Tourism is a rapidly growing sector in Kazakhstan, yet Almaty city and its surrounding region have experienced stagnant growth despite rich natural and cultural assets. This study identifies governance-related barriers that impede sustainable tourism development and effective stakeholder participation. Using a mixed-methods design centered on semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from government, business, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organization), and community organizations conducted in 2018 and 2024, and supplemented by PEST (Political, Economic, Sociocultural, and Technological factors) analysis and stakeholder mapping, we distill recurring constraints and opportunities. The findings show that, while digitalization, through digital platforms, improved some administrative processes by 2024, the fundamental obstacles identified in 2018 remained largely unchanged. Three core constraints persisted across both periods: fragmented institutional governance, prolonged and opaque permitting procedures that deter investment, and a deep-seated lack of trust between the private sector and public authorities. These systemic failures continue to limit the sector’s potential, especially amid rapid post-pandemic visitor growth. This paper proposes actionable measures to address these challenges: establishing a unified regional tourism coordination authority, streamlining and standardizing regulations and approval processes, and offering targeted capacity building for SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) and local administrations. Implemented together, these reforms can align Almaty’s tourism governance with international good practices and foster more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable tourism growth.

This study investigates the economic impact of tourism in Buiratau State National Nature Park (SNNP) by analyzing the direct, indirect, and induced effects of tourist spending through the multiplier effect. Using input–output (I-O) models and primary data from park administrators, local businesses, and national statistics, the research quantifies the economic contributions of tourism to the local economy. In 2023, total tourist spending in Buiratau SNNP amounted to 19,856,520 KZT (41,320.4 USD), generating an overall economic impact of 56,337,037 KZT (117,234.5 USD). The calculated tourist expenditure multiplier is 2.84, and the tourist income multiplier is 2.578. These findings demonstrate the amplification of tourist spending within the regional economy, highlighting the roles of direct revenues from tourist services and indirect benefits from related sectors. This study also explores sustainable tourism development, emphasizing investments in infrastructure and collaboration with local stakeholders. Recommendations include enhancing data collection methods, promoting sustainable tourism practices, and engaging local communities in planning processes. This research is particularly relevant for developing regions, including post-Soviet states, where national parks are centrally managed, providing a framework for optimizing tourism’s economic contributions while maintaining conservation goals.

Kazakhstan’s 2025 Water Code aims to institutionalize Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), but its success is threatened by a persistent “implementation gap” between policy requirements and the workforce’s practical competencies. This study provides empirical evidence of a persistent misalignment between water-related higher education and emerging governance demands in Kazakhstan by conceptualizing the implementation gap as a human-capital deficit. We conducted a repeated two-wave survey of students enrolled in “Water Resources” programs (n₁ = 39, n₂ = 82) to empirically diagnose this gap and examine changes in educational preferences over time. The findings reveal an overwhelming demand for dual education (97.6%), alongside a statistically significant shift (χ²(1) = 33.53, p < 0.001) from theory-oriented learning (56.4% to 4.9%) toward practice-oriented formats (30.8% to 62.2%). Key reported constraints include limited access to modern laboratories (47.6%) and insufficient real-world professional experience (28%). Taken together, these results indicate a structural misalignment between academic training and the competency requirements implied by ongoing water-sector reforms. The study concludes that dual education may function as an institutional mechanism for narrowing the policy-to-competence gap, supporting efforts to operationalize the 2025 Water Code and advance Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 6.

This article examines the complex interactions of the multiplier effect within the realm of tourism, with a specific emphasis on national parks. The main objective is to evaluate the multiplier effect within national parks, specifically focusing on Buiratau State National Nature Park in Kazakh-stan as a case study. The multiplier effect is a fundamental principle in the field of economic analysis. Economic multiplier effect is the term used to describe the occurrence when an initial infusion of spending in a certain industry leads to subsequent rounds of extra and sustainable economic activity. In the context of national parks, this phenomenon arises when visitor expendi-tures result in several favorable consequences, including increased employment, infrastructure advancement, and general economic expansion. The article seeks to measure the multiplier effect of tourism activities in Buiratau State National Nature Park through a thorough assessment. This entails examining several variables and datasets pertaining to visitor expenditure and its influ-ence. The study contributes to the existing literature by examining a recently constructed national park in a developing country. It compares the findings of this park with well-established national parks in other areas, emphasizing the distinct problems and opportunities it presents. Further-more, the research presents a methodological framework for evaluating the multiplier effect of national parks, which may be utilized in comparable contexts. This research ultimately enhances our comprehension of the economic implications of national parks and emphasizes their function as drivers for local and regional growth.

Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge (Flood-MAR) planning requires more than identifying drought-prone areas, flood occurrence, or locations that appear intrinsically suitable for groundwater recharge. This study formalises the Flood-MAR-Kaz project concept and applies its decision logic retrospectively to documented evidence from four areas in Kazakhstan. Five stages distinguish hydroclimatic need, manageable high-flow sources, receiving-system suitability, risk acceptability, and implementation readiness. Project hydroclimatic analyses, reanalysis and satellite diagnostics, UAV/LiDAR terrain products, and flood-hazard and implementation information were assessed according to their spatial scope and evidential role. Each stage was evaluated as supported, unresolved, or excluded under the assessed conditions. The application identified an unresolved source-verification requirement shared by Koksu, Akyrtobe, Zharbulak, and Zhalkamys. Terrain differences supported distinct questions for subsequent investigation but did not justify ranking recharge feasibility. A detailed Akyrtobe example showed how complementary orthophoto and terrain information could inform surface-routing assessment while leaving source availability, subsurface suitability, and operational readiness unresolved. The contribution is a documented link between available evidence, permissible screening conclusions, and subsequent investigation requirements. This application illustrates preliminary decision support; it does not validate recharge performance, economic viability, or reductions in flood and drought impacts.

Kazakhstan faces growing water security and environmental management challenges and needs more practice-oriented environmental science education. This study examines two complementary Kazakhstan-based cases. Case Study 1 analyzes faculty and student surveys from the 2022 Science with a Purpose project, which delivered short courses in water quality, air quality, remediation, sampling methods, and scientific communication. Case Study 2 examines the 2025 pilot adaptation of the Nebraska-based Know Your Well (KYW) participatory-science model. An exploratory comparative two-case-study design drew on survey responses, project documentation, instructional materials, participant feedback, workflow analysis, and two illustrative laboratory water analyses. In Case Study 1, 22 of 25 faculty members responded (88.0%); student response rates were 14 of 18 (77.8%) before and 10 of 18 (55.6%) after the courses. Participants generally rated practice-oriented content positively. In the KYW pilot (N = 15), 14 participants (93.3%) reported that the training met expectations, and 14 (93.3%) considered the skills fully or partially applicable. The pilot demonstrated a feasible workflow linking preparation, field activity, sample handling, and laboratory-supported interpretation. Although the findings do not establish national representativeness, intervention effects, long-term learning outcomes, or large-scale monitoring impact, they support complementary capacity-building pathways for Kazakhstan.