On August 1, Almaty became a member of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), Qazmonitor reports citing Tengri Travel.
Membership in ICCA gives Almaty the opportunity to develop MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) tourism, also known as business tourism. MICE is a lucrative sphere of tourism that involves organizing and hosting corporate events for large groups of people from around the world.
"Joining the association provides an opportunity to establish new partnerships with other ICCA members. We intend to attract new tourists to the city," said Yedige Margulan, director of the Almaty Tourist Information Center LLP.
In recent years, MICE tourism has been a priority type of tourism in Kazakhstan with its potential to generate revenue for the local economy and create a positive image of the city. The global market size of MICE tourism is estimated at $725 billion with an annual growth rate of 7.5%.
Almaty plans to host up to 20 international business events on an annual basis.
ICCA membership comprises 1,279 cities and organizations in 97 countries. According to its 2020 world rating, Kazakhstan is ranked 79th in MICE tourism.