BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 30. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev took part in the official opening ceremony of the Bishkek International Tourism Fair BITF-2026, Trend reports via the press service of the nation's Cabinet of Ministers.
Speaking at the Zhashtyk Arena venue, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers welcomed the participants on behalf of President Sadyr Japarov and the Cabinet of Ministers, noting that tourism is one of the key drivers of the country’s dynamically developing economy.
Adylbek Kasymaliev recalled that Kyrgyzstan holds the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this year.
"We will actively promote initiatives aimed at creating a unified SCO tourism space, simplifying visa procedures, developing transport corridors, and advancing digitalization. Our goal is to transform the SCO area into one of the world’s leading tourism hubs," he said.
The head of the Cabinet of Ministers also emphasized the introduction of environmental standards in the tourism sector.
He noted that, at Kyrgyzstan’s initiative, the United Nations declared 2023–2027 as the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions, enabling the republic to shape a unique global model of sustainable mountain tourism.
He added that Kyrgyzstan is currently implementing a number of strategic projects aimed at modernizing the sector, including the construction of the largest stadium in Central Asia and a modern Congress Hall, the development of tourism clusters in Chatkal and Chok-Tal, the creation of an investment zone in Tamchy, and the implementation of the large-scale Ala-Too project.
Kasymaliev stressed that, in order to achieve systematic results, the State Agency for Tourism Development under the Cabinet of Ministers had been established and would focus on concrete performance indicators.
According to him, the World Nomad Games hold particular significance as a symbol of the country’s culture and historical heritage. In this regard, he invited the international community to take part in the 6th World Nomad Games, which will be held in Kyrgyzstan this year.
"Kyrgyzstan is a reliable partner, a country open to investment, and a safe tourist destination. Peace and stability create the foundation for our growth," Adylbek Kasymaliev concluded.
At the end of the event, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers wished the participants of BITF-2026 productive negotiations and successful agreements before officially declaring the exhibition open.