On April 9, 2026, a working meeting chaired by Deputy Akim of the region B.K. Bayakhmetov was held in the building of the regional akimat. The meeting was dedicated to the current state of the tourism industry and the progress of preparations for the summer tourist season. The event was attended by regional departments, city and district akimats, as well as representatives of law enforcement agencies and departments.

During the meeting, it was emphasized that tourism development is a priority direction for diversifying the economy of the East Kazakhstan region. In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated October 13, 2025, the heads of local executive bodies bear personal responsibility for the comprehensive development of the relevant infrastructure. However, the conducted analysis indicates the presence of systemic problems. In her report, Deputy Head of the Tourism Department Irina Smith noted instances of untimely submission of updated information for the Tourism Map. 

A separate block of discussion focused on the objectivity of statistical accounting. As part of monitoring tourist flows for 2025, analytical data from mobile operators was used, which revealed significant discrepancies with official information. In particular, the actual number of domestic tourists in the Katon-Karagai district amounted to 211 thousand people, which is almost eight times higher than previously recorded figures. This circumstance indicates the need to revise approaches to collecting primary data to ensure high-quality strategic planning for the industry's development.

In preparation for the upcoming summer season, meeting participants were informed about the planned visit of a state inspector from the Office of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan scheduled for April 20-24. The purpose of the inspection will be to check the region's overall readiness to receive tourists. To ensure an appropriate level of control, a draft composition of an interdepartmental working group has been formed, which includes representatives from emergency situations, sanitary and epidemiological control, police, and state revenue departments. The activities of this group will focus on conducting comprehensive inspections of mass recreation facilities for their compliance with safety standards and sanitary norms. Following the meeting, specific instructions were given to the akims of cities and districts to eliminate identified shortcomings and ensure one hundred percent infrastructure readiness for the start of the season.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/tourism-vko/press/news/details/1198535?lang=kk