The Kazakh government has recently taken many measures to boost tourism and FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) into Kazakhstan, the chief among which has been the relaxation of the visa regime.
On June 12th, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced at the Foreign Investors’ Council that citizens from FDI providing states will be allowed to enter freely into the country. From July 15th, citizens of major investors like the U.S., U.K., France, etc could travel to Kazakhstan visa-free.
Kazakhstan is also aiming to grow its tourism, and move the focus and FDI away from its extractive industries. Between 2001 and 2012, Kazakhstan doubled its tourism earnings, with more than 3.3 million tourists entering Kazakhstan in 2010, up from around 1 milion tourists in 2000.
Experts say that Kazakhstan will benefit even more if it opens the visa- waiver to middle income countries like Turkey that enjoy strong cultural and business ties with Kazakhstan.
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