Kyrgyzstan has entered the Financial Times’ ranking of the world’s top 50 tourist destinations—a milestone confirmed by Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev during his address at a plenary session of the Jogorku Kenesh, according to a report by Economist.kg.
In his speech, Kasymaliev delivered a comprehensive report on current achievements and future prospects in tourism, culture, and sports. As noted by the Kyrgyz government’s press service, 2025 proved especially successful for the tourism sector: in addition to the Financial Times recognition, Kyrgyzstan was named one of the world’s best destinations for ethnic tourism by the British publication The Guardian.
A major infrastructure development is the launch of construction of the year-round “Ala-Too Resort” ski and tourism cluster in the Ak-Suu District of the Issyk-Kul Region. Spanning 3,916 hectares, the cluster integrates three zones—Jyrgalan, Ak-Bulak, and Boz-Uchuk—and is designed to become a year-round attraction for domestic and international visitors.
Concurrently, a large-scale modernization effort is underway across the Issyk-Kul resort area: sanatoriums, guesthouses, hotels, and beaches in Cholpon-Ata are being systematically upgraded to meet unified national standards for quality and safety.
Cultural accomplishments also featured prominently in the Prime Minister’s report. On December 10, 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s traditional fermented beverage maxym was officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition marks a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s cultural profile globally and underscores the depth and uniqueness of Kyrgyz traditions.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 24, 2025