Kazakhstan to start Kok-Zhailau ski resort construction this year - PMKazakhstan will begin construction of a ski resort in the Kok-Zhailau gorge near Almaty this year, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced Tuesday.Speaking at a government press conference, Bektenov emphasized the region’s untapped potential for tourism. "The Almaty mountains are our great wealth. There are few places in the world with such beautiful peaks and snow conditions for skiing.  Not developing this potential would be an unaffordable luxury," he said.The new infrastructure at Kok-Zhailau will expand skiing opportunities beyond the existing Shymbulak resort, which has limited trail capacity. "Construction of modern ski facilities in Kok-Zhailau will start this year and be carried out with full transparency," Bektenov said, noting that environmental safeguards would be prioritized.The project had been suspended in 2019 following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s intervention after protests from environmental groups and civil society organizations. Critics warned the resort would damage the fragile alpine ecosystem.In May, Bektenov revealed plans for a comprehensive Almaty Mountain Cluster development spanning three zones from Turgen to Kaskelen, with Kok-Zhailau included in the western sector. Officials aim to establish Central Asia’s largest year-round tourism destination by 2029. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX