KAZAKHSTAN FUELLING GROWTH


WITH OIL AND GAS DRIVING ITS ECONOMY, THE YOUNG COUNTRY IS DEVELOPING AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DESTINATION


LOOKING FROM THE AIRCRAFT WINDOW as I fly into Kazakhstan’s capital city Astana, I’m struck by how vast and desolate the landscape is. There is little evidence of human activity and few distinguishing landmarks. The land- locked country could fit the whole of Western Europe inside it with room to spare, and has a population only twice the size of London. The region was for centuries an im- portant trading point on the Silk Road between the West and Asia, and is now a major oil and gas producing nation: the Kashagan oilfield in the northern Caspian Sea is one of the world’s biggest oil finds in almost three decades. Kazakhstan gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and has since seen change happen at a rapid pace, with the country striving to step out from behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ and become a major business destina- tion. This is something that Katya Sowa,


116 BBT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015


sales director at The Ritz-Carlton in the country’s second major city, Almaty, be- lieves can happen. “The country has great potential for investment and an excellent opportunity to become the regional hub of central Asia.” She adds that, despite its wealth, and because the country is new, it still needs huge improvements if it is to reach its potential. “While there is still much to be done in terms of development, efforts are being made towards improving the situation. Kazakhstan needs to get into the ranking of top tourist destinations, not only as a strategy, but in terms of infrastructure development, environmen- tal safety and meeting the challenges of upcoming international events.”


A CLEAR WINNER The country has been governed by 75-year old president and former steelworker Nursultan Nazarbayev for a quarter of a century. In April he won the country’s


election with 97.7 per cent of the vote after a 95 per cent turnout rate. Kazakhstan’s increasingly marginalised opposition did not field a candidate in the election. The two other contenders, seen as pro- government, scored less than 3 per cent between them. During Nazarbayev’s time as president, the country’s economic growth has soared, especially since the turn of the century – its GDP growth is among the highest in the world since 2001, and GDP per capita has grown from US$700 in 1993 to US$12,000 today. Inevitably, this is driving growth in busi-


ness travel to the region. Charles Wong is a director in Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s Partners Network and believes when it comes to business travel in Kazakhstan the signs are all positive. He cites Expo 2017, which will be held in Astana and is


Above: Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM


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