Prime Minister: KR Enters the Top 50 Best Destinations for Relaxation According to Financial Times
Today, December 24, Adylbek Kasymaliev presented a report on achievements and development prospects in the sectors of tourism, culture, and sports at the plenary session of the Zhogorku Kenesh. This was reported by the cabinet’s press service.
According to Adylbek Kasymaliev, tourism is becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors of the country’s economy.
As part of a large investment project, the construction of the four-season ski cluster “Ala-Too Resort” has begun. This large-scale tourist-ski cluster is located in the Ak-Suu district of Issyk-Kul region and covers three zones – Zhyrgalan, Ak-Bulak, and Boz-Uchok – with a total area of 3,916 hectares.
Special attention in the tourism sector is given to the development of the Issyk-Kul district and Cholpon-Ata. All sanatoriums, boarding houses, hotels, and beaches are being gradually brought into compliance with established standards, improving the quality of service.
“Kyrgyzstan’s international recognition as a tourist destination is also growing significantly. In 2025, KR entered the list of the 50 best destinations for relaxation in the world according to the authoritative Financial Times publication. In addition, Kyrgyzstan was recognized as one of the best destinations for ethnic tourism by the prestigious British publication The Guardian,” said the Prime Minister.
In the field of culture, a number of works have been carried out on major repairs of institution buildings and improvement of their material and technical base. 990 million soms have been allocated for the construction of a new academic building for the Kyrgyz National University of Culture and Arts named after B. Beishenalieva. 750 million soms have been allocated for the construction of the academic building of the M. Kurenkaev Music College.
In Manas, plans are to build a philharmonic hall for 3,200 seats and a modern museum. Similar projects aimed at developing cultural infrastructure are being implemented in all regions of the country.
A significant event for the country was the inclusion of Kyrgyzstan’s national drink – maksym – in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage on December 10, 2025. “To further develop sports in 2025, the State Agency for Sports was created. This year, coaches’ salaries were increased by 30%. State spending on sports shows steady growth: from 800 million soms in 2020 to 2.2 billion soms in 2024 and 2.5 billion soms in 2025,” said Kasymaliev.
According to the Prime Minister, the country’s sports infrastructure is actively being restored, and new facilities are being built. In 2025, the Small Sports Arena in Bishkek with 5,000 seats was reconstructed. In Manas, a Sports Palace with 5,200 seats was built with a budget of 1 billion soms.
“In Bishkek, the construction of the ‘Bishkek Arena’ stadium with 51,000 seats, meeting FIFA standards, is underway. New gyms and stadiums are opening in all regions, creating a modern sports infrastructure accessible to the broad strata of the population,” summed up Adylbek Kasymaliev.
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