From 26-28 April, Almaty hosted the biggest international fair in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Tourism & Travel – KITF 2007
Companies from 33 countries took part in the exhibition. The exhibition consisted of 150 display stands which presented the services of more than 450 companies.
Participants of Tourism & Travel - KITF 2007 came from the following countries: Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, the Netherlands, Russia, Seychelles, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, U.A.E., U.K., Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Tourism & Travel - KITF 2007 exhibitors included major national and international tourist companies, national tourist administrations of Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, India, Spain, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Turkey, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Russia for the first time (Samara Oblast’s Tourism Development Department), Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan.
Kazakhstan’s tourist infrastructure was presented by Business and Industry Departments of Astana and Almaty cities, as well as Akmola, Aktyubinsk, Almaty, Eastern Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Zhambyl, Western Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Mangystau, Northern Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Atyrau, and Kostanai Oblasts.
In his address to participants of the Tourism & Travel - KITF 2007 Fair in the event catalogue, Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov, the Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted the following: “The tourism potential of Kazakhstan is rich and diverse, and has unique opportunities to develop almost all types of tourism. Such exhibitions undoubtedly help to set up and further partnerships between domestic and foreign tour operators, enhance mutual understanding between people and expand international tourist links”.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the year 2006 witnessed a development trend in the tourist industry. Outbound tourism increased by 19% (5,200,000 people), inbound tourism – by 30% (3,900,000 people), while domestic tourism increased by 8% (3,555,000). “On the country average, the income from tourist activities increased by 14.6% to make 35 billion tenge,” said Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov at a collegiate meeting in his ministry. “The number of current travel firms in 2006 grew by 6.7% to reach 903, while the number of hotels and other accommodations grew by 18%, from 385 up to 453”.
During the Tourism & Travel - KITF 2007 Fair, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan presented an interactive tourism map of Kazakhstan and discussed the Action Plan on implementing the long-term state programme of tourism development until 2011.
“You may know that Almaty will be the venue for the Winter Asian Games in 2011, and so our goal is to properly present the Republic of Kazakhstan to the international community,” Imangali Tasmagambetov, Almaty City Akim, underlined the importance of KITF 2007 in the event catalogue. “Apart from that, the goal of this event also included demonstration of results in implementing the state programme on the tourist cluster development, as well as an exchange of new tour destinations, setting up of direct contacts with consumers, and signing of mutually beneficial contracts”.
The significance of the event was emphasised by the official support of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Almaty City Akimat (administration), diplomatic missions accredited in Kazakhstan, and leading special and socio-political mass media of Kazakhstan, the C.I.S. and foreign countries.
The events was organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Almaty City Akimat (administration) jointly with the Kazakhstan company Iteca and the British group of exhibition companies ITE.
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