Baku, Azerbaijan, May 13
Trend:
About 178,000 tourists visited Kazakhstan’s Shymkent in 2018 which is almost 30 percent more than in the previous year, Trend reports with reference to Danat Zhumin, the Deputy Governor (Akim) of the Shymkent.
Thus, up to 12 percent of the tourists were foreign visitors. On average a tourist spends 1.5 days in the city and spends 18,500 tenge on accommodation.
In the following five years the city plans to increase the number of tourists to one million people a year, which is 5.5 times more than now.
The average stay time is also to be increased to 2.5 days, whereas the spending amount is to amount to no less than $200. Thus, the economy of the country will additionally receive about $200 million a year.
Furthermore, the increase of the tourists’ volume will create numerous job opportunities, especially for young people, as well as will increase the profits of both businesses and citizens.
“Shymkent possesses great tourism potential. There are a lot of beautiful locations around the city. Currently, the renovating works of the Citadel, which is situated in the city which is at least 2,000 years old, are taking place. Plans to build a big amusement park is also in the works,” the statement said.
“In 2018 Shymkent has shown a 12-percent growth of the economy. But the city still needs to be invested in,” reads the message.