New Era Of Aviation Takes Flight As Kazakhstan Breaks Ground On Katon-karagay And Zaisan Airports, Unlocking Gateway To Scenic East Kazakhstan

Monday, July 14, 2025

<br>Kazakhstan has launched nan building of 2 caller airports successful Katon Karagay and Zaisan to reside constricted location accessibility boost tourism and thrust economical maturation By improving aerial connectivity to these distant yet scenic areas nan state intends to unlock their afloat tourism imaginable trim recreation times and create hundreds of caller section jobssupporting its broader imagination for sustainable location development

Kazakhstan is quickly expanding its aviation infrastructure pinch nan building of 2 brand-new airports successful nan East Kazakhstan Region, aiming to amended location connectivity, boost tourism, and stimulate section economical development. Strategically located successful Katon-Karagay and Zaisan, these airports are being built to reside long-standing accessibility challenges and unlock nan immense tourism imaginable of immoderate of nan country’s astir scenic and ecologically rich | destinations.

Kazakhstan has officially begun building 2 brand-new airports from scratch successful nan East Kazakhstan Region, pinch building sites located successful nan Katon-Karagay and Zaisan districts.

Kazakhstan Breaks Ground connected Two New Airports to Boost Regional Connectivity and Eco-Tourism

Kazakhstan has initiated nan improvement of 2 wholly caller airports successful nan East Kazakhstan Region, pinch building underway successful nan Katon-Karagay and Zaisan districts. These strategical projects, overseen by nan Ministry of Transport, purpose to heighten interregional connectivity, stimulate section economies, and beforehand sustainable tourism passim nan area, according to a study by Kazinform connected July 13.

The Zaisan airdrome is being developed connected nan grounds of a erstwhile subject airbase, which allows for faster advancement owed to nan site’s pre-existing infrastructure and convenient carrier links. Meanwhile, Katon-Karagay’s location was cautiously chosen for its favorable upwind patterns, including upwind conditions, and its closeness to salient tourer routes. This marks a historical first for Kazakhstan, arsenic these are nan country’s only airports being constructed wholly from scratch successful locations that antecedently lacked immoderate aviation facilities.

These 2 airports are portion of 4 cardinal civilian aviation initiatives presently being prioritized astatine nan nationalist level. In summation to nan airdrome developments successful East Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan’s authorities is moving guardant pinch nan building of a wholly caller airdrome successful Kenderli, situated successful nan Mangystau Region, while besides undertaking nan modernization of nan existing airdrome successful Arkalyk wrong nan Kostanai Region. The full backing dedicated to constructing nan 3 caller airports successful salient edifice areas stands astatine 117 cardinal tenge (approximately US$223.9 million).

Katon-Karagay: A Gateway to Kazakhstan’s Natural Beauty

Renowned for its untouched landscapes and ecological richness, Katon-Karagay attracts arsenic galore arsenic 100,000 home and world travelers annually. Currently, accessing nan region requires a lengthy six- to seven-hour thrust from Ust-Kamenogorsk, but nan building of nan caller airdrome is group to dramatically trim recreation clip and unfastened up nan region to greater tourism.

The airdrome is being built adjacent nan Ust-Kamenogorsk–Altai–Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi road and is adjacent to respective high-traffic tourer sites. To support nan facility, contractors are simultaneously processing captious infrastructure, including powerfulness proviso lines and a 5-kilometer bypass roadworthy designed to streamline access.

During nan existent tourism season, nan territory is witnessing a notable emergence successful visitors, galore of whom are arriving for nan seasonal harvest of maral antlers, prized for their treatment qualities. Others are drawn by nan region’s serene radon lakes, upland air, chaotic landscapes, and Altai honey—a signature section product. Despite existent proscription limitations, tourer liking continues to grow, underscoring nan region’s imaginable and nan necessity for upgraded recreation infrastructure.

Once operational, nan Katon-Karagay airdrome is expected to summation tourer arrivals by 2 to 3 times, importantly improving location mobility. This surge successful entree is besides projected to make jobs and thrust maturation successful tourism-related sectors specified arsenic hotels, recreation services, transportation, and retail.

Initial Routes and Aircraft Plans

Both nan Katon-Karagay and Zaisan airports will initially run home flights, providing nonstop connections to cardinal cities specified arsenic Ust-Kamenogorsk, Almaty, and Astana. As improvement progresses, nan motorboat of world flights is besides being considered.

The airports will accommodate location craft models for illustration nan Bombardier Q400, ATR-72, and CRJ. Government-subsidized fares for these routes are anticipated to scope betwixt 15,000 and 18,000 tenge (approximately US$28 to US$34), making aerial recreation much affordable for some locals and visitors.

The concurrent building of nan 2 airports is viewed arsenic a captious measurement toward strengthening location improvement and advancing Kazakhstan’s nationalist aviation infrastructure. This inaugural plays a cardinal domiciled successful supporting economical diversification while reinforcing nan country’s semipermanent strategy to turn its tourism assemblage and heighten connectivity to distant yet breathtaking earthy areas.

The 2 airports nether improvement successful nan East Kazakhstan Region are expected to go operational by nan extremity of nan year. During nan first phase, nan projects will make complete 600 caller employment opportunities for nan section population.