Kazakhstan’s growing reputation as a safe tourist destination that offers exceptional natural wonders is about to be given a boost by a move by Kazakh authorities to protect more of its landscapes, forests, and wildlife.
The Central Asian nation, the world’s largest landlocked territory and ninth biggest country, already boasts 14 national parks, spanning 312 square kilometres of protected land. These parks welcomed 2.8 million visitors in 2024, representing 18% annual growth. Now officials have announced plans to lean into the country’s wealth of natural resources, increasing its protected land by another 20,000 square kilometres by 2035, making a total national park area almost the size of the whole of Finland.
Under the banner “The Concept for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity for 2026-2035,” the initiative will ensure the planting and preservation of 8,000 square kilometres of forests, as well as conserving dune-scapes in the Aral Karakum desert and the Tian Shan peaks that are home to the snow leopard.
In addition to such positive news for the environment, the plan will also bring economic benefits, furnishing an already booming travel and tourism sector with further credentials and the chance to further promote the country’s opportunities for outdoor pursuits, hiking, wildlife spotting, and birdwatching. It’s a strategy aimed at bringing in more high-spending tourists interested in biodiversity, culture, and gastronomy.
Integrating biodiversity conservation into national decision-making remains a key challenge. Developed by the Ministry of Ecology&Natural Resources w/UNDP, @theGEF, #BIOFIN support Kazakhstan has adopted its Biodiversity Conservation Concept for 2026–2035https://t.co/hZvfNmiGAi pic.twitter.com/QnB1lYp0OG
— UNDP Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 (@UNDPKAZ) March 4, 2026
As they target 10 million visitors by 2029, Kazakhstan officials have also worked hard to smooth out barriers to travel, removing visa requirements for citizens of all EU member states for stays of up to 30 days, implementing a “neo nomad visa” to allow people from 48 countries to work in Kazakhstan for a year, and growing air connectivity with new airports close to existing resort areas (Zaisan, Katon-Karagai, and Kendirly). Direct flights will connect them to Almaty, Astana, and other major cities. Construction works on the sites have already started.
Kazakhstan, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is perhaps uniquely positioned to tap into lucrative Chinese and Turkish source markets, as well as Europe. Eurasia Review also highlights how the country may also benefit unexpectedly from ongoing uncertainties around travel to the Arabian Gulf amid a security crisis that is estimated by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to be costing the worldwide sector around $600 million per day.
With consumers shifting travel plans and seeking stable destinations, Kazakhstan appears to be drawing some of that spend—especially from European travellers. According to data provided by Turkish Airlines, flights from Brussels to Kazakhstan have risen sharply—an evolution, the outlet says, closely linked to the geopolitical crisis unfolding in the Middle East, but one that Kazakhstan will hope to sustain, just like its natural treasures.
