Melco Resorts eyes tourism partnership with Kazakhstan
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to explore collaboration on the country’s tourism infrastructure, with particular focus on the ambitious Alatau City Project.
Investment opportunities in Alatau
According to the Government of Kazakhstan’s Press Service, the meeting underscored opportunities for foreign investors to participate in Alatau, a new city rising in the Almaty region. Tourism has been identified as a central pillar of Kazakhstan’s economic diversification strategy, alongside efforts to attract foreign capital and establish new growth drivers. Prime Minister Bektenov emphasised that the project enjoys strong backing from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, including commitments to build supporting infrastructure.
The tourism sector is booming, with over KZT1.2 trillion ($2.4 billion) invested, record visitor growth, and new clusters in Almaty, Borovoye, Mangystau, and Turkestan driving diversification beyond oil and gas. The country welcomed 15.7 million foreign visitors last year, up 3.1 percent from 2024. In Q1 2026 alone. 3 million arrivals were recorded, according to media reports.
Infrastructure expansion continues apace, with 4,505 accommodation facilities nationwide, including 23 five-star hotels, 45 four-star, and 26 three-star. Global brands such as Hilton and Mandarin Oriental have entered the market. Kazakhstan also climbed from 66th to 52nd in the Global Tourism Index, reflecting improved competitiveness.
Legal framework for investors
Alatau has scheduled its new legal system to take effect on 1 July 2026, intended to ensure clear investor involvement, long-term project stability, and modern investment protection tools. Ho also stated Melco’s interest in participating in the initiative. He cites Kazakhstan’s untapped potential in tourism and hospitality. Both parties signalled intent to continue collaboration on modern tourism infrastructure.
Kazakhstan’s investment framework was comprehensively updated in January 2026 under the Entrepreneurial Code. The reforms introduced new contractual models, investment agreements, investment obligations agreements, and simplified contracts, aimed at creating transparency, stability, and modern investor protections. These measures replace older incentive schemes and align with the country’s diversification strategy, according to Baker McKenzie.
Vision for Alatau’s green district
Global investment in 2026 has surged past pre-pandemic levels, with more than $570 billion committed to infrastructure upgrades worldwide. The sector contributes $12 trillion to the global economy and supports 376 million jobs. Asia-Pacific leads growth, while Europe and the Caribbean are also seeing record visitor spending and capacity expansion.
For Alatau, it is envisioned as a future city near Almaty, with tourism as its cornerstone and growth driver beyond oil and gas. Its Green District will feature a lakeside cluster of hotels, entertainment venues, sports facilities, resorts, and leisure attractions.
The country has also seen a surge in local demand: spending rose from KZT2.2 trillion ($4.5 trillion) in 2023 to KZT3.1 trillion ($6.3 trillion) in 2024. The majority of visitors still come from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Expansion of gambling framework
The talks come as Kazakhstan expands its regulatory framework for gambling. Agreements signed earlier this year authorised new gambling zones for foreign visitors in four regions: the Caspian Sea coast, Lake Alakkol, the Talgar district, and East Kazakhstan. Still, new legal frameworks like Alatau City’s July 2026 system must prove effective in protecting both investors and communities.
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