Exploring local stakeholders’ views on the prospects of China’s Belt & Road Initiative on tourism development in Kazakhstan

Figures & data

Table 1. Differences observed according to gender.

Differences observed according to gender (male / female)	Degrees of freedom	Sample size	Chi-Squared value	Probability
Significantly more females than males strongly agree that ‘The expansion of roads under China’s BRI (along the New Silk Road) will potentially increase criminality and drug trafficking in Kazakhstan’	4	215	9.217	0.056
Significantly more females than males consider that ‘Silk Road Tourism will lead to China having an influence over the decisions of regional and local governance, business decision making and autonomy in the tourism sector’	4	218	9.183	0.057

Table 2. Differences observed according to location.

Differences observed according to location (in Almaty or outside Almaty)	Degrees of freedom	Sample size	Chi-Squared value	Probability
Significantly more respondents outside of Almaty consider that: New Silk Road Tourism will create new business and job opportunities in Kazakhstan	4	185	17.994	0.001
Significantly more respondents in Almaty considered that ‘The New Silk Road Tourism will encourage greater cultural cooperation in Central Asia’	4	183	10.602	0.31

Table 3. Summary of questionnaire responses (% of respondents).

Questionnaire	Agree / strongly agree	Don’t know	Disagree / strongly disagree	No.	Mean	Std. Dev.
I know about China’s BRI plans and how they relate to New Silk Road Tourism development	63.84%	29.02%	7.14%	224	2.23	0.942
China’ BRI infrastructure will help develop more local tourism	62.84%	23.39%	13.76%	218	2.34	1.028
China’s BRI infrastructure will help develop more international tourism in Kazakhstan	73.42%	17.12%	9.46%	222	2.15	0.937
Increased levels of tourism will lead to higher salaries and improved living standards in Kazakhstan	62.73%	24.55%	12.73%	220	2.30	1.006
New Silk Road Tourism will create new business and job opportunities in Kazakhstan	85.97%	9.50%	4.52%	221	1.90	0.778
China’s BRI and the development of Silk Road Tourism will improve public amenities and transportation infrastructure that will benefit Kazakhstan	66.82%	21.82%	11.36%	220	2.21	1.000
The New Silk Road Tourism will encourage greater cultural cooperation in Central Asia	83.87%	12.44%	3.69%	218	1.89	0.776
The expansion of roads under China’s BRI (along the New Silk Road) will potentially increase criminality and drug trafficking in Kazakhstan	46.51%	34.88%	18.60%	215	2.62	0.992
BRI will lead to China having an influence over the decisions of regional and local governance, business decision making and autonomy in the tourism sector	61.74%	29.82%	8.72%	218	2.29	0.909
Kazakhstan is developing a distinctive brand as a tourist destination	50.23%	27.19%	22.58%	217	2.60	1.080
BRIs New Silk Road tourism will threaten Kazakhstan’s image as a tourist destination	29.58%	33.80%	36.62%	213	3.01	1.097
I support and will participate in plans for a common regional tourism strategy for Central Asia	51.61%	37.79%	10.60%	217	2.47	0.908
BRIs Silk Road Tourism should be included in economic planning for my region	72.35%	22.12%	5.53%	217	2.13	0.829
BRI New Silk Road tourism can be one of the most important economic development options for Kazakhstan	76.85%	16.20%	6.94%	216	2.07	0.881
Tourism should have a more important role in Kazakhstan	87.91%	6.98%	5.12%	215	1.77	0.860
BRIs New Silk Road tourism will promote Kazakhstan’s natural beauty and cultural heritage	79.53%	10.23%	10.23%	215	2.03	0.934
There are local initiatives apart from China’s BRI and development of New Silk Road infrastructure that will help improve Kazakhstan’s brand image	65.75%	28.77%	5.48%	219	2.17	0.887