Politics
Azerbaijani Travel Bloggers Promote Almaty and Shymbulak on the International Stage 28.01.2026
Popular Azerbaijani travel bloggers Orkhan Aslanov, Seymur Aliyev, and Ayaz Kara have visited Almaty and the Shymbulak ski resort. The interest of foreign influencers in the mountainous locations of the metropolis confirms the city's growing appeal as a destination for winter and active tourism. This was reported by the Almaty Tourism Department.During their trip, the guests familiarized themselves with Shymbulak's infrastructure, appreciated the variety of slopes for skiers and snowboarders of different skill levels, as well as the unique combination of mountain landscapes and the panorama of Almaty.Orkhan Aslanov, for whom this is not his first visit to Almaty, noted that the city and the Shymbulak resort reveal themselves to him in a new way each time. He said that night skiing made a particularly strong impression on him."Descending from a height of about 3200 meters against the backdrop of the night city is an experience that cannot be described in words. It absolutely must be felt," shared the blogger.Seymur Aliyev, in turn, emphasized the high potential for tourist exchange between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan."Almaty attracts with its culture, people, and the convenient location of ski resorts near the city, which makes the vacation comfortable and interesting," he noted.This was Ayaz Kara's first time in Kazakhstan. He was particularly impressed by the night skiing at Shymbulak. "Here you feel sincere hospitality and friendliness," the blogger shared."Publications by influencers on social media will contribute to the further promotion of Almaty on international tourism platforms and strengthen its image as an attractive destination for winter, mountain, and active recreation," noted the city's tourism department.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almaty/press/news/details/1149652?lang=kk
Over 650 Micro and Small Business Projects Supported in Almaty under the "Almaty Business-2025" Program 20.01.2026
Almaty, in 2025, the microfinance organization "Almaty" MFI LLP, a subsidiary of "Almaty" Regional Financial Center JSC, extended 72 concessional loans to small and micro businesses in Almaty under the regional entrepreneurship development program "Almaty Business-2025." Both aspiring and established entrepreneurs received business development financing at preferential annual rates of 2% and 6%.The total volume of loans disbursed over the past year exceeded 3.2 billion tenge. The funding limit per borrower was 78.64 million tenge, with a maximum loan term of up to 7 years.Sector-wise, the largest share of loans was allocated to projects in manufacturing and processing, accounting for 32% of all funded projects. Projects in the services sector (24%) and healthcare (21%) also represented significant portions. These were followed by education (8%), the creative economy (7%), and tourism and sports (4% each).Since the launch of the "Almaty Business-2025" program in 2019, "Almaty" MFI has financed 659 projects in Almaty, amounting to 16.5 billion tenge. The largest volume of support was directed to manufacturing projects (29%) and healthcare projects (16%). A further 10% of funding was allocated to social entrepreneurship projects, which received loans at the minimum preferential rate of 2% per annum.Geographically, the highest number of projects were supported in the Bostandyk district (141 loans), followed by Alatau (110), Almaly (88), Medeu (80), Auezov (77), Nauryzbay (67), Zhetysu (49), and Turksib (47) districts.Through this concessional lending initiative, "Almaty" MFI has facilitated the creation of nearly 3,000 jobs in the city. Furthermore, as a result of business growth, program borrowers have contributed approximately 3 billion tenge in tax payments to the budget.Consideration is currently being given to extending the "Almaty Business" program, with further details to be announced in due course.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almaty/press/news/details/1144331?lang=kk
More than 70,000 new jobs were created in the Almaty region in 2025 19.01.2026
Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl/press/news/details/1143119?lang=kk
