By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

From June 5 to 8, 2025, Almaty proudly represented Kazakhstan at one of Asia’s largest tourism exhibitions — the Seoul International Tourism Fair (SITF 2025) in Seoul.

The booth of Kazakhstan’s southern capital drew significant attention from visitors and industry experts, and was ultimately awarded the honorary title of “The Best Booth Design of SITF 2025.”

Visitors had the chance to experience the vibrant spirit of Kazakh culture and the essence of Almaty through a dynamic and interactive program, including:
• Live performances of traditional Kazakh music by dombra players Nurzhan Baibakhov, Dias Shakubaev, and Yergazy Zhuldyz.
• Embroidery workshops by crafts master Dinara Koshkarbayeva, who introduced participants to the intricate traditions of Kazakh applied arts.
• A national photo zone with traditional Kazakh costumes, which became a popular spot for souvenir photos.
• A culinary corner offering tastings of kazy, baursaks, kurt, and tea, showcasing Kazakhstan’s renowned hospitality.
• Almaty’s tour operators held raffles with travel vouchers, souvenirs, and discount coupons.

A special highlight of the booth was the virtual reality zone, where visitors could put on VR headsets and take an immersive 360-degree journey through Almaty.

Participation in SITF 2025 marked a significant step in promoting Almaty as a unique travel destination for the South Korean and international markets. During the fair, meetings were held with global tourism partners, resulting in new agreements and collaboration opportunities.

Almaty is a city you’ll always want to return to — and SITF 2025 proved that once again.