Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to welcome exhibitors, visitors and the organisers of the major tourist event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
Every year, the number of KITF exhibitors increases, and it becomes more and more popular with representatives of the international tourism industry and local tour operators.
Over the years, the exhibition has seen huge growth and it has the potential to develop further – when it was launched, KITF featured approximately 60 companies from 15 countries. This year, around 500 companies from 37 countries will come to Almaty to take part in KITF.
Following the successful 18th General Assembly of the U.N. World Tourism Organisation in 2009, held in Astana, 2010 began with a triumphant victory for Kazakhstan in the ITB international tourism exhibition, which took place on 10-14 March 2010 in Berlin and featured 187 countries.
Independent experts granted five awards for continents and regions, including Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific, Australia and Africa. At the exhibition, Kazakhstan won the first prize for Asia, the Pacific and Australia, and was recognised as one of the top five countries in the world for potential growth.
I am sure that this year, which began so successfully for our industry, will see significant development in inbound tourism, cooperation, travel and international relations.
I would like to wish all exhibitors and visitors every success.
Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov
Minister of Tourism and Sports, Republic of Kazakhstan
Dear Participants and Guests,
On behalf of the Almaty City Akimat, I would like to welcome visitors to our city, exhibitors and the organisers of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
Kazakhstan hosts this international tourism fair every year. For the tenth time, the tourism potential of all the regions of Kazakhstan will be presented in Almaty and visitors will be able to learn about local and international travel agencies. Every year, the event becomes more popular with tourism professionals in Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Europe.
Almaty has a key location in Eurasia and is one of the transit hubs of the Great Silk Road. The city has great potential for further development and tourist attraction. More than 850 travel companies, employing over 4,000 people, are located in the city. According to specialists, the city can annually accommodate more than 800,000 tourists. I am happy to see Almaty hosting KITF participants because this international fair is a major tourist event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
I hope that all the KITF 2010 participants leave Almaty with a great impression, new ideas and success.
А. Yesimov
Almaty City Akim
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleagues and friends,
On behalf of the World Tourism Organisation, the specialized UN agency in the field of tourism, with 154 member states, I would like to welcome all participants, organisers and visitors of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, and wish all of you good luck and success.
International travel fairs, such as KITF, continue to be an important tool for building and strengthening business relations. KITF is the largest international tourism and travel exhibition in Kazakhstan. Tourism continues to be one of the world’s largest, fastest growing industries and the dominant service sector.
The global economic crisis turned last year into one of the toughest years for the tourism sector. International tourist arrivals declined worldwide by 4% and amounted to 880 million. Europe ended 2009 down 6%. However, the results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway. UNWTO forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals between 3% and 4% in 2010.
Although prospects have improved, we cannot let our guard down, because 2010 will still be not an easy year, a year of transformation, demanding from us to join our efforts to put in place serious global policies supportive of tourism. We all understand that tourism can make a vital contribution to economic recovery, but developing tourism requires joint efforts and measures aimed at improving infrastructure, transportation, security and travel formalities.
Looking at the trends in international tourism, we notice that more tourists desire to participate in recreation, sports and adventure and learn about the history, culture, nature and wildlife of the countries they visit. Furthermore, tourists are permanently looking for new destinations and new tourism products.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has made significant progress in promoting its image as an attractive, tourism-friendly and dynamic Eurasian destination. The country has enormous potential for cultural, natural-based and meetings tourism due to its geographic attributes, its amazing history, its location on the Silk Road and its great ability to host high level international events like the successful and memorable UNWTO´s General Assembly held in Astana last year.
UNWTO looks forward to continuing its support of Kazakhstan and all of the 154 member states in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
I wish all of the participants in the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Exhibition every success!
Zoltan Somogyi
Executive Director
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Kazakhstan, I would like to welcome exhibitors and visitors of the 10th Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
This event provides an excellent opportunity to familiarise the Kazakhstan’s population with all of the latest achievements in the tourism industry at a high professional level, offer new educational and health tourism routes throughout the world, including Russia. Tourist exchanges allow us to better understand the world around us, gain knowledge and impressions that enrich us and make us wiser.
At the same time, the fair serves to improve the attractiveness of Kazakhstan for tourists, and enables the Kazakhstanis to appreciate the beauty of the local nature and the significance of historical monuments. According to most tourists, Kazakhstan features unique, fascinating and natural landscapes, as well as hospitality and friendly people.
In fact, the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair has become a significant and dynamic event which keeps growing every year.
I would like to wish all exhibitors and visitors to the anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, a successful exhibition, discovering new business partners and friends, achieving goals and enjoying a constructive show.
V. Verzhbitskiy
Head, Almaty Office,
Trade Mission of Russia in Kazakhstan
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
On behalf of ITE Group Plc. and its exclusive partner in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Iteсa, I would like to welcome the exhibitors and visitors of the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, КITF 2010.
Over the last nine years, KITF has become the largest event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia for the travel and tourism industry. The significance of this exhibition is illustrated by the large number of exhibitors and visitors.
The continuous efforts to promote Kazakhstan as a MICE and leisure destination, are helping to attract more and more international travel companies to Kazakhstan.
KITF draws particular attention to the inbound market as well as Kazakhstan’s outbound market. Dedicated pavilions ensure that the full spectrum of the travel and tourism industry is presented.
The prestigious KITF exhibition is organised to the highest standards and we trust you will find it the ideal environment for generating new contacts and building long-term relationships.
We would like to wish all the participants and visitors of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, every success!
