The revival of one of the oldest cities in Central Asia and the restoration of its significance as a spiritual and commercial center became the premise for the decision of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy, Nursultan Nazarbayev on the establishment of the Turkistan region. It is meant to become an economic driver for the whole country.
Known for its vast natural resources and the highest population density in the country, Turkistan has long-standing trade traditions and offers investors a wide potential in tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and civil engineering.
The Turkistan region, with its unique architectural, historical, and archaeological monuments, amazing nature, and distinctive culture, has huge potential for the development of tourism both regionally and internationally. Being an important station on the Great Silk Road and attracting pilgrims and tourists from all over the world in the past, the city is still a great tourist attraction as there is a steady increase in the influx of tourists: more than 1.2 million people visited the historical center in the first half of 2021.
Located at the intersection of ancient civilizations and major transport arteries, the administrative center - the city of Turkistan has remained one of the most important historical, cultural, and spiritual centers in the Turkic world. The entire city center is a unique architectural ensemble that includes the tomb of Rabia Sultan Begim, Timur's granddaughter, the tombs of Kazakh khans and the nobility, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi.
The government forecasts an increase in the regional tourism industry’s share of total GDP to 25% and in the number of tourists up to 5 million by 2025. To achieve this goal, the administration encourages the creation of an integral tourist ecosystem via favorable conditions and investment sites, including TURKISTAN special economic zone and 9 industrial zones providing preferential benefits for domestic and foreign investors.
According to last year's results, the Turkistan region is leading among the regions of Kazakhstan in terms of the investment attraction growth rate. In the short period since its foundation, more than 100 investment projects have been implemented and about $3.8 billion has been invested in the region, including over $1.3 billion attracted directly to the city of Turkistan.
Today, life in the region is in full swing: extensive construction is underway, a new infrastructure is developing rapidly, and the new administrative center has become the epicenter of the urban transformation of the region. The resumption of the Great Silk Road will be carried out in a new technological and economic incarnation to preserve its legacy as not only a commercial flow of goods but a never-ending exchange of ideas, religions, philosophy, scientific and diplomatic ties. It is rightfully called a region beaming with opportunities.
The temperate continental climates, high average annual temperature along a significant share of fertile land, contribute to economic activity applying "green technologies" throughout the year. The Turkistan region is one of the most suitable regions for the implementation of projects in the field of renewable energy.
The advantageous economic and geographical position of the region provides a high transport and logistics potential. The region is becoming a key logistics center for Central Asia. The region can carry out interregional cargo transportation, serve domestic and international passenger traffic. The most important transnational transport corridor "Western Europe-Western China", with a length of 8,445 km, passes through the region and is the shortest road route between Europe and Asia. The international airport "Hazret Sultan" opened its doors in 2020 with the expected annual passenger traffic up to 3 million people.
On the border with the Republic of Uzbekistan, is being implemented one of the important trade projects in the southern direction – the construction of the International Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation "Central Asia". Mutual trade and the volume of services provided among the two countries demonstrate a dynamic growth rate, and the center will strengthen economic cooperation.
The competitive advantages of the region include significant human resources. The Turkistan region is the most densely populated region of Kazakhstan. More than 11% of the total population of the country lives here, comprised of young people with a more than 99% literacy rate. The presence of the International Kazakh-Turkish University, the University of Tourism and Hospitality, and regional secondary educational organizations provides the industry with qualified labor resources. The region is characterized by an effective business ratio of relatively low salaries with a high level of qualification of specialists in several industries.
The industry potential of the region is another reason to draw attention to our region. The agriculture, industry, and services sectors are gaining momentum. There is a huge potential for the development of export-oriented production, as well as border trade. The climatic conditions of our region allow engaging in agriculture almost all year round. The region cultivates 60% of gourds, 100% (340 thousand tons) of cotton, 40% of fruits of the country’s production and is the leader in the number of agricultural producers.
The government is creating the necessary investment conditions, actively building unique facilities and infrastructure, taking several systemic measures to diversify the economy. In particular, investment platforms with attractive preferential conditions have been created. Besides, the region has created a favorable environment for doing business, prioritizing the rights of investors, support at the state level based on the "one-stop-shop" principle. As a result of these comprehensive measures, at the end of 2020, the region took a leading position in the country in terms of ease of doing business. The region has taken a leading position in terms of the ease of doing business in the country.
In 2021, more than 25 major investment projects were implemented, among them the unique multifunctional touristic complex "Caravan saray", residential complexes, greenhouses, solar power plants and manufacturing sites.
The Turkistan region was able to achieve significant results in a short time. Taking into account the great prospects of the region, TURKISTAN INVEST regional front office provides comprehensive support to investors and invites foreign companies to explore the vast opportunities of ancient Turkistan.
https://yadi.sk/i/uLjHw5JpgtvdsA Turkistan Region Presentation