Kazakhstan to Resume flights to Vietnam
Kazakhstan will begin weekly flights to Vietnam today, working towards rebuilding its post-pandemic tourism sector.
The Kazakh airline SCAT will conduct the flights running between Almaty and Phú Quốc. Since the global battle against COVID-19 is ongoing, Kazakhstan’s government hopes for increased tourism once the circumstances of the pandemic improve.
As Kazakhstan has slowly developed their post-Soviet Union economy over the last few decades, tourism has become an economic cornerstone—accounting for 5.6% of Kazakhstan’s economy—though COVID-19 has disrupted the industry. Looking to reinvigorate the tourist industry, Kazakhstan permitted flights to Maldives in October. Then, in November, Russia began allowing flights to Kazakhstan. Actions like these prompted a 66.4% increase in tourism in its first three quarters of 2021 as compared to 2020.
While the partnership with Vietnam can help Kazakhstan build out its tourism industry long-term, it is unlikely to have a major impact on Kazakhstan short-term. Russia and other Central Asian nations have served as the primary source of Kazakhstan’s tourism. In 2018, Kazakhstan established a partnership with Russia to encourage 13 million visitors over five years. So long as Kazakhstan continues to open up travel with its regional partners, their tourism industry should rebound.
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