KITF 2026: THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND TRAVEL EXHIBITION WITH 414 COMPANIES FROM 24 COUNTRIES HAS STARTED IN ALMATY

TODAY, APRIL 22, THE 24TH KAZAKHSTAN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 'TOURISM AND TRAVEL' — KITF 2026, HAS BEGUN ITS WORK, UNITING KEY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS, AND THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY IN ALMATY FOR THREE DAYS, FROM APRIL 22 TO 24.

From the first hours of operation, the event demonstrates a high level of organization and confirms its status as one of the leading industry platforms in the region.

As part of the renovation of the exhibition in 2026, a number of new destinations are participating in the exhibition for the first time, including the Republic of Cyprus, Mongolia, the Nanshan Cultural Tourist Zone, GOA, Sri Lanka and Abu Dhabi. A significant update was also noted in the membership due to debutant companies, including Online Express, Vietra Tour, Antalya Airport, Trabzon Region, Seoul Tourism Organization, I'WAY, Zendia Japan, Turkish Airlines, Xiaomi, Sinoasia B&R (SABR), Center Credit Bank, EMGS (Education Malaysia Global Services), One Day Mongolia and Pan Global. Among the innovations is the launch of a specialized KITF Podcast Zone platform with the participation of Viktor Eliseev, an expert in the field of communications and author of books, focused on the development of industry communications.

The exhibition began its work with the official opening ceremony, which was attended by: Olzhas Smagulov, Deputy Akim of Almaty; Aydin Kapashev, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Rohan Kaunte, Minister of Tourism of Goa (Republic of India; Talgat Gazizov, Chairman of the Board of JSC NC Kazakh Tourism, Galiya Tokseitova, Head of the Almaty City Tourism Department; Dmitry Schoenberger, Chairman of the Board of the Atakent KCDS; Edward Strawn, CEO of ICA Events Group. To develop business contacts and support their national companies, the heads of diplomatic missions and international business communities of Azerbaijan, Egypt, India, Cyprus, China, Cuba, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan and South Korea visited the KITF exhibition.

 

In his welcoming speech, Deputy Akim of Almaty O.Smagulov noted: "Almaty is consistently developing key areas of the tourism industry. Special attention is paid to infrastructure development and investment attraction. Since 2025, 48 tourist sites have been opened in the city, currently 70 hotel projects are being implemented with a total number of more than 7,000 rooms. A busy calendar of events plays an important role in promoting the city: 163 events are planned in 2026, including international concerts, festivals and business forums. The city continues to develop the appropriate infrastructure, improve digital services and expand access to tourist information. All these efforts allow Almaty to consistently strengthen its status as a modern tourist center, open to international cooperation, large-scale events and the implementation of new business initiatives. We are confident that KITF 2026 will become an effective platform for establishing new partnerships, sharing experiences and launching joint projects." 

 Aydin Kapashev, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, told the audience that today the Ministry attaches special importance to the development of tourism infrastructure, digitalization of the industry and improving the quality of tourist services. The Ministry is taking comprehensive measures to create favorable conditions in the resort areas of Kazakhstan, and projects are being implemented aimed at further developing the country's major tourist destinations, such as the Almaty Mountain Cluster, the Mangystau resort area and the Shchuichnsko-Borovskaya resort area. At the same time, on March 16, 2026, the Law "On Amendments and Additions to certain Legislative acts on the support of tourism activities" was signed. The law provides for detailed rules of state support, the establishment of new tools for the development of tourism, and other measures to regulate tourism activities. "In turn, the KITF exhibition plays an important role in this process. The participation of the Goa Minister of Tourism, foreign national tourism organizations and international experts confirms the high status of the event and its importance for strengthening international cooperation. KITF is rightfully one of the key professional platforms. This is a space of dialogue, new partnerships and strategic solutions," A. Kapashev emphasized.

An important cooperation agreement was signed during the exhibition.: JSC "National Company Kazakh Tourism" and SE "National PR Center" of the Committee on Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan have signed a memorandum on a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership. The document is aimed at developing tourism cooperation between the countries, promoting joint routes and strengthening the region's position in the international tourism market.

The key substantive element of the first day is the KITF Travel Forum 2026 business program, implemented under the theme "Tourism today — Solutions for tomorrow". The program opened with an anti-crisis case session "Tourism in the context of geopolitical risks: what to do right now?", which examined practical business adaptation tools and mechanisms to increase resilience in the face of external challenges.

 The agenda was further developed in the framework of the author's lecture "Taxes. Finance. The New Survival Rate", dedicated to the issues of tax regulation and financial planning in the current economic conditions. Significant professional interest was aroused by the panel discussion "Routes of the season: charters, new destinations and the economy of the 2026 travel package", where participants discussed the formation of travel products and key market trends.

 A separate block of the business program was devoted to the aviation industry. During the session "Aviation Strategy 2026: short range, new markets and year-round Asia", the prospects for the development of the route network, the diversification of destinations and the strengthening of the position of the Asian segment were considered. The final event of the day was the VISION TALK for travel bloggers "World Map for Kazakhstani Tourists", where changes in consumer behavior and the impact of digital platforms on the choice of destinations were discussed.

 Tomorrow, April 23, KITF Travel Forum 2026 will continue with new sessions where participants will be able to discuss current trends and key challenges of the tourism industry. The format of the forum is still focused on practical benefits: it combines expert presentations, real-life cases and open discussions, creating a space for the exchange of experience and professional dialogue. Thanks to this, the KITF Travel Forum becomes not only a source of relevant knowledge for participants, but also a working platform for networking, finding partners and forming new ideas in the travel industry.

 In parallel, the KITF Community Stage platform operates, providing an open dialogue between industry representatives, travelers, bloggers, journalists, nomads, as well as auto and motorcycle tourists. This platform promotes the popularization of independent travel and the formation of a professional community.

 KITF 2026 is characterized by high business activity, rich content and wide international participation, confirming the importance of the exhibition as an effective tool for the development of the tourism industry, strengthening partnerships and developing relevant solutions in the context of the transformation of the global tourism market.

 The forum's partner is Trend Buro

 Official partners - Visit Almaty, Kompas Tour Operator

 Official support: Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akimat of Almaty, National Company Kazakh Tourism JSC, Kazakhstan Tourism Association.

 The organizer of the exhibition is Kazakhstan Exhibition Company Iteca together with its international partner — The ICA Events Group of Companies. 

 The doors of the exhibition will be open until April 24 inclusive, we are waiting for professionals of the tourism industry by pre-registration on the event website. 

www.kitf.kz