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ASTANA — The number of people using tourism services in the Kyrgyz Republic reached 5.3 million in 2025, a 45.2% increase from the previous year, as the sector recorded growth in revenue, business activity and investment, according to an analysis by Finprom published Oct. 19.
Lake Kel-Suu (Köl-Suu).Photo credit: Advantour
The figure includes visitors who used organized tourism services, such as hotels, travel agencies and health resorts, as well as an estimate of visitors to private guesthouses and households. The latter accounted for 32.1% of the total, according to data from the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic cited by Finprom.
The organized tourism sector recorded approximately 3.7 million visitors in 2025. Of these, 2.9 million were Kyrgyz citizens and 770,000 were foreign visitors. The number of foreign visitors using organized tourism services increased by 30.5%, or approximately 180,000, compared with 2024.
These figures cover users of organized tourism services and should not be confused with the total number of foreign nationals entering Kyrgyzstan, which also includes people traveling for purposes other than tourism.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia were the leading source markets for inbound tourism, according to the report.
Tourism’s economic contribution increases
Tourism’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product rose from 3.2% in 2021 to 3.8% in 2025. The government aims to increase the sector’s share of GDP to 7% by 2030.
Gross output in the tourism sector reached 136.8 billion Kyrgyz soms (US$1.56 billion) in 2025, up 26.8% from the previous year. The figure was 52.8 billion soms (US$603.8 million) in 2021.
Exports of tourism services approached $1.1 billion in 2025, an 8.1% annual increase. Retail trade turnover associated with tourism rose 41.6% to 74.6 billion soms (US$853.1 million). The total value of tourism services reached approximately 21 billion soms (US$240.1 million), around a quarter more than in 2024.
Accommodation providers, including hotels, hostels and other lodging facilities, accounted for 11.1 billion soms (US$127 million) of tourism services. Travel agencies generated 7.6 billion soms (US$86.9 million), while sanatoriums and other health resort organizations accounted for 2.4 billion soms (US$27.4 million).
Tourism service prices increased by 7.6% in 2025. The rise in the sector’s financial indicators therefore coincided with both expanding activity and higher prices.
Investment and tourism businesses expand
Foreign investment in the construction of tourism facilities in the Kyrgyz Republic reached $87.8 million in 2025, the highest level in recent years, according to Finprom. Investors from the Netherlands accounted for $63.9 million of the total.
The report identifies several major tourism development projects, including the Ramada by Wyndham Issyk-Kul sports and hotel complex, the Ala-Too Resort ski resort in the Ak-Suu district of the Issyk-Kul Region, the Mövenpick Ak Keme Issyk-Kul Resort and the Azimut park hotel in the Issyk-Kul Region.
The number of business entities operating in the tourism sector increased from 14,600 in 2021 to 20,700 in 2025.
The Issyk-Kul Region remains a key area for tourism development, including beach and winter sports tourism. The Osh and Chuy regions also contribute to the country’s tourism offering.
Regional air connectivity provides additional travel options. In summer 2025, Asman Airlines and FlyArystan introduced direct flights between Issyk-Kul and Almaty, with four weekly flights planned between the destinations during the summer season.
As the sector expands, its contribution to the economy will depend not only on visitor numbers but also on the development of tourism infrastructure and the quality of services available across the country.
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