According to the MakeMyTrip platforms report, Almaty as an international travel destination among Indian globetrotters is experiencing phenomenal interest, growing to 527% in searches during the period between June 2023 and May 2024 [MakeMyTrip, 2024]. The other platforms’ reports’ such as Agoda and Booking.com also revealed growing interest in Kazakhstan, along with Azerbaijan among its travelers [Bhutia, 2024]. Further, the paper attempts to elaborate on the reasons for shifting the interest of Indian travelers to Kazakhstan.
India’s tourism sector has already recovered from the pandemic, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 2024 Economic Impact Research [EIR, 2024]. Moreover, India’s travel and tourism industry, including its outbound travel, has developed significantly during the past few years. According to a FICCI analysis, the Indian outbound tourism business is expanding at an unprecedented rate, with a threefold increase predicted by 2034 thanks to economic recovery, changing consumer tastes, and a constantly shifting global tourism scene [Bagri, 2024]. A substantial increase in overseas travel is also expected due to the growing middle class in India. The McKinsey analysis projects India’s middle class, which already is among the world’s biggest travel spenders, will rank fourth in the world in terms of travel expenditures by 2030. It is expected that by then, India’s middle class will account for 47% of India’s population due to the country’s increased financial stability [Bagri, 2024].
Indian nationals are among the world’s highest-spending tourists, spending four times that of Chinese and Japanese tourists [Gaurav, 2019]. In 2024, Indian travel expenditures reached a record $17 billion, with millennials spending an average of $6.031 annually on travel, a significant increase compared to other generations [Bhutia, 2024]. The FICCI report forecasts that Indian tourists will increase their overseas spending from $18.82 billion in 2024 to $55.39 billion by 2034 [FICCI, 2024].
Hence, despite India having a not-strong passport in the Global Passport Power Rank 2024, ranking only 84th with 58 visa-free countries, its outbound tourism market, in virtue of its demographic capacity, is substantial [The Henley Passport Index, 2024]. India leads the world in the fastest-growing outbound travel market. The last report from the MakeMyTrip platform revealed a 32% increase in the number of Indians traveling abroad for two or more trips annually. In comparison, searches for emerging destinations increased from 10% to 14% [MakeMyTrip, 2024].
The stable economic growth of India made outbound tourism more affordable for many Indians. Previously, the most popular places were major travel destinations, but as Indian travelers’ portfolios have changed, they now include more budget-friendly destinations. Visa-free travel, direct flights, and affordable costs now play a decisive role in opening new places for travel and exploration.
Due to its proximity—three-hour direct flights, and eased visa regulations, Kazakhstan, particularly Almaty city, has become one of the top emerging travel destinations for Indian tourists. Namely, the surge of interest in Almaty is visible on famous platforms such as MakeMyTrip, Agoda, and Booking.com, with MakeMyTrip showing a record 527% increase in searches.
According to Kazakhstan’s statistics, the number of Indian nationals traveling has increased from over 34.000 in 2023 to over 90.000 in 2024 [Stat.gov.kz, 2024]. The Kazakh Tourism Committee connects the boost, in addition to short flights and comfortable itineraries, with the introduction of the 14-day visa-free regime in 2022 [India Today, 2024].
Picture 1. Number of inbound visitors served by accommodation by nationality—India
Source: Stat.gov.kz (2024).
Besides tourism, Kazakhstan is also strengthening its position in attracting medical students from India, with over 9.500 students already choosing Kazakhstani education [Embassy of India, Astana, 2024].
The rise in interest in exploring Kazakhstan reflects the growing awareness of Kazakhstan among Indians as well as an effective promotion of its footprint in India. India’s relations with Kazakhstan have been enhancing during the last decades. Bilateral relations are developing within the strategic partnership, while India sees Kazakhstan as a key partner in its “Connect Central Asia Policy.” Kazakhstan is also the largest trade and investment partner of India in Central Asia. The total bilateral trade between India and Kazakhstan amounted to US$1 billion, of which US$580.6 million was exported by India and US$449.2 million was imported by India from Kazakhstan [Embassy of India, Astana, 2024].
The tourism sector is one of the priority areas of bilateral engagement. At the ministerial level, Kazakhstan and India discuss tourism within the India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission, and both sides involve the business community in the India-Central Asia Business Council and Kazakhstan-India Business Council meetings. Government officials organize and participate in events aimed at promoting tourism, such as the visit of the Indian Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Development, the Indian business delegation to Kazakhstan, and the participation of Kazakhstani officials in events commemorating India’s outbound tourism [Embassy of India, Astana, 2024].
In February 2024, Kazakh Tourism opened its first international tourism office in India to increase awareness of the country. It aims to promote Kazakhstan as an attractive choice for Indian travelers and represent the country’s interests in India’s booming travel industry. The organization initiates wide-ranging campaigns to promote Kazakhstan by attending Indian travel fairs, collaborating with Indian travel agencies, and launching digital marketing campaigns specifically for Indian audiences. Its primary target audience is the Indian FIT (fully independent traveler) and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segments [D&B Bureau, 2024]. The campaign’s impact is already seen from Kazakhstan’s increasing recognition and attractiveness as a travel destination among Indians, as highlighted by the Versatile Excellence Travel Awards [Sakenova, 2024].
