The Almaty Tourism Bureau, together with Mastercard, conducted a detailed analysis of the path taken by travelers arriving in the city and conducted a study of the flow of tourists in Almaty. The analysis covers the main stages of travel – planning, booking, accommodation and relaxation.

According to Tourism Insights (Mastercard), Almaty remains the main tourist center of Kazakhstan, accounting for 29.7% of travel search queries in Central Asia, which is 2 percentage points higher than the previous indicator. The growth can be seen in the increase in air travel: the number of flights to Almaty increased by traditional airlines (+24.7%) and low-cost airlines (+44.5%). The share of repeat visitors increased by 78.6%, reaching 25%, and the search time for tickets in advance, especially before major events, increased by 24%, up to 40 days in advance.

The number of passengers booking flights to Almaty increased by 1.5 times, which is due to the increase in affordable flights. China stands out among the top 10 countries – in the first half of 2024, the number of bookings from this country increased by 6 times, reaching 25.2 thousand tickets. The largest number of bookings was made from Turkey, which is related to the closeness of business ties with Kazakhstan.

Tourists coming to Almaty prefer active holidays: 54% choose nature tours and excursions, 44% choose jeep tours. Gastronomy, shopping and entertainment are highly rated, with 70% expressing positive opinions. The share of positive opinions about family tourism has increased by 12%. Business expenses have tripled due to increased activity, investments and international forums.

The Almaty Tourism Bureau noted that Almaty's plan to become a tourist hub is being implemented in this way. The increase in the number of transit passengers through the city's airport indicates its growing role on international routes. The study showed that Almaty remains a popular destination for vacations and business trips, and the city's tourism sector is developing rapidly.

The full report is at link.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almaty/press/news/details/946425