Kazakhstan to Host Major German Tourism Forum in 2026

Kazakhstan has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Germany's largest travel association, the Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV). The agreement paves the way for the DRV Destination Forum to be held in Astana in August 2026.

The signing took place at the ITB Berlin, the world's leading travel trade show, where Kazakhstan presented a national stand featuring 21 inbound tour operators, hoteliers, Kazakh cuisine restaurants, and representatives from six regions. The country's gastronomic potential was highlighted with support from the Sandyq Group restaurant network.

The forum is designed as a practical tool for integrating Kazakh tourism products into the German market. Its program will include presentations of Kazakhstan's tourist opportunities, B2B negotiations with German tour operators, and familiarization tours to key destinations and infrastructure sites across the country.

"The main goal of the agreement is to include tours to Kazakhstan in the catalogs of leading German tour operators and actively promote them in Germany," said Nurbol Baizhanov, Acting Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee. "Hosting the DRV Forum is an important signal to the entire German tourism community that cooperation between our two countries in tourism is reaching a new level."

The partnership reflects Kazakhstan's consistent work to expand international cooperation and diversify inbound tourist flows. In 2025 alone, approximately 100 thousand German citizens visited Kazakhstan.

The DRV is Germany's leading industry association, uniting over 3,000 companies that account for about 90% of organized trips taken by German citizens. It plays a significant role in shaping industry policy and influencing the international travel market.