Kyrgyzstan Draws 5.3 Million Tourism Users in 2025 as Sector Expands

Kyrgyzstan's tourism sector expanded sharply in 2025, with the number of people using tourism services reaching 5.3 million — a 45.2% increase on the previous year, according to an analysis by Finprom published on 19 October. The report draws on data from the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic and covers revenue, investment and business activity alongside visitor numbers.

Key facts

• 5.3 million people used tourism services in Kyrgyzstan in 2025, up 45.2% on 2024
• Organised tourism services accounted for about 3.7 million visitors: 2.9 million Kyrgyz citizens and 770,000 foreigners
• Foreign visitors on organised tourism services rose 30.5%, or roughly 180,000 more than in 2024
• Leading inbound source markets were Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia
• Tourism's share of GDP reached 3.8% in 2025, against a government target of 7% by 2030
• Tourism service prices rose 7.6% during 2025

Who is visiting and how are they staying?

The 5.3 million total covers people who used organised tourism services — hotels, travel agencies and health resorts — together with an estimate of visitors to private guesthouses and households. Private accommodation and household stays made up 32.1% of the total.

Organised tourism providers recorded about 3.7 million visitors in 2025, of whom 2.9 million were Kyrgyz citizens and 770,000 were foreign nationals. The report cautions that these figures cover users of organised tourism services only and should not be read as the total number of foreign nationals entering Kyrgyzstan, which includes people travelling for purposes other than tourism.

How much is the sector worth?

Gross output in the tourism sector reached 136.8 billion Kyrgyz soms (US$1.56 billion) in 2025, up 26.8% on the previous year and well above the 52.8 billion soms (US$603.8 million) recorded in 2021. Exports of tourism services approached US$1.1 billion, an 8.1% annual increase, while tourism-related retail turnover rose 41.6% to 74.6 billion soms (US$853.1 million).

The total value of tourism services came to about 21 billion soms (US$240.1 million), roughly a quarter more than in 2024. Accommodation providers accounted for 11.1 billion soms (US$127 million), travel agencies for 7.6 billion soms (US$86.9 million) and sanatoriums and health resort organisations for 2.4 billion soms (US$27.4 million).

Prices for tourism services increased by 7.6% in 2025, meaning the sector's financial growth reflected both higher activity and higher prices.

What is being built and where?

Foreign investment in tourism facilities reached US$87.8 million in 2025, the highest level in recent years, with investors from the Netherlands contributing US$63.9 million. Projects named in the report include the Ramada by Wyndham Issyk-Kul sports and hotel complex, the Ala-Too Resort ski resort in the Ak-Suu district of the Issyk-Kul Region, the Mövenpick Ak Keme Issyk-Kul Resort and the Azimut park hotel in the Issyk-Kul Region.

The number of businesses operating in tourism rose from 14,600 in 2021 to 20,700 in 2025. The Issyk-Kul Region remains the main focus for beach and winter sports tourism, with the Osh and Chuy regions also contributing.

What travel options are there?

Regional air connectivity has widened. In summer 2025, Asman Airlines and FlyArystan introduced direct flights between Issyk-Kul and Almaty, with four weekly flights planned between the two destinations during the summer season.

What this means for travellers

The figures point to a busier and more expensive tourism market in Kyrgyzstan, with service prices up 7.6% in 2025. Travellers considering the Issyk-Kul Region should note that direct flights from Almaty have been operating since summer 2025, and that new hotel and resort projects in the area are still at various stages of development.

The government aims to lift tourism's share of GDP to 7% by 2030. The report notes that further growth will depend not just on visitor numbers but on infrastructure development and the quality of services available across the country.