BUSINESS and leisure travel between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan is set to take off following the implementation of a bilateral visa-free agreement on July 26, and the impending launch of direct flights by Air Astana.
Under the terms of the visa-free deal, Hong Kong passport holders are now able to avail of 14-day visa-free access to Kazakhstan, while Kazakh nationals can similarly spend 14 days in Hong Kong on a visa-free basis.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana will launch twice-weekly flights from Almaty – the former capital and currently the nation’s largest city – to Hong Kong on August 28. The service will be operated using Boeing 757 aircraft with 16 business-class and 150 economy-class seats.
“I am confident that the combination of visa-free travel and the launch of new direct services from Almaty to Hong Kong next month will result in major business and leisure traffic growth between these two destinations,” said Ibrahim Canliel, Air Astana vice president Marketing & Sales.
