At the beginning of September, a direct flight line was opened from Israel to Kazakhstan. Air Astana operates two weekly flights, on Sundays and Thursdays. The price of the tickets is only 600 dollars round trip
This direct line is the main project and the “baby” that has occupied the ambassador of Kazakhstan in Israel, Satybaldy Burshakov, in recent years, whose efforts have finally borne fruit. He says the new flight line is a pleasant surprise. “Most of the flights took off with 90% occupancy (FL), and the least full flight was 70% occupied, which is considered a full flight in other airlines
Ambassador Burshakov adds: “About half of the passengers are businessmen, and most of the rest are Israelis who travel to visit their families in Kazakhstan, or Kazakhs who travel to visit their families and grandchildren who have immigrated to Israel. At this stage there are only a few Israeli tourists, but we are working to increase their number. In light of the commercial success of the direct line, we are considering increasing to three weekly flights
In the religious community, Kazakhstan is known mainly for the grave of Rabbi Levi Yitzhak Schneorson, father of the Rabbi of Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneorson, and aunt of the poet Zelda. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak served as the chief rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnipropetrovsk) in Ukraine from 1909 to 1939. He spread the teachings of Hasidism and taught Torah and Judaism contrary to the prohibitions of the communist government. Therefore, the Russians arrested him, and a court sentenced him to be expelled. He was sent into exile in the city of Chiali in Kazakhstan, where he stayed for 4 years. When he fell ill because of the extreme cold, he was transferred to the capital city, Almaty. After a few months, he died of illness in 1944 and was buried in Almaty
Every year, a commemoration is held near his grave on the day of his death, the 20th of Av, with the participation of hundreds of Chabad Chassidim from Israel and the USA. There were years when they made up the majority of Jews who came to Almaty. Ambassador Burshakov says that in recent years, he has seen more Israeli tourists in his country, even at general sites
Question: What are the important tourist sites that Kazakhstan has to offer us
Ambassador Burshakov: “Kazakhstan is a huge country, the largest in Asia. It has many types of landscapes. On the one hand, snowy mountains, and on the other, deserts and steppes
There are plenty of trails for hiking or horseback riding in the spectacular landscapes. It also has many nature reserves that attract tourists and locals because of animals in danger of extinction, such as the snow leopard, pink flamingos and more. The Ile-Alatau National Park and Altyn Emel Park are amongst the most beautiful ones. I recommend that you also travel to Burabay Nature Reserve near Astana, Kaindy Lake and Kolsay Lake in Almaty region. In the west of the country there are also deserts Like Bozzhyra (near the Caspian Sea) and the beautiful cliffs of Charyn Canyon in the South near Almaty
We also have jeep tracks for off-road trips, and ski resorts at an international level, like very famous Chimbulak ski resort just next to Almaty
We also have jeep tracks for off-road trips, and ski resorts at an international level. Don’t miss one of the shows of the eagle and eagle trainers. History buffs will be able to see many archaeological sites with us, such as the ruins of the lost city of Sauran
Question: And do you also have Jewish heritage sites
“Among the many tourist attractions we also have Jewish heritage sites. The well-known one is the “Schneorson Tomb” in Almaty. There are 9 synagogues in Kazakhstan. Among them is a magnificent synagogue in the capital Astana, and a synagogue in Almaty as well
Question: How many Israeli and non-Israeli tourists visit Kazakhstan every year
The ambassador: “In 2022, about a million tourists from all over the world arrived in Kazakhstan. In the summer of 2023, which has not yet ended, 1.4 million have already arrived. We don’t know how many of them are Israelis, because it is not acceptable for us to divide guests by origin
Q: What is your explanation for the dramatic increase
A: “The ease and convenience of reaching us. This year we opened direct flight routes not only to Israel, but also to Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Oman, Georgia, and more. We realized that this affects the desire to visit us
Q: And what are your visa requirements
A: “Israeli passport holders are exempt from a visa for a visit of up to 14 days. There are other countries that are exempt from a visa, and there are countries that we require it. For example, with China we have a mutual agreement of visa exemption for entry into both countries. However the State of Israel requires a visa from citizens of Kazakhstan who wish to visit it. One The things I’m working on at this time is eliminating the need for a visa for Kazakhs to enter Israel
Q: Do you promote Kazakhstan to Israeli tourists
A: “This year we started a big operation to promote tourism from Israel. It seems to me that most professional tourist operators already know about us and our advantages. The general Israeli public knows less, and my team and I are working on it
In November there will be a meeting in Tel Aviv with Israeli investors who will be offered business opportunities in Kazakhstan. This will be a follow-up meeting to a very successful meeting we held at Zoom for Israeli investors a few months ago. The investments of the Israelis in Kazakhstan so far amount to about 60 million dollars, and the business potential is very large. We want to expand it
Every year at the IMTM fair in Tel Aviv we see Kazakhstan’s special stand inside a ‘yurt’ (traditional nomadic tent). The ambassador says that the stand will be larger than usual at the upcoming IMTM fair in February 2024. The Kazakhstan Embassy staff are planning study tours for Israeli journalists and bloggers that will spread the word about the tourist attractions of Kazakhstan and will influence Israelis to visit there
Ambassador Burshakov: “Air Astana is involved in the marketing and promotion efforts. They have already organized a study tour for travel agents, so that they know what they can offer their customers. These days they are also working on press tours, with the aim of bringing the tourist attractions of Kazakhstan to the attention of the Israeli public
Q: When
“soon”
Ambassador Burshakov wishes to emphasize that the planes of Air Astana are modern and comfortable, and the in-flight service is excellent
Q: How many Kazakh Jews are there
A: “The chief rabbi of Kazakhstan, Isaiah Cohen, says that there are now about 5,000 Jews living in Kazakhstan. More than 10,000 Kazakhs immigrated to Israel in the 1990s with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and they maintain contact with their homeland. Kazakhstan has always been good to the Jews. That’s why during the Holocaust, masses of Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis fled to us, and we accepted them with love. After the World War, most of them returned to their countries or immigrated to Israel, and only a few stayed and got organized within the local Jewish community
What is the state of your economy and the state of bilateral trade with Israel
“Our GDP is 197 billion dollars. Trade with the State of Israel in 2022 amounted to approximately 900 million dollars. We export to Israel mainly wheat and oil, and import from Israel technology, flowers, fruits, and various agricultural products. I am pinning my hopes on the new direct line that will lead to an increase in the volume of trade, because it will be easier for businessmen from both countries to reach each other and do more business
Ambassador Burshakov also speaks a little Hebrew. Not fluent, but much more than most of the other ambassadors serving in Israel. He also incorporates words and blessings in the Hebrew language into our conversation. Behind the Hebrew words in his mouth, he transmits a message of empathetic attention and a desire to integrate and like us. I wish others would also know how to drive like him
