The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted the value of air transport for Kazakhstan, emphasising that the country’s continued focus on aviation has delivered growing benefits for jobs and economic activity.
In Kazakhstan, 44,700
people are directly employed in aviation, generating $2.1 billion (KZT 1,01 billion) in economic
output—equal to 0.8% of total GDP.
Wider supply chain,
employee spending, and tourism activities contribute a total of $6.4 billion
(KZT 3,08 billion) to GDP and support 191,400 jobs.
Tourism supported by
aviation contributes $356.0 million (KZT 172 billion) to the country’s GDP and employs 15,000
people.
International tourists
to Kazakhstan are estimated to contribute $2.6 billion (KZT 1,25 billion) annually to the
economy through the purchase of goods and services from local businesses.
“Kazakhstan has the
opportunity to capitalise on the global flows of passenger and cargo traffic while also
positioning itself as a unique and attractive destination. Continued investment
in safety improvements, new airport infrastructure, and Sustainable Aviation
Fuel (SAF) will play a key role in supporting a resilient and robust aviation
sector, strengthening the burgeoning tourism industry and boosting foreign
direct investment in the country,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA Regional Vice
President for Europe.
Schvartzman urged
policymakers to consider three key priorities for Kazakhstan’s aviation sector
that would support its growth and attractiveness as a regional hub.
Global Standards
Alignment with global
safety standards and operational best practices is vital. Air Astana and Scat
are among the only Kazakh carriers permitted to fly to the EU.
Becoming a leader in
applying global standards in the region will be instrumental in boosting the
country’s presence as an attractive hub connecting Kazakhstan and the wider
region to the world.
These standards—from
safety to passenger processing—are the backbone of safe, affordable, and
efficient air transport.
Affordable
Infrastructure
With passenger growth
averaging more than 10% per year over the past three years, Kazakhstan is
outpacing global average growth. If this growth trajectory can be maintained,
it will reinforce Kazakhstan’s leadership position in Central Asia.
As demonstrated by
Almaty’s $362
million (KZT 175 billion) investment to overhaul its airport and a proposed
second airport for Astana, investing in affordable infrastructure will be key
to supporting this growth.
SAF Production and
Energy Transition
SAF plays a vital part
in aviation reaching its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal, accounting for at
least 65% of the total carbon reductions needed.
Yet global SAF
production in 2025 represents only 0.6% of total jet fuel. This presents a
challenge but also an excellent opportunity for Kazakhstan of building a
national SAF industry which has export potential.
The country has great potential in terms of feedstock for SAF. Key to this will be the production of SAF that meets Jet A-1 standards so that it will be eligible for use in key export markets such as the EU. -TradeArabia News Service