Yours faithfully
Edward Strachan
The Regional Director ITE Group Plc
I would like to welcome exhibitors, visitors and the organisers of the major tourist event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
Every year, the number of KITF exhibitors increases, and it becomes more and more popular with representatives of the international tourism industry and local tour operators.
Over the years, the exhibition has seen huge growth and it has the potential to develop further – when it was launched, KITF featured approximately 60 companies from 15 countries. This year, around 500 companies from 37 countries will come to Almaty to take part in KITF.
Following the successful 18th General Assembly of the U.N. World Tourism Organisation in 2009, held in Astana, 2010 began with a triumphant victory for Kazakhstan in the ITB international tourism exhibition, which took place on 10-14 March 2010 in Berlin and featured 187 countries.
Independent experts granted five awards for continents and regions, including Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific, Australia and Africa. At the exhibition, Kazakhstan won the first prize for Asia, the Pacific and Australia, and was recognised as one of the top five countries in the world for potential growth.
I am sure that this year, which began so successfully for our industry, will see significant development in inbound tourism, cooperation, travel and international relations.
I would like to wish all exhibitors and visitors every success.
Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov
Minister of Tourism and Sports, Republic of Kazakhstan
Dear Participants and Guests,
On behalf of the Almaty City Akimat, I would like to welcome visitors to our city, exhibitors and the organisers of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
Kazakhstan hosts this international tourism fair every year. For the tenth time, the tourism potential of all the regions of Kazakhstan will be presented in Almaty and visitors will be able to learn about local and international travel agencies. Every year, the event becomes more popular with tourism professionals in Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Europe.
Almaty has a key location in Eurasia and is one of the transit hubs of the Great Silk Road. The city has great potential for further development and tourist attraction. More than 850 travel companies, employing over 4,000 people, are located in the city. According to specialists, the city can annually accommodate more than 800,000 tourists. I am happy to see Almaty hosting KITF participants because this international fair is a major tourist event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
I hope that all the KITF 2010 participants leave Almaty with a great impression, new ideas and success.
А. Yesimov
Almaty City Akim
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleagues and friends,
On behalf of the World Tourism Organisation, the specialized UN agency in the field of tourism, with 154 member states, I would like to welcome all participants, organisers and visitors of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, and wish all of you good luck and success.
International travel fairs, such as KITF, continue to be an important tool for building and strengthening business relations. KITF is the largest international tourism and travel exhibition in Kazakhstan. Tourism continues to be one of the world’s largest, fastest growing industries and the dominant service sector.
The global economic crisis turned last year into one of the toughest years for the tourism sector. International tourist arrivals declined worldwide by 4% and amounted to 880 million. Europe ended 2009 down 6%. However, the results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway. UNWTO forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals between 3% and 4% in 2010.
Although prospects have improved, we cannot let our guard down, because 2010 will still be not an easy year, a year of transformation, demanding from us to join our efforts to put in place serious global policies supportive of tourism. We all understand that tourism can make a vital contribution to economic recovery, but developing tourism requires joint efforts and measures aimed at improving infrastructure, transportation, security and travel formalities.
Looking at the trends in international tourism, we notice that more tourists desire to participate in recreation, sports and adventure and learn about the history, culture, nature and wildlife of the countries they visit. Furthermore, tourists are permanently looking for new destinations and new tourism products.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has made significant progress in promoting its image as an attractive, tourism-friendly and dynamic Eurasian destination. The country has enormous potential for cultural, natural-based and meetings tourism due to its geographic attributes, its amazing history, its location on the Silk Road and its great ability to host high level international events like the successful and memorable UNWTO´s General Assembly held in Astana last year.
UNWTO looks forward to continuing its support of Kazakhstan and all of the 154 member states in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
I wish all of the participants in the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Exhibition every success!
Zoltan Somogyi
Executive Director
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Kazakhstan, I would like to welcome exhibitors and visitors of the 10th Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010.
This event provides an excellent opportunity to familiarise the Kazakhstan’s population with all of the latest achievements in the tourism industry at a high professional level, offer new educational and health tourism routes throughout the world, including Russia. Tourist exchanges allow us to better understand the world around us, gain knowledge and impressions that enrich us and make us wiser.
At the same time, the fair serves to improve the attractiveness of Kazakhstan for tourists, and enables the Kazakhstanis to appreciate the beauty of the local nature and the significance of historical monuments. According to most tourists, Kazakhstan features unique, fascinating and natural landscapes, as well as hospitality and friendly people.
In fact, the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair has become a significant and dynamic event which keeps growing every year.
I would like to wish all exhibitors and visitors to the anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, a successful exhibition, discovering new business partners and friends, achieving goals and enjoying a constructive show.
V. Verzhbitskiy
Head, Almaty Office,
Trade Mission of Russia in Kazakhstan
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
On behalf of ITE Group Plc. and its exclusive partner in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Iteсa, I would like to welcome the exhibitors and visitors of the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, КITF 2010.
Over the last nine years, KITF has become the largest event in Kazakhstan and Central Asia for the travel and tourism industry. The significance of this exhibition is illustrated by the large number of exhibitors and visitors.
The continuous efforts to promote Kazakhstan as a MICE and leisure destination, are helping to attract more and more international travel companies to Kazakhstan.
KITF draws particular attention to the inbound market as well as Kazakhstan’s outbound market. Dedicated pavilions ensure that the full spectrum of the travel and tourism industry is presented.
The prestigious KITF exhibition is organised to the highest standards and we trust you will find it the ideal environment for generating new contacts and building long-term relationships.
We would like to wish all the participants and visitors of the 10th Anniversary Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair, KITF 2010, every success!
Yours faithfully
Edward Strachan
The Regional Director ITE Group Plc