Islamic Tourism: The Asian Development Bank will lend Kazakhstan $700m to improve  part of a 2,715km road from China in the east to Russia in the west.  The road is part of a bigger  $6.7bn project co-financed by other international development institutions.

 Speaking to Islamic Tourism Magazine at this year's World Travel Market in London last week, the Deputy Chairman Of The Committee Of  The Tourism Industry  in Kazakhstan, Kenzhebay Satzhanov, pointed out that the new road will pass by the ancient cities of Taraz and Turkestan whose infrastructure is being built up to foster tourism  and provide facilities for Muslims going on a mini hajj to the sacred sites.

"We have visitors from Turkey and Muslims from China and Central Asian states", Mr  Satzhanov said. "

 Juan miranda of the ADB said that the new road would increase travel speed by 40 percent.  The road should also be a big boost to the economy and tourism of the country. It is in fact a new Silk Road.