What Is Planned for Kok-Zhailau: Updated Almaty SuperSki Project Presented to Journalists

An open discussion was held on the Almaty SuperSki mountain tourism development project. The meeting took place in an open format in the immediate vicinity of the Kok-Zhailau area, allowing media representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the project's key features, the existing infrastructure and the area's natural conditions on site.

Yerzhan Yerkinbayev, Chief Executive Officer of Kazakh Tourism Development, answered questions from representatives of the scientific community, experts, activists and opponents of the project. The discussion was also attended by renowned biathlete and Olympic silver medallist Elena Khrustaleva, mountaineer Maksut Zhumayev, and Mukhtar Taizhan, Chairman of the Coordination Council of Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park, representing the interests of the national park.

During the meeting, he addressed environmental impact issues in detail and noted that the design work is being carried out with due consideration for the natural characteristics of the area and the findings of specialised studies. Specialists and scientific organisations conducting geodetic, geological, hydrological, soil, forest management and other studies have been engaged in the project. Particular attention was given to the key issues that have recently been discussed in relation to the project: the preservation of vegetation and water supply, avalanche safety, transport infrastructure, the future resort's parameters, its economic model and the year-round development of the area.

It was also emphasised that, according to Almaty Su, current drinking water consumption in Almaty is approximately 600,000-700,000 cubic metres per day, while the existing infrastructure can supply up to 1.2 million cubic metres per day. Even when the resort is operating at maximum capacity, the estimated water intake from the Kazachka River will not exceed 14% of the natural flow of the watercourses. Accordingly, the estimated water intake required for the resort poses no risk to the city's drinking water supply.

Avalanche safety and the engineering preparation of the area were also discussed. It was emphasised that the safety of the future resort will be ensured through a comprehensive set of specialised engineering solutions, with their scope and parameters to be determined on the basis of the relevant studies.

The discussion included a detailed presentation of the Almaty SuperSki year-round concept. The project is envisaged not only as a ski resort, but also as a year-round tourism complex offering opportunities for winter sports, family recreation, hiking routes, recreational, sporting and nature-based educational activities, as well as the hosting of sporting competitions. Particular attention was paid to preserving the natural and recreational function of Kok-Zhailau. Project representatives emphasised that the development of managed tourism infrastructure must be accompanied by controls on recreational pressure, continuous environmental monitoring and responsible stewardship of the natural area.

"It was essential for us to hold this discussion in the immediate vicinity of Kok-Zhailau so that we could address the characteristics of the area and the project itself as clearly as possible. Today, journalists and bloggers had the opportunity to ask questions directly about the planned infrastructure, engineering solutions and environmental aspects of the project. We believe that such meetings are important for open dialogue, as they allow us not only to present the project, but also to explain in detail the studies and decisions on which it is based," said Yerzhan Yerkinbayev.

He also emphasised that open discussion must be based on up-to-date data and documents. "We understand that there are different assessments and positions regarding the project. This is normal for a project of such scale and public significance. Our task is not to avoid difficult questions, but to provide specific answers and enable information to be verified. Today, we sought to address the issues of greatest public interest and demonstrate that our decisions are based on specific studies and calculations," said Yerzhan Yerkinbayev.

Background information:

Kazakh Tourism Development Ltd. is a private company registered with the Astana International Financial Centre. It was established to implement priority tourism projects aimed at developing year-round tourism infrastructure. Its primary objective is to build a modern and sustainable tourism ecosystem that meets international standards and contributes to social and economic growth.