Originally Posted by
TravellerFrequently
Surprised at Almaty although it is years since I have been there. I read that Air Astana was doing well so that must be part of the explanation.
Price per barrel of oil is a rather bigger explanation I would guess. It was, along with Baku and a few other places, part of BMI's obscure midhaul niche marketing.
I was there quite recently, staying at the Holiday Inn. They recently got rid of visa requirements for most countries and were hoping to attract European tourists. Interesting nevertheless. Trotsky was exiled there for a bit.