HOW EXHIBITIONS HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN'S ECONOMY?

LARGE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS ALWAYS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR THE CITIES AND COUNTRIES THAT HOST THEM – THIS PRIMARILY APPLIES TO INDUSTRY EXHIBITIONS AND FORUMS.

For example, take the world-famous oil and gas exhibition ADIPEC in the UAE, which annually gathers leading companies in the energy sector. Or Big 5 – the central construction exhibition of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region.

During such events, cities literally live by them: hotels and restaurants operate at full capacity, transportation services cater to thousands of visitors, and local businesses receive a noticeable influx of customers. All this translates into additional income and creates a multiplier effect for the economy.

And how are things in Kazakhstan?

The exhibition industry here is developing no less actively. For example, the international congress Astana Mining & Metallurgy has been held in the country's capital for 15 years, gathering the main players of the mining and metallurgical complex of the region. During the congress, thousands of people – business and government representatives, industry experts – fly into the city.

In general, dozens of industry exhibitions and forums are held annually in Kazakhstan, with the number of visitors steadily growing. According to official statistics, the volume of services in this sector reached 62 billion tenge in 2024, while in just the first half of 2025, this figure already exceeded 30 billion. And this is already more than in the same period last year.

At Iteca, one of the key organizers of exhibition events in the country, they emphasize: business events of this format have long become an important tool for economic development, both globally and in Kazakhstan. They create a space where the state, business, and experts get acquainted with new technologies, form partnerships, launch projects, and stimulate investments.

And the demand for such platforms is growing. Thus, in the 2025 exhibition season, 3,946 companies from 66 countries participated in Iteca events, and the total number of visitors exceeded 67 thousand people.

It is also important that the themes of Iteca exhibitions align with the priorities of the country's economic policy. For the first time, Plastex Qazaqstan was held, dedicated to the development of the chemical and polymer industry – one of the new focuses of industrial policy. FoodExpo Qazaqstan and AgroWorld Qazaqstan promote the agenda of food security, while TransLogistica Kazakhstan focuses on the development of Kazakhstan as a key transport hub.

Moreover, each event brings tangible benefits to Kazakhstan's economy. For example, at FoodExpo Qazaqstan, 1,156 negotiations took place between Kazakhstani and foreign entrepreneurs, where over 3,500 new products were presented to retail chains, entering the shelves of Kazakhstan's stores.

And within the framework of the Astana Mining & Metallurgy congress in 2025, it became known that the "Sarytogan" graphite production project was included in the list of strategic projects of the European Union, allowing it to receive both financial and trade support from the EU CSM fund. Also, the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Chilean company Molymet signed a memorandum on the production of molybdenum products. These projects will enhance the industrial potential of the economy as they are implemented.

At the AgroWorld Qazaqstan platform, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands signed a memorandum on mutually beneficial cooperation, experience exchange in poultry farming, implementation of innovative solutions, and training of qualified industry specialists. This document opens a new stage in the development of interaction between the states and the formation of new directions of professional partnership.

These examples show that Iteca exhibitions attract businesses, government structures, industry associations, and international leaders. This combination forms a sustainable platform for dialogue and practical solutions. Here, strategic industry tasks are discussed, technological developments are presented, long-term partnerships are formed, and new agreements are signed. And each of them brings direct benefits to the country.

Continuous development

The role of the exhibition industry for the economy is already significant and continues to grow. Kazakhstan strengthens its position in global supply chains, develops production, and increases export potential. For these processes, regular platforms for professional exchange are necessary, where foreign companies, experts, and investors come.

Understanding this, Iteca plans to further develop existing exhibition platforms and launch new ones. The company announced that in the spring of 2026, three new projects will start: the KITME exhibition, dedicated to goods and equipment for the textile industry, NDT on non-destructive testing and technical diagnostics technologies, and VisionCare on optics, optometry, and ophthalmology.

The company is confident that these events will provide businesses in these fields with their own platforms for forming partnerships and implementing new technologies.

Such progressive development of the exhibition industry creates a multiplier effect for Kazakhstan: from increasing tourist flow and hotel occupancy to growing demand for logistics services, stand construction, marketing, and technological solutions. Therefore, investments in exhibitions also serve as investments in the economy as a whole. The 2025 exhibition season became another year of growth for international cooperation, which directly allows the country to strengthen its position on the international business map.