Official Launch of the China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan and the “Silk and the Silk Road: From China to Kazakhstan” Exhibition Held at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan

A solemn ceremony marking the official launch of the China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan, as well as the opening of the exhibition “Silk and the Silk Road: From China to Kazakhstan,” took place at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana.

The event was attended by Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerbol Myrzabossynov, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China Sun Yeli, Director of the National Museum of Kazakhstan Berik Abdigaliuly, Deputy Director of the China National Silk Museum Zhang Chengmin, and other distinguished guests.

In his address, Minister Yerbol Myrzabossynov emphasized that Kazakhstan and China are friendly nations with strong ties across various sectors. According to him, bilateral relations are currently reaching a new level within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, with tourism emerging as a key driver of closer people-to-people connections.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the opening of the China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan! Last year in Astana, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping declared 2025 the ‘Year of Chinese Tourism in Kazakhstan.’ Today’s event continues the success of the Kazakhstan Tourism Year in China in 2024. This large-scale initiative marks a new chapter in our countries’ tourism cooperation. In this regard, I would like to express special gratitude to Mr. Sun Yeli for his significant contribution to the development of tourism and cultural exchanges between our nations,” said the Minister.

As part of the China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan, Yerbol Myrzabossynov proposed several initiatives aimed at supporting joint tourism projects.

In particular, he suggested implementing the Welcome Chinese program in Kazakhstan, designed to create a more comfortable environment for Chinese tourists. This initiative will help hotels, travel agencies, and tourism facilities adapt to the needs of visitors from China. The minister also proposed organizing a unique cross-border marathon integrating tourism, sports, and culture, as well as enhancing academic mobility between tourism universities of both countries to foster knowledge and experience exchange.

It is worth noting that 2024 marked a significant milestone in the development of mutual tourism between Kazakhstan and China. As part of the Kazakhstan Tourism Year in China, 37 events were held in major cities across the country, leading to a substantial increase in tourist flows. In 2023, Kazakhstan welcomed 367,000 Chinese tourists, while in 2024 this number rose to 655,000 — an increase of 78%.