Today, a project for the development of bicycle infrastructure in Kostanay was presented at an executive meeting. The project has passed expert review and is ready for implementation.As part of the project, a bicycle route with a total length of 38.2 kilometers was developed. It will cover various areas of the city, connecting residential districts with major parks, recreational areas, and sports facilities.The route will pass through the Konai microdistrict, "Uly Dala" and KRU parks, Triathlon Park, the central part of the city, Youth Boulevard, Yubileyny and Airport microdistricts, "Keruen" Park, the park on Arystanbekov Street, and other city areas.The main goal of the project is to create safe and convenient conditions for cycling, as well as to gradually build a unified city bike network. This will make it possible to use the bicycle as a full-fledged mode of urban transport.Implementation of the project is planned to begin next year, once the funding source is determined. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanai-kalasy-akimat/press/news/details/1295907?lang=ru

The State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan announces the completion of the integration of the SRC's information systems with the Digital Tenge Platform with respect to customs documents. The work has been carried out since the beginning of this year by the Platform's National Operator — Kazakhstan National Payment Corporation JSC — together with Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan JSC.    The implemented mechanism allows participants of the pilot project to initiate payment of value-added tax on imports to the budget using digital tenge — for goods declarations (GD) and applications for the import of goods (AIG) — with a direct exchange of payment statuses on customs documents.    The direct interaction between the customs systems and the Digital Tenge Platform ensures that the SRC's information systems receive payment status in real time. In addition, an auto-payment mechanism for customs declarations has been implemented, which speeds up their release.    This approach replaces periodic reconciliation based on statements with a direct exchange of payment statuses between the SRC's and the Platform's systems, reducing the administrative burden on participants in foreign economic activity. As a result, waiting time at the border is reduced and the load on customs checkpoints decreases.    The Digital Tenge Platform has proven itself as a next-generation infrastructure: programmable payments, traceability of funds, and seamless interaction between government agencies and the financial sector.     A special contribution to the project's implementation was made by Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan JSC — a second-tier bank that ensured the technical readiness and synchronization of its systems with the Platform. The maturity of its payment infrastructure and the team's responsiveness in refining its services made it possible to launch the mechanism within a short timeframe and confirm its functionality on real transactions.     The new mechanism creates the basis for expanding the "Refund of Value-Added Tax from the Budget" ("Digital VAT") project along the entire chain — from exporter to importer. This will increase the transparency of transactions, speed up VAT refunds, and further automate VAT administration.    The State Revenue Committee will continue joint work with the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan National Payment Corporation JSC, and second-tier banks to scale up digital-tenge-based services, consistently reducing the administrative burden on participants in foreign economic activity.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-almaty/press/news/details/1295898?lang=ru

Around 830,000 tourists visited Astana in the first half of 2026, a 12% increase compared with the same period last year. Of these, approximately 187,000 were international visitors.The figures were announced by Astana Deputy Akim Yevgeny Glotov at the opening of the international tourism forum Kazakhstan Travel Forum 2026.This year’s forum focused on the theme of “Safe Tourism.” It brought together representatives of government agencies, tourism businesses, airlines, the hospitality industry, international organizations and industry associations. Participants discussed tourist safety, industry development, transport accessibility, service quality, and cooperation between the government and businesses.Event, business, cultural and medical tourism are all developing in Astana. As visitor numbers grow, the city is expanding its offerings for tourists: new attractions are opening, international hotel brands are entering the market, and a calendar of major cultural, sporting and business events is taking shape.More than 1.6 million tourists visit the capital each year, with tourist arrivals increasing by an average of 10–12% annually.“Astana is no longer a city that people visit solely for business. More than 1.6 million tourists come to the capital every year, and this figure is growing by an average of 10–12% annually. Our task today is to create conditions that encourage visitors not only to come to Astana for a concert or a business meeting, but also to stay longer and return in the future. Cities around the world are competing to attract these visitors, and Astana is actively taking part in that competition,” said Yevgeny Glotov.Event tourism remains a key area of development for the city’s tourism industry. Major international concerts, sporting competitions, business gatherings and cultural events help attract more visitors to the capital and encourage them to extend their stays.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/astana-uir/press/news/details/1295850?lang=ru

