In 2025, the East Kazakhstan Region once again confirmed its status as one of the main centers of attraction for travelers. Following the results of the year, the tourist flow showed steady growth: 446.8 thousand people visited the region, which is 4% higher than the previous period's figures. The unique nature of East Kazakhstan attracts more and more foreign guests. Over the year, the region welcomed 18 thousand foreign tourists. Among those who chose EKR for their holidays are travelers from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Korea, Russia, and China. At the same time, the most active tourist exchange is traditionally observed with border regions.
The tourist infrastructure of the East Kazakhstan Region continues to develop rapidly. Today, 412 accommodation facilities operate seamlessly in the region – modern hotels and cozy guest houses. As noted by Irina Smith, Deputy Head of the EKR Tourism Department, East Kazakhstan confidently takes first place in the republic in terms of the number of accommodation facilities. At the same time, the region's tourist facilities can accommodate 21,737 people at once (third place in the country). Thanks to the commissioning of new recreation centers, this figure increased by 1,200 beds just last year.
Investment Boom and the Arrival of Global Brands. The industry shows an unprecedented growth in private investments. Last year, the volume of investments in the fixed capital of the tourism sector amounted to 21.6 billion tenge, showing an increase of almost 45%. An important marker of the region's investment attractiveness is the arrival of major international players. For example, it is planned to build a modern five-star hotel of the world-famous Hilton Garden Inn chain in Ust-Kamenogorsk. The estimated completion date for this large-scale project is 2028.
A New Approach to Destination Development. To improve the quality of services and the effectiveness of promotion, EKR is transitioning to a comprehensive model of tourism development. Currently, an initiative to create a single specialized organization is being actively developed. The new structure will unite the management of tourism clusters, regional marketing, the development of digital tourism services, as well as work with investors and the tourism business into a single ecosystem. This approach will allow for a definitive shift from the targeted promotion of individual facilities to the systematic management of the East Kazakhstan tourist destination.
