The lack of modern mountain infrastructure in Almaty is depriving Kazakh athletes of the opportunity to train at home - some of them are holding training camps in neighbouring countries.
WHAT ATHLETES ARE SAYING
Representatives of the sports community have publicly voiced their support for the development of the project, pointing out the shortage of high-quality trails and facilities for training.
First-category ski coach and instructor Roman Grigorov put it bluntly:
“Almaty has everything it takes to become a hub for winter sports and mountain tourism in Central Asia. But while we are wasting time, our mountain athletes are training in neighbouring countries. The development of the Almaty Mountain Cluster is not just about tourism — it’s about sport, young people, international image, and the city’s economy.”
The athletes also noted that implementing the project will expand access to mountain infrastructure for young people and create conditions for training high-level athletes.
WHAT IS THE ALMATY MOUNTAIN CLUSTER
The project involves merging the mountain resorts of Shymbulak, Butakovka, Kimasar, Pioner and Oi-Karagai into a single tourism system with shared infrastructure and management.
By 2029, the cluster is set to become the largest all-season tourism project in Central Asia. The development of the cluster has been identified by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as one of the key directions for modernising the country’s tourism sector.
