The Latest on Kazakh Tourism Opens Its First International Office in India

Kazakh Tourism, the national tourism organisation of Kazakhstan, opened its first international office in India on February 22nd at SATTE, South Asia’s largest tourism exhibition.

This strategic move aims to capitalise on the rapidly expanding Indian outbound tourism market, which is expected to exceed 50 million tourists by 2026. Kazakh Tourism Chairman Kairat Sadvakassov praised India’s potential, describing it as “one of the most promising outbound tourism markets in the world.”

Prashant Chaudhary, the head of Salvia Promoters and an experienced tourism professional, was named the Indian representative.

Salvia specialises in promoting Central Asia and Russia and has previously operated visa centres and promotion offices for a variety of destinations.

Chaudhary emphasised Kazakhstan’s appeal to Indian tourists, citing its diverse landscapes, vibrant cities, rich history, easy visa-free travel, and direct flights.

He also noted the growing popularity of destinations other than Almaty, such as Astana and Shymkent, emphasising Kazakhstan’s untapped tourism potential.

The agreement between Kazakh tourism and Salvia aims to attract Indian tourists and represent Kazakh interests in this important market. Their initial collaboration, which was showcased at SATTE, involves a planned visit to Kazakhstan by Indian travel journalists in the first half of 2024.

With India’s booming travel market and Kazakhstan’s unique offerings, Chaudhary believes the country could attract up to 500,000 Indian tourists each year by 2026. This optimism is consistent with Almaty’s recent ranking as the most-searched holiday destination for Indian travellers by India Today.

The opening of this office is a significant step forward for Kazakh tourism, potentially paving the way for more international tourism ventures in the future.