RESULTS OF KITF 2026: THE EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER 414 COMPANIES FROM 24 COUNTRIES AND OVER 5,000 TOURISM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

FROM APRIL 22 TO 24, 2026, THE 24TH KAZAKHSTAN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND TRAVEL EXHIBITION KITF 2026 WAS HELD IN ALMATY — ONE OF THE KEY EVENTS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, ANNUALLY BRINGING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT BODIES, AND THE INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY ON ONE PLATFORM.  

Over the three days of the exhibition, the exposition was visited by 5,295 visitors from 42 countries worldwide, who noted the high potential of the platform for building partnerships: “The exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to discover new destinations, establish direct contacts with partners, and expand professional networks. It is truly an effective platform for development and exchange of experience”, shared Ayaulym Utepbergen, Director, Sunshine Travel. 

This year, the exhibition once again confirmed its high international status: 414 companies from 24 countries took part, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Vietnam, Georgia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, China, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Federation, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, Korea, and Japan. Notably, more than 80% of exhibitors were international companies — an indicator that clearly reflects the sustained interest in the region and its tourism potential. Exhibition participants also note the high level of business activity and the productivity of meetings: “Our impressions of the exhibition at this stage are only positive for all participants from our side. We have numerous opportunities to meet with industry representatives, including airlines, especially in the context of route network development”, said Ihsan Berktas, CIP Manager, Antalya Airport.  

A significant part of the exhibition space was occupied by 16 national pavilions: UAE (Abu Dhabi), Azerbaijan, Georgia (Adjara region), Goa, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, China, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Russia, Romania, Thailand, Turkey (Trabzon), and South Korea, with separate stands from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province presented as independent destinations, which traditionally remain a center of attraction for the professional audience. Alongside the international exposition, special attention was paid to domestic tourism. Within the unified Kazakhstan national group, 10 regional stands were presented, showcasing the tourism potential of the city of Almaty, Abai, Karaganda, Aktobe, East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Atyrau, and Kyzylorda regions, as well as the regions of Zhetysu and Ulytau. 

The expansion of destination geography also deserves special attention. For the first time at KITF 2026, Cyprus, Mongolia, the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone (PRC), the state of Goa, Sri Lanka, and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi were presented. In addition, a number of companies and organizations made their debut at the exhibition, including Online Express, Vietra Tour, Antalya Airport, the Trabzon region, Seoul Tourism Organisation, I’WAY, Zendia Japan, Turkish Airlines, Xiaomi, Sinoasia B&R (SABR), Bank CenterCredit, EMGS (Education Malaysia Global Services), One Day Mongolia, and Pan Global, which added extra dynamism and diversity to the exposition. 

This year, the organizers once again introduced new ideas and features to enrich the exhibition. For the first time, the KITF PODCAST ZONE was launched with the participation of communications expert Viktor Eliseev, where current topics of the industry and the entire market were discussed live during the exhibition. The dedicated KITF Community Stage arena also brought its own dynamics and color to the business program, bringing together travel bloggers, journalists, nomads, and everyone promoting the culture of independent travel.  

The business program of KITF Travel Forum 2026, themed “Tourism Today — Solutions for Tomorrow” became the pulse and an important part of the entire exhibition. The exposition began with an official opening ceremony attended by representatives of government bodies and organizations. In his welcoming speech, the Minister of Tourism of Goa, Rohan Khaunte, noted: “Our goal is to showcase to tourists from Kazakhstan the full spectrum of experiences that the state offers. Today, Kazakhstan has good air connectivity with India via Air Astana, with direct flights to Mumbai and Delhi and further connections to Goa. We are also actively negotiating the launch of charter flights from Almaty and Astana to Goa in cooperation with FlyArystan and SCAT Airlines”. Goa’s participation in KITF 2026 became part of its strategic expansion into Central Asian markets. In addition, heads of diplomatic missions and international business communities from Azerbaijan, Egypt, India, Cyprus, China, Cuba, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and South Korea visited the KITF exhibition to develop business contacts and support their national companies. 

On the very first day, April 22, participants discussed key industry challenges — from geopolitical risks to the transformation of tourism products. The program included an anti-crisis case session “Tourism in the Context of Geopolitical Risks: What to Do Right Now”, an expert talk “Taxes. Finance. New Sustainability”, a panel session “Season Routes: Charters, New Destinations, and the Economics of the 2026 Travel Package”, an aviation session “Aviation Strategy 2026: Short-Haul, New Markets, and Year-Round Asia”, as well as the VISION TALK “The World Map for the Kazakhstani Tourist”. 

The program of the second day, April 23, continued the discussion on changes in tourist behavior, new sales models, and security issues. On this day, the following took place: the master class “The 2026 Guest: How Tourist Behavior Has Changed and How Tourism Facilities Can Attract and Retain Guests”, the session “Who Will Sell Travel Tomorrow? The New Sales Architecture: Travel Agent, AI, or Marketplace?”, the panel session “Safety and Trust 2026: Insurance, Standards, Reputation. Crisis Management in Tourism: How to Protect Tourists and Business”, the session “Medical Tourism Made Simple: How Tour Operators Can Turn Treatment and Wellness into a Profitable Package”, the industry session “The Great Transformation of Inbound Tourism: Routes, Market, Hospitality, Events”, and the master class “Marketing in Uncertainty”. 

Following the results of the three days, KITF 2026 once again confirmed its status as an effective professional platform where new partnerships are formed, key trends are discussed, and guidelines for the further development of the tourism industry are set — both in Kazakhstan and beyond. The high level of organization and content-rich program encourage visitors to plan their visit for the next year: “I would also note that the exhibition provides an opportunity to meet familiar faces, communicate with colleagues from different regions, and exchange experience. Next year, I will definitely plan to visit the exhibition again”, said Vladislav Stepanov, Extreme Athletics.  

Forum partner — Trend Buro 

Official partners — Visit Almaty, Kompas Touroperator 

Official support was provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Akimat of Almaty, JSC “National Company Kazakh Tourism”, and the Kazakhstan Tourism Association. 

The exhibition is organized by the Kazakhstan exhibition company Iteca in partnership with its international partner — the ICA Events Group.