The summer tourism season of 2026 in Kyrgyzstan could become record-breaking: the country is expected to receive up to 12 million tourists compared to 10 million the previous year. The growth in tourist flow is linked not only to traditional interest in Issyk-Kul, mountain recreation, and ethno-cultural routes, but also to the calendar of international events that this summer strengthen the country’s position as one of the business, cultural, and sports centers of Central Asia.
The season got off to a start thanks to the Issyk-Kul International Forum named after Chingiz Aitmatov, held on June 18–20. In addition, as part of Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship in the SCO, more than 40 major meetings are planned in the country, including economic, investment, energy, and cultural events. Among the main events of the summer will be the first stage of the world championship in powerboat racing in Central Asia and the highest in history, from July 31 to August 2, as well as the VI World Nomad Games, which will take place from August 31 to September 6. The main competitions in 43 types of ethno-sports will be hosted by Cholpon-Ata. Delegations from more than 100 countries have confirmed participation in the Games.
According to estimates from the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, it is the combination of these events that could lead to a record tourist flow. First Deputy Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Erdenet Kasymov told Tazabek that growth will be driven by infrastructure modernization, road construction, eco-parks and parking lots, development of ethno-tourism, holding of authoritative political forums and world sports championships, as well as strict environmental control.
Market participants’ expectations generally align with the agency’s forecasts. The ‘Kapriz’ resort predicts steady growth in the number of guests, linking it to the growing popularity of Issyk-Kul and the World Nomad Games.
“We predict steady growth in the number of tourists. Issyk-Kul is currently on a wave of popularity, and an additional powerful driver this year will be the World Nomad Games. They will attract a new audience and significantly extend our season,” representatives of the resort said.
The ‘Talisman’ resort gives a more restrained assessment. They do not expect a sharp jump but allow for a slight increase in the number of guests. This is linked to an increase in regular flights from Tashkent and Almaty, the development of Tamchy airport, and the test opening of an alternative North-South road.
As noted by Deputy Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development Erdenet Kasymov, new opportunities for attracting tourists from far abroad have also arisen from the exclusion of Kyrgyz air carriers from the EU ‘blacklist’. He reported that direct flights to Issyk-Kul from the UAE are currently being worked on.
According to the State Agency for Tourism Development, the main volume of vacationers will still be formed by neighboring countries. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan provide the most massive flow of tourists. Russia maintains steady interest in long-term beach and sanatorium-resort recreation. China shows growth thanks to the development of cross-border road routes and improved logistics through the ‘Torugart’ and ‘Irkeshtam’ checkpoints.
A similar flow structure is seen by the resorts. They note that among foreign tourists, the key markets remain Kazakhstan and Russia, while the flow from Uzbekistan is steadily growing. Interest from Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East is also becoming more noticeable.
Due to the busy event calendar, the high season in 2026 will be divided into several waves.
• The first peak is expected at the end of July and beginning of August, when the UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan stage of the world powerboat racing championship will take place on Issyk-Kul.
• The second peak will fall at the end of August and beginning of September — the period of the VI World Nomad Games.
Resorts reported that occupancy for the most in-demand period already exceeds 70%, and rooms for the peak season usually start being booked as early as March.
The cost of accommodation and tourism services in the current season has increased compared to last year. During peak events, especially at the end of July and end of August, an additional increase in tariffs is expected in the Issyk-Kul region due to high demand and a shortage of available places.
Three main factors influenced pricing this year: a sharp increase in tourist flow due to large-scale events (SCO, ‘Formula 1 on water’, WNG), general inflationary processes, and new regulatory rules.
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