Major Italian media outlets film special projects about Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan will be featured by two major Italian media platforms for international audiences. For the first time, the film crews of the iconic travel show Donnavventura and the gastronomic magazine Cook, which is part of one of Europe’s oldest publications – Corriere della Sera – have visited the country.
The popular Italian program Donnavventura has been airing on Italian television channel Rai 2 for over 35 years, combining a documentary reality format with expedition-style travel. This time, the team is preparing a series of digital episodes about Kazakhstan specifically for YouTube and Instagram.
The first stage of filming took place in Astana. The show’s hosts attended the BaiQymyz gastronomic festival, where they sampled national dishes and immersed themselves in Kazakh traditions.
«A colorful journey into nomadic traditions – with music, traditional clothing that visitors could try on, yurts, and tastings of local cuisine. What stood out most was kuirdak, which tasted similar to Italian ragù and was incredibly delicious», - shared members of the Donnavventura
travel program crew.
The filming covered some of the city’s key locations: the main mosque, the Esil River embankment, and the "Sauran" market. The Italian travel program will also showcase the picturesque landscapes of the Shchuchinsk-Burabay resort area. Special attention was given to interactions with local residents to present the culture of the country.
Additionally, a gastronomic tour was organized in Astana for journalists from the Italian magazine Cook, who are preparing a special issue dedicated to Kazakhstan. They explored local cuisine and visited restaurants featured in prestigious international rankings such as 50 Best Discovery. At Qazaq Gourmet, they were shown the preparation process of signature dishes, while Qazaq Geography hosted masterclasses on the Kazakh tea ceremony, national breakfasts and desserts, and the preparation of sür et (traditional dried meat).
«The number of tourists from Italy has more than doubled over the past two years, surpassing 17,000 visitors. This growth was facilitated by the launch of direct flights between Milan and Almaty by Neos Air in 2022, the strengthening of cooperation between tour operators from both countries, and the appointment of a Kazakh tourism ambassador in Italy. I would like to note that leading international media are increasingly showing interest in Kazakhstan’s tourism and are arriving for filming. We, in cooperation with regional visitor centers, assist with logistics. This is the result of a systematic effort to promote the country in foreign markets», - said Daniel Serzhanuly, acting chairman of the management board of NC Kazakh Tourism JSC.
Representatives of the Italian media will also visit attractions in Almaty city and Almaty region. The filming is supported by Neos Air, the Italian-Kazakh Chamber of Commerce, Visit Astana, Almaty Tourism Bureau, and the Tourism Department of Almaty Region.
