Recent reporting from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic indicates that the majority of visitors to Kazakhstan in 2023 came from Russia. This update was shared by the ministry’s press service on a Tuesday following the release by RIA News. The figures cover the first nine months of the year, providing a clear picture of travel patterns and regional interest in Kazakhstan as a tourism destination.
According to the ministry, between January and September 2023 Kazakhstan welcomed 356,850 travelers from Russia. In second place among long-distance arrivals stood China, with 75,131 visitors. Turkey claimed third place with 41,134 tourists, underscoring the appeal of regional connections and accessible, direct routes for international travelers seeking diverse experiences within the broader Eurasian area.
The ministry further noted that visitors from India and the United States ranked fourth and fifth, with 34,757 and 28,160 travelers respectively. These numbers illustrate a broadening of the country’s international audience beyond traditional markets and point to growing interest from South Asia and North America in Kazakhstan’s landscapes, cultural heritage, and evolving tourism offerings.
In total, 834.9 thousand foreign tourists visited Kazakhstan in the first nine months of 2023, marking an increase of about 225 thousand compared with the previous year. This upsurge aligns with a wider trend of accelerating international travel and a rebound in global tourism after disruptions in the prior years, highlighting Kazakhstan’s expanding role on the international tourism stage and its capacity to attract diverse travelers seeking new experiences.
Earlier projections about tourism in the region also indicated rising visitor numbers to Crimea in 2023. The latest data placed total arrivals at approximately 5.2 million for the peninsula, a figure that represents a 20 percent decline from the previous year. Crimean President Sergei Aksenov attributed this shift to changes in travel routes, noting that 58 percent of visitors arrived via the Crimean Bridge, 28 percent by train, and 14 percent by land routes. These insights reflect how infrastructure and transport options can influence seasonal and annual travel patterns across adjacent regions.
Looking beyond the immediate travel counts, the broader trend in 2023 showed Russians maintaining a significant presence in related tourism corridors, including popular resort destinations such as Antalya. The pattern suggests a sustained interest among Russian travelers and a continued cross-border exchange that shapes regional tourism dynamics across the Black Sea and Caspian regions. The data imply evolving preferences, from high-volume transfers to more varied itineraries that combine nature, history, and cultural experiences in neighboring markets. The tourism sector in these areas continues to adapt to shifting interests, service expectations, and the strategic development of transport links that connect continents and cultures.