China is steadily expanding its tourism ties with Central Asia, and Kazakhstan is emerging as a key partner in this process. This week, the city of Guiyang - the administrative center of Guizhou Province in southwest China - hosted a meeting and seminar between a delegation of Kazakh tour operators and their Chinese counterparts. Representatives of culture and tourism, foreign affairs, sports and civil aviation from both countries took part in the discussions, DKNews.kz reports.
At first glance, it looked like a routine industry event. In reality, it reflected a broader trend: China is deliberately building new tourism bridges with Kazakhstan, focusing not on major megacities, but on distinctive regions with strong cultural identity and natural appeal.
Kazakhstan as a strategic partner
For China, Kazakhstan is more than just a neighboring country. It is viewed as an important hub along the Silk Road and a promising source market for inbound tourism. Rich natural resources, growing interest among Kazakh travelers in international destinations, and geographic proximity make Kazakhstan a key partner for Guizhou Province in attracting tourists from Central Asia.
The introduction of a mutual visa-free regime between China and Kazakhstan in 2023 gave this cooperation an additional boost. Since then, humanitarian and tourism exchanges have become noticeably more active, and meetings like this have turned into a practical tool for building long-term cooperation.
What Guizhou has to offer
During the meeting, the Chinese side presented a wide range of tourism routes, ethnocultural experiences and specialized travel products from Guizhou Province. The focus was on mountain tourism, natural landscapes, the traditional cultures of the Miao and Dong ethnic groups, and travel formats centered on experiences rather than mass tourism.
Guizhou is not the China of skyscrapers and shopping districts. It is a land of waterfalls, karst mountains, rice terraces and villages where traditional ways of life have been preserved for centuries. This “other China” is exactly what Guizhou aims to introduce to tourists from Kazakhstan.
Beyond presentations: first-hand experience
Importantly, the visit went far beyond conference rooms and presentations. Before the seminar, Kazakh tour operators traveled to key attractions in Guiyang, Anshun, the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, and other parts of the province.
These visits allowed participants to experience the region’s mountain landscapes, tourism infrastructure and service standards first-hand. In the tourism industry, such direct exposure is essential: confidence in a destination is built not through brochures, but through real impressions.
A long-term approach
Following the meeting, both sides expressed readiness to establish a long-term and sustainable cooperation mechanism. The goal is not only to attract more tourists from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to Guizhou, but also to promote joint use of cultural and tourism resources, exchange expertise, and expand each other’s markets.
For Kazakhstan, this opens the door to new Chinese destinations that are still relatively undiscovered but rich in potential. For Guizhou, it offers access to a growing tourism market that is only beginning to explore China more actively.
Why it matters
Today, tourism is no longer just an economic sector - it has become an important instrument of humanitarian diplomacy. Through such exchanges, countries build mutual interest, trust and deeper cultural understanding.
In this sense, Guizhou is prioritizing quality over quantity. And the growing interest from Kazakh tour operators suggests that Kazakhstan is ready to present China to its travelers from a fresh perspective - through mountains, traditions and living culture, rather than through the familiar images of major cities.
