One of the world’s leading companies in the ski industry, Pas Grau International Management from Andorra, is coming to Kazakhstan. The company has registered a subsidiary in the Astana International Financial Centre as part of a large project to build a resort in the Kok Zhailau area.
In May 2025, PGI Management’s CEO Joan Viladomat presented the concept of the future ski resort called Almaty Superski, which will include Mount Kumbel and the Kok Zhailau gorge. According to the plan, the total length of ski slopes will be more than 65 kilometres. The project includes the installation of 16 modern ski lifts and the development of infrastructure such as hotels, rental shops, stores, a pharmacy, and ski schools for both children and adults. The developers emphasise that commercial infrastructure will take up no more than 2-3% of the total area. The project is expected to create over five thousand new jobs.
The resort will be part of a large state programme to expand the Almaty mountain cluster. In April 2025, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Joan Viladomat to discuss the prospects for developing mountain tourism in the region. The government plans to increase the cluster’s capacity from six to ten thousand people per day, which will allow it to receive up to seven and a half million tourists annually by 2029.
The project has caused much debate because of concerns about environmental impact and the need to preserve the unique nature of the area. Nevertheless, it has received support at the highest level. At a press conference on 15 July, 2025, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov confirmed that infrastructure development in Kok Zhailau will move forward. He stressed the importance of using the potential of the Almaty mountains.
“There are very few places in the world with such beautiful mountains and such good snow for skiing. Yes, we will develop Kok Zhailau,” Bektenov said.
The prime minister also said that the mountain cluster expansion programme will include areas near Talgar, the Oi Qaragai resort, Butakovka, Pioneer Gorge, Kimasar, Shymbulak, and parts near Kaskelen.
The idea to build a ski resort at Kok Zhailau appeared back in the 2000s, with active planning for ski slopes, hotels, and lifts starting in the 2010s. However, in 2018 and 2019, the project faced strong public opposition because of environmental concerns and possible harm to biodiversity and water resources. Following protests and intervention by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in October 2019, the work was paused.
Now, with the involvement of PGI - a global leader in ski resort construction with more than 120 projects worldwide - the project is gaining new momentum. Authorities and investors assure that the development will balance economic benefits with environmental considerations to ensure sustainable and responsible use of one of Kazakhstan’s most valuable natural areas.
The pound and the yen came under strain on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed investor concerns over global fiscal health and political uncertainty in...
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to...
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on th...
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have arrived in Beijing to join the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory ...
The price of gold surged sharply on Wednesday, reaching a new record of $3,530.08 per ounce. Analysts say the rise is driven by expectations of a U.S....
The pound and the yen came under strain on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed investor concerns over global fiscal health and political uncertainty in Japan.
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on the global stage. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were among the leaders attending at Tiananmen Square.
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to remain in shelters during the strikes.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have arrived in Beijing to join the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against the Japanese occupation and World War II.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to remain in shelters during the strikes.
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on the global stage. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were among the leaders attending at Tiananmen Square.
China held its largest-ever military parade on Wednesday, showcasing its growing military power and geopolitical influence as President Xi Jinping positions Beijing as a custodian of the post-U.S. international order.
U.S. forces carried out a precision strike on a suspected transnational drug vessel in the southern Caribbean, killing all 11 people aboard, President Donald Trump and the Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday.
Moscow maintains that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine should continue, but stresses that progress is only possible if what it calls the “new territorial realities” are acknowledged.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment