ASTANA – A profile of tourists visiting Almaty shows that the main group of foreign visitors consists of men aged 26-35, traveling either with friends or alone. The data was compiled by the Almaty tourism bureau, with input from the Bureau of National Statistics and Tourism Insights, an analytical platform by Mastercard, according to the Almaty akimat’s (city administration) press service.
Photo credit:morena.kz
Foreign tourists favor cultural events and ecotourism, with 42% choosing hotels for accommodation. On average, they spend five days in Almaty and about $334 per day.
Domestic tourists, primarily young men aged 18-25, mostly visit relatives and prefer staying in hostels. Their daily spending is $38, and their visits last about two days. Foreign tourists’ spending is 8.7 times higher than that of domestic visitors.
The city’s tourism industry continues to experience steady growth. In the first half of the year, the number of tourists increased by 10.1%, reaching 1,070,358. The foreign tourist segment saw significant growth, with a 15.6% rise compared to the previous year, totaling 302,358 visitors, or 53.3% of Kazakhstan’s overall tourist flow.
Tax revenues from Almaty’s tourism sector during the first eight months reached 62.5 billion tenge (US$130 million), a 39.5% increase compared to the previous year. Investments in fixed assets grew by 72.3%, while services provided by accommodation establishments rose by 32.5%, reflecting the growing interest in Almaty as a travel destination.
