Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan opens the Astana Leisure exhibition

Astana Leisure 2012, the 9th Kazakhstan International Tourism Exhibition, was opened today in Astana by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industries and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aset Isekeshev.

Mr Isekeshev noted that the travel industry was widely represented at the event, which every year brings together representatives of government bodies, commercial companies, and non-governmental organisations. For the past nine years, Astana Leisure has presented the tourism opportunities of every region of Kazakhstan and has been a traditional meeting place for professionals of the industry.

The opening ceremony also featured representatives from the exhibition’s organisers - the Chair of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies Kuat Tanysbaev and the Director of KITF and Astana Leisure Viktoria Pavlenko.

Presenting the Systemic Plan for Tourism Development in Kazakhstan, the Deputy Prime Minister underlined the fact that the travel industry is a priority area from the country’s development. There are also plans, approved by the head of state, to develop tourism resort opportunities in the Akmola Region, ski areas in Almaty and the Kenderli resort, as well as a cluster development programme for tourism in the West Kazakhstan Region. The results of these plans will lead to a Concept for Tourism Development in Kazakhstan up to 2020.

With travel companies from 14 countries making their first appearance, this year’s Astana Leisure event features 69 exhibitors from countries such as Indonesia, Ecuador, the UAE, China, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia and Switzerland. The national tourist boards of Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey, along with that of Kazakhstan, all have a presence at the event.

Exhibitor numbers are 15% up on last year, with the range of exhibitors expanding to include newcomers from Vietnam, Tajikistan, and Ecuador - one of the most exotic and unexplored destinations for Kazakhstani tourists. Air Astana, Air Arabia and SCAT are among the exhibiting airlines.

Autumn and winter tourism is the theme of seminars held by the Russian chain Turagenstvo Geografia, and also of seminars from companies from Kazakhstan, on the topics of Thailand throughout the year (from Sayama Travel Group), aspects of selling trips to the UAE (by Shelkoviy Put Kazakhstan), tours to Hainan (Sayat and Kokosoviy Ostrov), charter programmes to Vietnam (INTRAVEL and Focus Travel Vietnam) and direct winter charter flights from Astana to Finland from the Kazakhstan Tourism Association. The meeting of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, entitled ‘Tools of Government support in tourism’, is set to attract particular attention.

Astana Leisure 2012 is organised by Iteca and ITE Group, along with the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Industries and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan. For more information, please visit the official event website at www.leisure.kz.