along Line 1 Street (MIO: cost - 72 million tenge; SK Sodruzhestvo LLP, work is planned to be completed by July 1 this year), in the future, the construction of 4 more parking zones (2 UDP: parking lot No. 1 (for 150 cars) Okzhetpes village area; parking lot No. 2 (for 500 cars) checkpoint area No. 1), 2 MIO: st. Kokmais - 700 seats; st. Kenesary (behind the hotel "Bereke") - 1800 seats).
In 2023, the Decree of the regional akimat dated January 13, 2023 (No. A-1/10) approved the Development Plan for the Zerenda resort area until 2025, which provides for the phased implementation of 31 infrastructure projects worth 6241.1 million tenge. (RB - 5010.5 million tenge, OB - 551.6 million tenge, MB - 166 million tenge, CI - 513 million tenge), aimed at developing the tourist potential of the resort area.
As part of the preparation of the ZKZ for the summer season, the current repair of the roadway was carried out with the installation of asphalt pavement to tourist facilities located in the north-eastern part of the village. Zerenda (Zerenda Park, Ansat); lighting of the road along the entire recreation area (5.5 km) with 143 poles and lighting fixtures; 5 video surveillance cameras were installed (including at the entrance to the territory of tourist sites), a Map-scheme of tourist sites of the Zerenda resort area (on the Kokshetau-Atbasar highway), the Neo Nomad 20 installation (at the entrance to the village of Zerenda).
In 2023, 4.7 million tenge were allocated for the purchase and installation of containers for municipal solid waste, beach umbrellas, changing cabins, outdoor dry closets on the territory of the ZKZ; the installation of 3 bus stops from the SSU on the territory of the ZKZ from the Central District Hospital to the Zeren Nur Central Center is being completed (cost - 32.0 million tenge). GNNP "Kokshetau" installed gazebos for recreation, benches and garbage containers on tourist trails. ZKZ tourist facilities are installing Internet connection signal reception amplifiers to previously laid fiber optic lines at the expense of their own investments.
Within the framework of the National Project for the Development of Entrepreneurship for 2021-2025, in 2023, 10 applications were considered and supported to subsidize part of the costs of business entities in the field of tourism for a total of 104.5 million tenge:
3 applications for reimbursement of costs (10%) for the construction / reconstruction of tourist facilities for a total reimbursement of 43.5 million tenge:
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs during the construction of a hockey court and a summer terrace with a swimming pool in the ORC "Discovery Borovoe" (project cost - 165.4 million tenge, Orlyonok LLP, Burabay district), the amount of compensation - 16.5 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs during the construction of the Tamilla holiday home (project cost - 140.7 million tenge, Tamilla LLP, Zerenda district), the amount of compensation - 14.1 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs during the reconstruction of dormitory buildings and the guest house "Ak-Danat" (project cost - 128.9 million tenge, IP "Kalipenova", Zerenda district), the amount of compensation - 12.9 million tenge;
3 requests for reimbursement of costs (10%) for roadside service facilities for a total reimbursement of 31.2 million tenge:
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs for the construction of a roadside cafe with a hotel (project cost - 65.2 million tenge, IP "Orik", Atbasar district), the amount of compensation - 6.5 million tenge;
– 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs for the construction of a roadside cafe in the Les and Stars recreation area (project cost - 117.3 million tenge, IP Zhakibaeva, Birzhan Sal district), the amount of compensation - 11.7 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs for the construction of a roadside hotel with a cafe (project cost - 130.2 million tenge, IE "Eskendirova", Zerenda district), the amount of compensation - 13.0 million tenge;
4 requests for reimbursement of expenses (25%) for the purchase of a motor vehicle for a total reimbursement of 29.8 million tenge:
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs of purchasing a vehicle (project cost - 56.6 million tenge, IE "Beksultanova K.N.", Kokshetau), the amount of compensation - 14.2 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs of purchasing a vehicle (project cost - 21.9 million tenge, Zeleny Bor 77 LLP, Burabay district), the amount of compensation - 5.5 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs of purchasing a vehicle (project cost - 31.9 million tenge, LLP "Continent.K", Burabay district), the amount of compensation - 7.9 million tenge;
- 1 application for reimbursement of part of the costs of purchasing a vehicle (project cost - 8.8 million tenge, IE "Parus", Zerenda district), the amount of compensation - 2.2 million tenge.