“City of Craftsmen” Exhibition to Transform Kazakhstan’s Turkistan into Cultural Hub

“City of Craftsmen” Exhibition to Transform Kazakhstan’s Turkistan into Cultural Hub

Over 140 artisans from Kazakhstan and abroad are set to convene in Turkistan for the highly anticipated international exhibition “Turkistan - the City of Craftsmen.”

The event is being held in line with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s vision to boost domestic tourism, promote national heritage, and develop modern tourism infrastructure, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

The exhibition will take place at the newly constructed Center for Craftsmanship, a flagship facility within a large-scale tourist cluster currently under development in Turkistan's cultural and spiritual center. Covering 2.5 hectares, the Center includes 25 architecturally unique buildings-ranging from artisan workshops and exhibition pavilions to boutique hotels, shopping areas, and public spaces. The project has attracted 5.5 billion tenge ($10.224 million) in investment and is expected to become a major driver of regional tourism.

In preparation for the exhibition, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerzhan Yerkinbayev paid a working visit to Turkistan to assess the progress of construction at the site. He emphasized the project's importance as a future hub for local and international visitors alike.

The event will feature a rich display of traditional and contemporary crafts, along with a vibrant entertainment lineup, including air balloon shows, AVTOFEST, a national cuisine fair, and a concert by leading Kazakh artists.

Turkistan’s status as a tourism hub continues to grow. The city was recently declared the Tourism Capital of the Turkic World and officially recognized as the City of Craftsmen. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee also praised Kazakhstan for passing the law “On the Special Status of the City of Turkistan,” which outlines comprehensive measures for cultural preservation, sustainable tourism management, and urban planning. The Committee welcomed the city’s policy of limiting construction heights near heritage zones to safeguard the historical landscape.

With the upcoming exhibition and strategic investments in infrastructure, Turkistan is rapidly positioning itself as a premier destination for cultural tourism across Central Asia and the Turkic world.

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Over 140 artisans from Kazakhstan and abroad are set to convene in Turkistan for the highly anticipated international exhibition “Turkistan - the City of Craftsmen.”