- 2025 arrivals: Kazakhstan 15.7 mln foreign visitors (11.1 mln tourists), Uzbekistan ≈11.7 mln (+46.8%), Kyrgyzstan ≈10.5 mln (+18.7%).
- China → Kyrgyzstan +120% in one year (128,000 → 282,000) — the fastest-growing major market.
- India: 113,000 to Kazakhstan (9 months) vs 32,000 to Kyrgyzstan (12 months); Germany 81,000 vs 30,000.
- Kyrgyzstan: 20.98 mln border entries but ≈770,000 foreigners in the organised sector; tourism exports ≈$1.1 bn.
- Every number linked to its source; definitions differ — see caveats. Data as of November 2026, licence CC BY 4.0.
In 2025 Uzbekistan recorded about 11.7 million foreign tourist arrivals, Kazakhstan 15.7 million foreign visitors (11.1 million classified as tourists) and Kyrgyzstan about 10.5 million arrivals. Long-haul markets tell a sharper story: India sent 113,000 visitors to Kazakhstan in nine months but only 32,000 to Kyrgyzstan in a full year, while China to Kyrgyzstan grew +120% to 282,000. This page compiles the official figures, links every number to its source and explains why the series are not strictly comparable.
Central Asia tourist arrivals 2025: headline numbers
| Indicator (2025) | Kyrgyzstan | Kazakhstan | Uzbekistan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign arrivals (headline) | 10.509 mln, +18.7% (economist.kg) | 15.7 mln foreign citizens, of whom 11.1 mln tourists (Travel Trends Today) | ≈11.7 mln, +46.8% (Kun.uz) |
| Border entries of foreigners | 20.98 mln, +18.6% (Border Service via MTS.kg) | n/a on this page | n/a on this page |
| Share from neighbouring countries | Uzbekistan 6.568 mln + Kazakhstan 2.628 mln ≈ 87% (economist.kg) | Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia lead (H1 2026: 2.5 / 1.6 / 1.5 mln) (TTT) | 81.5% from neighbours; Kyrgyzstan 3.3 mln is #1 (Kun.uz) |
| China | 282,000 (2024: 128,000), +120% (economist.kg) | >960,000, +46.8% (TTT) | 250,500 (Jan–Nov), ×3.8 growth for the year (Kun.uz, Kun.uz) |
| Money from foreign visitors | Tourism service exports ≈$1.1 bn, +8.1% (Natstatcom via economist.kg) | Foreign guests spent $2.9 bn (TTT) | not compiled here |
Kyrgyzstan's figures come from Natstatcom and the Border Service; the full Kyrgyz breakdown and seasonality are on our tourism statistics page.
Long-haul source markets: Kyrgyzstan vs Kazakhstan vs Uzbekistan
Excluding the CIS, the same five or six markets lead in all three countries — but at very different volumes. Periods differ (see notes), which understates the gap: Kazakhstan's figures cover only nine months.
| Source market | Kyrgyzstan, full 2025 | Kazakhstan, Jan–Sep 2025 | Uzbekistan, Jan–Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 282,000 | 693,000 | 250,500 |
| Turkey | 70,000 | 103,000 | 161,900 |
| India | 32,000 | 113,000 | 73,400 |
| Germany | 30,000 | 81,000 | not in top list |
| Korea | 25,000 | 41,300 | 44,100 |
| USA | 22,000 | not in top list | not in top list |
| Russia (CIS) | 558,000 | — (CIS excluded) | 923,800 |
Sources: Kyrgyzstan — economist.kg, 10.08.2026; Kazakhstan — Tengrinews; Uzbekistan — Kun.uz, 25.12.2025. Kyrgyzstan's non-CIS arrivals totalled about 641,000.
Key findings
- China is Kyrgyzstan's fastest-growing market: +120% in one year (128,000 → 282,000), helped by new flights and visa-free entry for organised Chinese groups.
- The India and Germany capture gap: Kazakhstan received 3.5× more Indians (113,000 vs 32,000) and 2.7× more Germans (81,000 vs 30,000) than Kyrgyzstan — even though its figures cover only nine months. Almaty is 240 km from Bishkek, so much of this flow could add Issyk-Kul or Karakol to the trip; see our Kyrgyzstan vs Kazakhstan and Almaty–Issyk-Kul–Karakol route.
- Uzbekistan grows fastest overall (+46.8%) and Kyrgyz citizens are its largest source (3.3 mln) — regional mobility drives all three markets.
- Tourism is an export: ≈$1.1 bn of tourism service exports equalled 3.8% of Kyrgyzstan's GDP in 2025; the government targets 7% by 2030 (economist.kg). See tourism exports.
21 million border entries vs 770,000 in the organised sector
| Kyrgyzstan 2025 | Value | What it counts |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign border entries | 20.98 mln | Every crossing, incl. repeat trips, trade, work, transit |
| Foreign arrivals (tourism estimate) | 10.5 mln | Arrivals by country of residence |
| Visitors to tourism organisations | 5.3 mln, +45.2% | Residents and foreigners in hotels, guesthouses, sanatoriums |
| Foreigners in the organised sector | ≈770,000 | Foreigners registered by reporting accommodation |
| Share of private guesthouses | 32.1% (estimate) | Estimated, not fully reported |
Source: Border Service, Natstatcom via economist.kg. Roughly 27 border entries for every foreigner recorded in organised accommodation. Much of the gap is legitimate (day trips, traders, visiting relatives), but a part is unrecorded accommodation and cash payments — the subject of our shadow economy research and the case for digital payments and QR receipts.
What drives the differences: flights, visas, distance
| Driver | Kyrgyzstan as of 2026 | Effect on the data |
|---|---|---|
| Direct long-haul flights | TezJet Delhi–Bishkek weekly since 8 Dec 2025; China Southern Guangzhou–Bishkek from 29 Mar 2026; Air China Beijing–Bishkek from 17 Jul 2026 | India and China figures for 2026 should rise; watch the next release |
| Europe | Kyrgyz airlines removed from the EU air-safety list in June 2026; first route to Germany planned for 2027 | German arrivals still depend on connections via Istanbul, Almaty or Tashkent |
| Visas | Organised Chinese groups visa-free up to 21 days since Oct 2024 | Explains part of the +120% China jump |
| Land borders | Open regime with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan | Inflates border entries relative to overnight tourists |
Flight and visa data: 24.kg, 24.kg, Intellinews, Times of Central Asia.
Methodology and caveats
- Different definitions. Kyrgyzstan publishes border entries, tourism-purpose arrivals and accommodation-based visitors; Kazakhstan reports “foreign citizens” and a narrower “tourists” figure; Uzbekistan reports “foreign tourists” by country. Do not add or rank them as identical series.
- Different periods. The source-market table mixes full-year (KG), nine-month (KZ, non-CIS only) and eleven-month (UZ) data — the newest public country breakdowns we could verify as of November 2026.
- Money metrics differ. Kyrgyz “tourism service exports” (balance of payments) and Kazakh “spending of foreign guests” are related but not identical.
- Secondary reporting. Figures are taken from media reports of official statistics; check the agencies' releases before academic use. We will update the tables when final 2025 country data are published.
Cite this data
Visit Ala-Too / Ala-Too Digital (2026). Central Asia Tourism Statistics 2025: Kyrgyzstan vs Kazakhstan vs Uzbekistan. https://visitalatoo.com/research/central-asia-tourism-data/ (accessed: date).
Licence: our compilation, tables and analysis are published under CC BY 4.0 — reuse freely, including commercially, with attribution and a link to this page. Underlying figures belong to the original statistical agencies. Journalists and researchers can request the tables as CSV through About or our contact form.
FAQ
Which Central Asian country gets the most tourists?
Kazakhstan reported 15.7 million foreign visitors in 2025, of whom 11.1 million were tourists. Uzbekistan recorded about 11.7 million foreign tourist arrivals and Kyrgyzstan about 10.5 million. Definitions differ, so treat the ranking as indicative rather than exact.
How many Chinese tourists visit Kyrgyzstan?
About 282,000 in 2025, up from 128,000 in 2024 (+120%), per data reported by economist.kg. Kazakhstan received more than 960,000 Chinese visitors and Uzbekistan 250,500 in January–November 2025.
How many Indian tourists visit Kyrgyzstan compared with Kazakhstan?
About 32,000 Indians visited Kyrgyzstan in 2025, versus 113,000 in Kazakhstan in just January–September 2025 and 73,400 in Uzbekistan in January–November. Direct flights and visa-free entry helped Kazakhstan.
How much does tourism earn Kyrgyzstan?
About $1.1 billion of tourism service exports in 2025 (+8.1%), equal to 3.8% of GDP, per Natstatcom figures reported by economist.kg. The government targets a 7% GDP share by 2030.
Can I reuse these tables?
Yes. Our compilation is licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse it, including commercially, with attribution “Visit Ala-Too / Ala-Too Digital, 2026” and a link to this page. Cite the original agencies for the underlying figures.
Sources
- economist.kg — foreign arrivals to Kyrgyzstan reached 10.5 mln, by country (10.08.2026)
- economist.kg — Tourism 2025: 5.3 mln visitors, exports ≈$1.1 bn (Natstatcom, 19.10.2026)
- MTS.kg — Border Service: 20.98 mln foreign entries in 2025
- Tengrinews — top countries sending tourists to Kazakhstan, Jan–Sep 2025
- Kun.uz — tourist inflows to Uzbekistan by country, Jan–Nov 2025
- Kun.uz — 11.7 mln foreign tourist arrivals to Uzbekistan in 2025 (20.01.2026)
- Travel Trends Today — Kazakhstan records 15.7 mn foreign arrivals in 2025