China, Kazakhstan improve tourism cooperation

A report from Individuals’s Day by day: The opening ceremony of the Kazakhstan Yr of Tourism in China in 2024 was just lately held in Beijing. China and Kazakhstan will maintain a sequence of splendid actions all year long of tourism, which embrace artwork performances and tourism boards.

Kazakhstan boasts ample tourism assets, such because the Shymbulak Ski Resort, Lake Kaindy, Charyn Canyon, the Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve, and the Nationwide Park Burabay, attracting numerous vacationers yearly.

The Kazakh authorities has set a aim to extend home vacationer numbers to 11 million and international vacationer numbers to 4 million by 2030. In addition to, the variety of folks employed within the tourism business is anticipated to succeed in 800,000 by that point.

Kazakh Minister of Tourism and Sports activities Yermek Marzhikpayev mentioned that China is certainly one of Kazakhstan’s precedence tourism markets and companions, owing to the 2 nations’ geographical proximity and profound historic connections.

Kazakhstan plans to draw extra Chinese language vacationers by leveraging its wealthy nomadic tradition, centuries-old historical past, and distinctive pure landscapes, the minister added.

Lately, China and Kazakhstan has witnessed constantly deepening tourism cooperation. In November 2017, China formally arrange a tourism workplace in Astana, which was the primary certainly one of its type established by China in a Central Asian nation. The workplace has performed an lively function in selling cultural and tourism exchanges between the 2 nations. In November 2023, mutual visa exemption between China and Kazakhstan was applied, additional stimulating the journey demand of vacationers from each side.

Because the starting of this yr, the variety of Chinese language vacationers touring to Kazakhstan has been on the rise, making the Central Asian nation an rising fashionable outbound journey vacation spot.

In keeping with statistics from Chinese language on-line journey company Ctrip, the variety of tourism bookings to Kazakhstan by Chinese language vacationers this yr has elevated by 229 % yr on yr, and 262 % in comparison with 2019.

Knowledge from one other Chinese language on-line journey platform Fliggy confirmed that since March, the variety of flight bookings to Kazakhstan has elevated greater than threefold from a yr in the past. Almaty, Astana and Aktau are particularly favored by Chinese language vacationers.

“At the moment, Chinese language vacationers can take direct flights to Kazakhstan from Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Urumqi, or enter the nation by land ports in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous area.  Pure surroundings and native tradition are main sights,” mentioned Xu Jia, normal supervisor of a journey company in Sichuan province.

Xinjiang is adjoining to Kazakhstan. Due to this fact, some Chinese language vacationers would have a tour within the autonomous area first after which go to Kazakhstan by way of locations like Khorgos.

It’s reported that the Khorgos worldwide freeway bus station has 4 worldwide passenger routes to Kazakhstan, and with the arrival of the height vacationer season, there was a big improve within the variety of vacationers touring between China and Kazakhstan.

The China-Kazakhstan Khorgos Worldwide Border Cooperation Middle situated within the Khorgos Space of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Commerce Zone is at all times bustling with actions. The cooperation middle spans the border between China and Kazakhstan, masking a complete space of 5.6 sq. kilometers.

Residents of China and Kazakhstan, in addition to third nations, can enter or depart the cooperation middle visa-free for as much as 30 days, which facilitates face-to-face enterprise negotiations, trades, tourism and purchasing.

The passage connecting China and Kazakhstan within the cooperation middle has turn into a well-liked photograph spot for vacationers.

It’s reported after the cooperation middle resumed full operation in 2023, the variety of vacationers has proven an exponential progress. It dealt with a complete of 4.18 million inbound and outbound vacationers all year long, a year-on-year improve of 4.27 occasions.

This yr, the cooperation middle has as soon as once more skilled a peak in cross-border tourism and purchasing, with tens of 1000’s of vacationers coming into and leaving the cooperation middle day by day.

Marzhikpayev mentioned that the Kazakhstan Yr of Tourism in China is a milestone occasion that helps strengthen the pleasant relations between the 2 nations.

“We imagine that the dialogue between the 2 sides will inject new vitality into the partnership within the tourism sector, open up new prospects, and lay the muse for fruitful long-term cooperation,” the minister famous.

Kairat Batyrbayev, government director of the Eurasian Worldwide Research Affiliation in Kazakhstan, mentioned that China’s outbound tourism is booming and it’s anticipated that extra Chinese language vacationers will select to journey to Kazakhstan in 2024.

It will assist drive the event of Kazakhstan’s tourism business and promote the upgrading of supporting infrastructure reminiscent of roads, resorts, and eating places, Batyrbayev famous, including that Chinese language vacationers gaining a deeper understanding of Kazakh tradition, customs, and meals will additional deepen the cultural change between the 2 nations.