Madeira, one of Portugal’s most popular tourist destinations, has become a platform for meaningful dialogue on regional development, sustainable tourism and international positioning, DKNews.kz reports.
The discussions took place during the visit of Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Portugal, Zhan Galiyev, on December 22-23.
Dialogue at institutional and parliamentary levels
During a meeting with the Representative of the Republic in the Autonomous Region, Reneo Barreto, the parties discussed:
- the role of stable institutions
- legal mechanisms for long-term growth
- Kazakhstan’s place on the international stage
Political and parliamentary dialogue was also in focus. At a meeting with the President of the Regional Parliament of Madeira, Rubina Leal, both sides stressed the importance of exchanging experience between regions.
“The regional level is playing an increasingly important role in building sustainable development models and strengthening international ties,” said Ambassador Galiyev.
Tourism as the main bridge
Tourism and cultural exchanges became the central topic.
Madeira’s Regional Secretary for Tourism, Eduardo Jesus, shared the island’s experience in:
- sustainable tourism management
- diversifying tourism products
- promoting the region globally
- improving infrastructure quality
In 2024, the tourism sector brought almost 1 billion euros in revenue.
It was agreed to hold a practical conference in Funchal next year with Kazakh tour operators, businesses and Kazakh Tourism, including presentations, a round table and B2B meetings.
“Madeira’s experience in sustainable tourism and international promotion is highly valuable for Kazakhstan,” the Ambassador emphasized.
Urban comfort and tourism balance
During a meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Funchal, Carlos Rodrigues, the sides discussed how to:
- build comfortable cities
- protect residents’ interests
- maintain tourism appeal
The vice mayor praised Kazakhstan’s economic progress and its reputation as a reliable partner.
Investment and finance
Talks with the Madeira Development Society focused on investment attraction and territorial branding.
Madeira is known as:
- a competitive EU financial hub
- a jurisdiction with attractive tax incentives
- a destination for international business
MDS representatives expressed readiness to visit the Astana International Financial Centre to build cooperation.
Tech hub and digital nomads
Madeira is also developing as a tech hub and destination for digital nomads, thanks to:
- low taxes
- advanced infrastructure
- Digital Nomad visas
This opens additional opportunities for cooperation in digital technologies and AI.
Main challenge - lack of direct flights
The absence of direct flights between Kazakhstan and Portugal still limits:
- business ties
- tourism flows
The Ambassador noted that negotiations on this issue have been initiated and expressed hope for support from Portuguese businesses.
The visit showed strong mutual interest. Tourism, investment, technology and culture may become the foundation for deeper cooperation.
