Foreign currency inflows from tourism are nearly double the amount Kyrgyz citizens spend abroad

Kyrgyzstan is increasingly generating revenue from tourism—and doing so in foreign currency. By the end of 2025, revenue from foreign tourists reached $1.1 billion, marking an 8.1% increase over the year.

Importantly, the inflow of foreign currency from visitors to the country is nearly double the amount Kyrgyz citizens spend abroad. By comparison, outbound tourism cost citizens $564 million, an increase of 3.3% over the year.

In fact, tourism is becoming one of the few sectors where Kyrgyzstan consistently has a foreign exchange surplus. The difference between exports and imports of tourism services generates a steady inflow of dollars into the economy—a rare instance where the country earns more than it spends.