Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, PRC Almas Seitakynov (left) and guests pose for a group photo during the Republic of Kazakhstan's National Day Reception at the Kerry Hotel in Hung Hom on Dec 15, 2022. (DANNY XU / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - The Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region held a National Day reception on Thursday, highlighting the vast tourism opportunities in the Central Asian country.

The reception at the Kerry Hotel in Hung Hom featured a tourism roadshow, titled Tourism in Almaty, which was co-organized by the tourism department of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis and its trading and cultural hub.

Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, PRC Almas Seitakynov said that Kazakhstan has fully reopened to tourists and all quarantine measures against the pandemic have been lifted

HKSAR-based consuls general representing different countries and bigwigs and experts in the tourism industry attended the event, which included musical performances and delicious Kazakh delicacies.

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In his speech, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, PRC Almas Seitakynov said that Kazakhstan has fully reopened to tourists and all quarantine measures against the pandemic have been lifted. 

He said Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong residents, can visit the country for up to 14 days without a visa, and direct flights will also resume in the near future. 

In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Seitakynov said he had great confidence that the sound tourism cooperation between Kazakhstan and the HKSAR will continue to grow and deepen.

Tourism organizations from both sides were invited to the reception, and some agreements will be signed, which will help boost cooperation between the two places, he said.

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“In the year 2023, we plan to invite more Kazakhstan companies in the tourism industry to participate in exhibitions in Hong Kong to share more information about Kazakhstan and our culture,” he added.