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s tourism industry is expanding at its fastest rate. In 2023, Kazakhstan had visited over nine million foreign tourists, doubling the number in 2022 [Sakenova, 2024]. It is expected Kazakhstan’s tourism market will grow annually at a rate of 6.11%, reaching a value of US$1.368.00 million by 2029 [Statista, 2024]. In 2024, Almaty was included in the New York Times list of 52 Places to Go, Wanderlust ranked Kazakhstan among the Top 24 places to visit in 2024 [Kazinform, 2024].
Taken together, Kazakhstan and India are experiencing trending mutual interest in tourism. Kazakhstan can benefit from the proximity of such a large market as India, where the emerging curiosity to open new authentic destinations is thriving. Given that India’s outbound tourism market will exceed 50 million tourists by 2026, Kazakhstan can leverage its proximity, convenient connectivity, and visa-free benefits to enlarge the country’s share of the Indian outbound travel market [D&B Bureau, 2024]. The substantial spending of Indian globetrotters will benefit the country’s economy as well as contribute to growing recognition and awareness of the country and the region.
During a time when Indian travelers are increasingly exploring new, authentic destinations, Kazakhstan presents a viable alternative by offering activities like skiing, trekking, and hunting. If Kazakhstan cities expand their vegetarian food options and enhance the recognition of their cultural and natural sightseeing spots, the influx of tourists is expected to increase. Creative marketing, enhanced connectivity, and an emphasis on adventure and cultural tourism will contribute to that.
References:
Bagri, Vinay (2024). The dynamics of Indian outbound tourism: A deep dive into current growth patterns. Retrieved from https://travel.economictimes.indiatimes.com/blog/transforming-urban-connectivity-ropeways-as-the-sustainable-solution-for-modern-cities/112381579. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Bhutia, Peden Doma (2024). How Indians are traveling this holiday season: 3 OTA Reports. Retrieved from https://skift.com/2024/12/17/how-indians-are-traveling-this-holiday-season-3-ota-reports/. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
D&B Bureau (2024). Kazakhstan tourism inaugurates office in India. Retrieved from https://diplomacybeyond.com/kazakhstan-tourism-inaugurates-office-in-india/. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
EIR (2024). The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2024 Economic impact research (EIR). Retrieved from https://wttc.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lkbZZ9m5Wk0%3D&portalid=0. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Embassy of India, Astana (2024). India – Kazakhstan relations: Bilateral brief. Retrieved from https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Bilat-Brief-July-2024.pdf. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
FICCI (2024). Unlock the potential. A look into outbound tourism. Retrieved from https://ficci.in/api/pdf1/EMP?fileID=23802&fileName=yn8OI8hS3eFYN1fyx3YHR5hsVwRsX9UNhBxFbSBN.pdf. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Gaurav, Kunal (2019). Factors influencing destination choice of Indian tourists visiting abroad – An analytical study. Pramana Research Journal, Vol. 9, Is. 6, 203-217.
India Today (2024). Easy visa, direct flights: Why record Indian tourists want to go to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/travel/story/easy-visa-direct-flights-why-record-indian-tourists-want-to-go-to-kazakhstan-azerbaijan-2593184-2024-09-04. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Kazinform (2024). Kazakhstan ranks among top 24 places to visit in 2024. Retrieved from https://en.inform.kz/news/kazakhstan-ranks-among-top-24-places-to-visit-in-2024-c722cb/. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
MakeMyTrip (2024). MakeMyTrip report on ‘How India Travels Abroad’, June 2023 to May 2024. Retrieved from https://promos.makemytrip.com/mmt-travel-trends-report-apr24.pdf?cmp=CRM_Emailer_TravelTrends_CC. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Sakenova, Saniya (2024). Kazakhstan boosts tourism development with major investment plan. Retrieved from https://astanatimes.com/2024/07/kazakhstan-boosts-tourism-development-with-major-investment-plan/. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Stat.gov.kz (2024). Bureau of National Statistics of Agency for strategic planning and reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://stat.gov.kz/ru/industries/business-statistics/stat-tourism/. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Statista (2024). Travel & Tourism – Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/outlook/mmo/travel-tourism/kazakhstan. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
The Henley Passport Index (2024). Global Passport Ranking. Retrieved from https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking. Accessed on 20.12.2024.
Note: The views expressed in this blog are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the Institute’s editorial policy.
Albina Muratbekova
Senior Research fellow
Dr. Albina Muratbekova is a research fellow at the Eurasian Research Institute of Akhmet Yassawi Kazakh Turkish International University. Albina holds a PhD degree in Oriental Studies from Al Farabi Kazakh National University. During her studies, Albina received fellowships from institutions in China, India, the USA, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. Her primary research interests cover Central, East, and South Asian affairs; intraregional and interregional cooperation of Central Asian states; China-India relations; and Central Asian politics.