The US State Department has assigned Kazakhstan the first level of Travel Advisory, indicating low risk for tourists. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
American tourists are advised to exercise normal precautions when traveling to Kazakhstan. US authorities divide all countries into four risk categories.
Kazakhstan Assigned Level 1
Kazakhstan has been assigned Level 1 Travel Advisory. This is the lowest step in the US State Department's four-level system. In the list of countries with minimal risk, Kazakhstan stands alongside Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, and Portugal.
Levels of Other Popular Tourist Destinations
Meanwhile, some popular tourist destinations have received a higher level of caution for travelers. The United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, and Turkey fall under Level 2. The most dangerous, Level 4, was assigned to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
What Level 1 Means
However, Level 1 does not mean that Kazakhstan is recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. Travel Advisory is not an international ranking. The State Department primarily assesses risks for US citizens planning trips abroad.
Significance for the Tourism Industry
Nevertheless, for Kazakhstan's tourism industry, this is an excellent sign. Foreigners planning trips see that flying to Kazakhstan is as safe as flying to Tokyo or Toronto. Tourists often refer specifically to the US State Department's rankings.
Impact of Kanye West's Concert in Almaty
Earlier, Kursiv reported that Kanye West's visit to Almaty showed that Kazakhstan can attract thousands of foreign tourists. Now it is important for the country to leverage this effect and turn it into a sustainable event tourism market, according to Galim Khusainov, former Chairman of the Board of Bank CenterCredit and a financial sector expert.