As part of Kazakhstan Travel Forum, a meeting of the Expert Council on Tourism Development was held under the chairmanship of Akimzhanov Khalel, Head of the Astana City Department for Investment and Entrepreneurship Development.The meeting brought together representatives of the capital’s tourism industry and the airlines VIETJET QAZAQSTAN and SCAT.One of the key agenda items was the development of Astana’s Tourism Industry Development Strategy for 2026–2031. Participants were presented with the results of work carried out to date, the main priorities for tourism development in the capital, and the approaches developed during the preparation of the strategic document.The Visit Astana partnership programme was also presented. It aims to improve the quality of tourism services and promote the city’s tourism infrastructure.Representatives of VIETJET QAZAQSTAN and SCAT gave presentations on their operations and prospects for further cooperation with the tourism industry.Following the Expert Council meeting, cooperation agreements were signed between representatives of the aviation and tourism industries. The agreements aim to strengthen cooperation among industry stakeholders, develop joint initiatives, promote tourism products, and expand opportunities to attract visitors to Astana.The meeting helped identify priorities for further joint efforts to develop the capital’s tourism industry and strengthen cooperation among industry stakeholders.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/astana-uir/press/news/details/1295852?lang=ru

The international tourism forum Kazakhstan Travel Forum SAYAKHAT 2026 was held in Astana. The three-day event, themed “Risk-Free Tourism,” brought together representatives of government agencies, the tourism industry, airlines and the hospitality sector to discuss the safe development of tourism, the protection of travellers’ rights and stronger international cooperation.The forum welcomed tourism professionals and international partners alongside representatives of government agencies, airlines and the hotel industry. On September 17, participants took part in a familiarisation programme showcasing the capital’s tourism infrastructure, including a sightseeing tour of Astana and an information tour of the city’s hotels. The forum’s main business programme took place at the EXPO International Exhibition Centre.The programme featured panel discussions and expert sessions, B2B meetings, presentations of tourism products, an international exhibition and agreement-signing ceremonies. Exhibitors included major Kazakhstani tour operators, travel agencies from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and other countries, airlines, representatives of national tourism authorities, international hospitality companies, industry associations and destination management companies (DMCs).During four panel sessions, industry experts exchanged views on establishing mutual guarantees in tourism services, developing cross-border cooperation, improving collaboration between tour operators and travel agencies, and building travellers’ trust through responsible tourism. Discussions also covered preventing and addressing unfair practices in the industry, experience-driven urban planning and event tourism.Several agreements and memoranda were signed during the forum, and new tourism products and international travel destinations were presented. The winners of the Best Tourism Village 2026 competition were also recognised.According to Kymbat Maratova, PR Specialist at Astana RedBus Tour, more than two million tourists have used the company’s services over the two years since 2024. The company organises sightseeing tours of Astana and trips to Burabay.“We operate throughout the year, although the three summer months are our busiest period. Tourists from different regions of Kazakhstan also visit us in winter and spring. The most popular attractions in Astana include the National Museum, the Baiterek Monument and the older part of the city on the right bank of the river. Many visitors also want to explore Republic Avenue. On average, we organise excursions for more than 100,000 tourists a year.“This year, we launched a new project called ‘Astana by Night’. The tour starts at 8:00 p.m. and has proved very popular, as residents of the capital can join after work.“Our audio guide provides information in eight languages. We have updated it to reflect the closure of certain attractions. We operate five bus tours daily between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. “Tickets cost KZT 6,000 for adults and KZT 3,000 for pensioners, large families, children and people with Group II or III disabilities. Tours are free for journalists, people over the age of 75, people with Group I disabilities and those accompanying them,” she said.In 2025, the number of tourists visiting Astana increased by 7% compared with 2024, reaching 1,604,825. This included 380,301 international visitors and 1,224,524 domestic tourists. Russia, China, Türkiye, Germany and the United States were the five leading countries of origin for international visitors to the capital.Astana has 317 hotels and other accommodation facilities, with a combined capacity to accommodate more than 18,000 guests at a time.Rauan Akhmetov, a representative of Astana Tourism LLP, spoke about the information services available to visitors.“We work to develop tourism in Astana and have several departments dedicated to this area. Information about the capital’s tourist attractions is available on our social media pages. We have also opened two tourist information kiosks: one at the airport and another near the Baiterek Monument.“Visitors can obtain free brochures and tourist maps in Kazakh, Russian, English and Chinese. These provide information about the city’s attractions, hotels, public transport routes and other useful services.“Since the beginning of the year, we have assisted more than 10,000 tourists, over 70% of whom were international visitors. Many came from Russia, Germany and China. Overall, we serve around 20,000 tourists annually.“International visitors are particularly interested in the Grand Mosque, the Baiterek Monument, the National Museum and the museum at Nurly Zhol railway station,” Akhmetov said.On September 19, the forum continued in Astana’s Central Park with a citywide celebration under the theme “Tourism Is Everyone’s Business.” Residents and visitors enjoyed a running event, a gastronomic festival, sports and family activities, and a cultural programme. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/astana-uir/press/news/details/1295834?lang=ru