Adjustments made to vacation schedules over the past year
In Kazakhstan, economic realities are driving a growing preference for domestic tourism in 2025. According to recent data, a significant shift towards domestic tourism is observed among vacation planners, with 50.7% opting to explore their own country.
This trend is particularly noticeable among those with lower incomes, pensioners, residents of rural areas, unemployed individuals, housewives, and others who are least likely to plan a vacation. Financial constraints are preventing many vacationers from spending between 100,000 and 200,000 tenge from traveling to distant international destinations.
However, for those who do plan to travel internationally, the most popular destinations include neighbouring countries with visa-free access, such as China via the Jeminay port, which has seen a surge in tourism due to a new China-Kazakhstan visa exemption agreement in 2025. Regional destinations like Azerbaijan are also popular, with over 68,000 tourists from Kazakhstan visiting in the first half of 2025.
Turkey, the UAE, and Egypt remain popular tourist destinations for Kazakhs planning international travel. In fact, Egypt is the seventh most frequent international destination for Kazakhs. The UAE ranks fourth among the most frequent international destinations.
Among vacationers planning to spend between 200,000 and 400,000 tenge, there is a tendency to choose Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, and other CIS countries. On the other hand, among those planning domestic trips, 26.1% are prepared to spend between 100,000 and 200,000 tenge, while 24.6% plan to spend between 50,000 and 100,000 tenge.
Interestingly, 12.8% of vacation planners prefer traveling to CIS countries, while 32.4% of vacation planners choose international destinations, mainly Turkey, the UAE, and Egypt. However, it's worth noting that approximately 19.2% of vacationers are prepared to spend between 200,000 and 400,000 tenge, a smaller proportion compared to those planning to spend less.
In 2024, Kazakhs most frequently traveled to Russia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. However, in 2025, 51.6% of residents do not plan to take a summer vacation, which is a 27.4% increase from the previous year. This could be due to broader global uncertainties and possibly local economic or social factors, although specific reasons are not detailed in the sources.
Kazakhstan itself is also developing domestic tourism options, such as space-tourism-related attractions in Baikonur and ecotourism in areas like Katon Karagay. These developments may influence some residents to forgo foreign travel in favor of exploring within the country.
In conclusion, while international destinations remain popular among some Kazakh vacation planners, there is a clear shift towards domestic tourism in 2025. This trend is likely to continue as economic realities and the development of domestic tourism options in Kazakhstan influence vacation choices.
In light of financial constraints and the development of domestic tourism options in Kazakhstan, some vacationers are opting for a lifestyle focused on exploring their own country, such as visiting space-tourism-related attractions in Baikonur or ecotourism sites like Katon Karagay, rather than spending on international travel.
Additionally, the growing preference for domestic tourism among residents could significantly impact the finance sector, as fewer individuals might require loans or savings to cover the costly expenses associated with international travel.
