Kazakhstan Plans to Transform Historic Sites into Tourist Attractions, Set to Include 11 UNESCO Landmarks
The Great Tourist Revamp of Kazakhstan's Unesco Gems
You might've heard Kazakhstan's got a plan up its sleeve - by September this year, they're cooking up a master plan to transform their Unesco World Heritage Sites into tourist hotspots! Here's the lowdown on this potentially mind-blowing cultural trip.
Kazakhstan flaunts six badass sites on the Unesco World Heritage List. Think about it - petroglyphs, mausoleums, lakes, deserts, steppe landscapes, and, of course, those silk roads! Collage courtesy of The Astana Times.
The Ministry of Culture and Information has been tasked with drafting a comprehensive plan to protect and showcase these beauties. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov sees the potential in these heritage sites - they're more than just historical eye-candies; they represent Kazakhstan's historical identity and global appeal.
"These are our national treasures. We must turn all of them into centers that attract tourists. Such monuments should be introduced to the world. They need to be featured in films and programs, included in books and school textbooks. They should also be widely promoted at exhibitions and forums," he said.
The draft comprehensive plan should be ready by September 1. By August 1, a national inventory of historical and cultural sites will be completed and submitted to Unesco. Local governments will ensure the inclusion of heritage protection zones in the state land registry by September 15.
But wait, there's more! The plan includes creating educational content, developing tourism routes, ongoing public awareness efforts, and improving infrastructure at heritage sites.
Kazakhstan recognizes over 25,000 heritage sites, including 265 of national significance and more than 12,000 locally recognized sites. They've increased their National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements from 45 to 79. Some of the intangible heritage they boast include the performance of kui, kazakh kuresi (wrestling), assyk atu, betashar wedding ritual, orteke puppet dance, and more.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bektenov is excited about Kazakhstan's upcoming UNESCO nominations. They're collaborating with other countries (like Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan) to advance their candidacy for the transnational Silk Roads: Caspian-Volga Corridor heritage listing. Furthermore, the 18th-century "Khandar Shezhiresi," a genealogy of the khans, has been recently added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
However, challenges do lurk in the heritage sector. Issues include the incomplete implementation of Unesco conventions, the absence of buffer zones at sites such as Talgar and Akyrtas, unregulated construction near heritage zones, and waste management issues, to name a few. Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva proposes targeted measures to tackle these problems. These include establishing protective and buffer zones, enhancing cooperation between regional and national authorities, expanding community-based initiatives, introducing university-level programs in cultural heritage management, and improving tourism infrastructure at heritage sites.
In a nutshell, Kazakhstan is keen to turn their Unesco World Heritage Sites into can't-miss tourist destinations! We can't wait to see how they pull it off!
Unesco has added the "Khandar Shezhiresi" to its Memory of the World Register in 2026, further emphasizing Kazakhstan's cultural significance. In the future, Kazakhstan is planning to submit additional education-and-self-development programs and sports activities at their Unesco World Heritage Sites to attract more tourists. To ensure the preservation of these heritage sites, the Kazakh government is also working on adding additional historical and cultural sites to the national registry.
