The President Nursultan Nazarbayev took part in the XVIII session of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in the Palace of Peace and Harmony.

Kazinform/Over 140 delegations from 120 countries of the world took part in the General Assembly's session, which is held for the first time in Eurasia. 80 tourism ministers from different countries of the world are among the guests. In his speech Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan is the first country of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which was honored to hold such forum. Share of the tourism sphere makes up 10 percent of the volume of the world GDP. Almost a quarter of a billion workers are engaged in this sphere. The tourist revenue reaches USD 4 trln in the global scale. The tourist business ensures over USD 800 bln of tax revenues to all states of the world. Over a decade Kazakhstan's economy increased from USD 400 per capita to USD 8.500 in 2008 as Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has announced it at the opening of XVIII session of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The Head of the State emphasized that 140 ethnos live in Kazakhstan; every ethnic group has opportunity to maintain its culture, traditions and language. The President paid attention to that at present interest of foreign tourists to Kazakhstan grows. According to marketing research, about 14 mln tourists from Europe and Asia plan to visit Kazakhstan in the nearest future.

As it is known, Kazakhstan expects big tourist flow ahead of the VII Asian Winter Games planned for 2011 in Astana and Almaty. According to the President, holding of Asian Games will become a powerful incitement for tourism development in our country. The total income from tourism amounted to KZT 74 billion in 2008 that is by 17% more as compared to 2007.

Kazakh Minister of Tourism and Sport Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov was elected chairman of the 18 session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization. "I am convinced that Kazakhstan possesses unique opportunities and natural resources for sustainable development of tourism and that our young country, forcing the process of the development of the national tourism industry, will use the experience of countries that have already passed this way successfully", T.Dosmukhambetov said.