The Mangystau region topped the 2022 list of destinations in Kazakhstan ranked by the duration of stay by foreign tourists, QazMonitor reports citing the tourism industry committee. Over 41,000 people visited the region last year.
On average, foreign visitors spent anywhere from seven to twelve days in the region, enjoying the Caspian Sea coast. This figure is much higher compared to other popular destinations in the country.
In comparison, over 417,000 tourists visited Almaty, but the attractions of the southern capital captivated them for only three to five days of their stay, while Astana attracted 238,000 visitors staying for two to three days. Countrywide, an average tourist stay totaled four days in 2022.
Yerzhan Yerkinbayev, the vice-minister of culture and sports, said that the Mangystau region has great potential evident in the interest shown by foreign visitors.
"[Tourism] staff training, building tourist infrastructure, and negotiations on new direct flights are underway. The demand among foreigners is big, and we want to meet it," said Yerkinbayev.