AstanaBuild is Kazakhstan’s leading construction and interior exhibition, held annually in Astana. The 26th edition takes place from April 28 to 30, 2026, at the EXPO International Exhibition Center, bringing together 95 companies from 8 countries including Kazakhstan, China, UAE, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and South Korea. The event features 66 international exhibitors and 29 domestic companies, with collective national expositions from China and Russia, and dedicated stands from Russian regions including Tyumen, Kurgan, and Lipetsk. With over 3,800 industry professionals attending, the exhibition serves as a key platform for the construction sector in Central Asia. Behind the displays of building materials, finishing products, and engineering systems, a specialized workforce makes international business possible: stand assistants, hostesses, models, and interpreters.
Stand Assistants: The Operational Core
Stand assistants at AstanaBuild perform the functional work that keeps exhibition booths productive. Their responsibilities include registering visitors, collecting contact information, distributing technical brochures, managing visitor flow, and directing inquiries to the appropriate sales or technical staff.
For construction and interior brands exhibiting at the show, stand assistants often perform a qualification function. The visitor profile at AstanaBuild is exceptionally high-quality: 73% of attendees are CEOs and business owners, while 27% are specialists in construction, design, and trade sectors. A visitor approaching a booth may be a developer, an architect, a distributor, or a procurement manager. A skilled stand assistant can quickly assess visitor intent and route them appropriately, allowing sales directors and technical experts to focus on high-value conversations.
The scale of AstanaBuild creates unique operational demands. With thousands of professionals moving through the exhibition halls over three days, efficient visitor management is critical. The 2025 edition welcomed 4,562 unique visitors, and the 2026 edition is expected to build on this momentum. Stand assistants help brands capture leads in an environment where exhibitors compete for the attention of decision-makers who directly influence procurement and partnership decisions.
Hostesses: The First Point of Contact
Hostesses serve as the welcoming face of exhibition stands at AstanaBuild. Their primary function is to greet visitors, create a positive first impression, and initiate conversations that can lead to deeper engagement with the brand’s representatives.
At AstanaBuild, the hostess role carries particular weight because of the professional nature of the visitor base. Construction and interior industry attendees include developers, architects, designers, contractors, and government representatives from across Kazakhstan and Central Asia. A warm, professional welcome sets a tone that reflects the brand’s organizational competence.
Language proficiency is a key requirement for hostesses working at the EXPO IEC. Russian fluency is essential for engaging the majority of visitors, while Kazakh proficiency is a valuable additional asset. English proficiency is increasingly sought after by international exhibitors. With participation from countries including China, Turkey, South Korea, and Singapore, hostesses who can communicate across multiple languages provide direct value.
Astana has an established market of agencies providing hostesses and promotional staff for exhibitions and business events. Stand hostess services start from approximately 9,600 tenge per hour, with standard hostess services from 7,200 tenge per hour. Their responsibilities include working at reception, greeting guests and managing registration, advising visitors and distributing informational materials, and actively attracting visitors to the stand.
Models: Visual Anchors for Construction Brands
Construction and interior exhibitions combine B2B business functions with consumer-facing product presentations. The displays at AstanaBuild feature building materials, finishing products, window and door systems, heating and ventilation equipment, and sanitary ware. Models at AstanaBuild serve as image and promotional representatives for manufacturers and suppliers seeking to project a modern, professional image.
At AstanaBuild, models typically stand beside product displays, engage with visitors, and help draw attention in exhibition halls where dozens of companies compete for visibility. For brands launching new product lines or seeking to stand out in a crowded marketplace, professional models contribute to the overall impression of a well-organized enterprise.
The 2026 edition introduces a dedicated exposition for doors and door hardware, where manufacturers from Kazakhstan, Russia, and China demonstrate current trends in design and functionality. For these brands, models serve as visual anchors that help communicate product aesthetics and quality. Astana’s modeling industry provides professional event models from approximately 12,000 tenge per hour, with promotional models from 10,000 tenge per hour.
Interpreters: Bridging the Technical and Linguistic Divide
AstanaBuild’s international composition makes interpreters indispensable. With exhibitors from 8 countries and collective national expositions from China and Russia, the event is a genuine international meeting point for the construction industry. For international companies demonstrating construction technology in the Kazakhstani market, and for regional distributors seeking global partnerships, interpretation services facilitate commercial negotiations and technical discussions.
The linguistic demands at AstanaBuild are substantial. Construction terminology requires precision: building material specifications, window and door system parameters, HVAC performance ratings, and waterproofing membrane properties must be rendered accurately. Interpreters working the exhibition floor must be comfortable with technical vocabulary spanning building materials, finishing products, engineering systems, and architectural solutions.
The interpreting work at AstanaBuild spans multiple formats. During the business program—which includes a plenary session on the Construction Code and digitalization, thematic sessions on thermal insulation materials, and seminars from industry associations—simultaneous and consecutive interpreting facilitates knowledge exchange between international experts. On the exhibition floor, consecutive interpreting becomes the primary mode—interpreters accompany brand representatives, facilitate conversations with potential partners, and help international visitors understand complex technical offerings.
For the B2B meetings that form a core part of AstanaBuild’s business value, professional interpretation is essential. The exhibition is explicitly designed as a platform for establishing new business contacts and exchanging experience. Astana has a well-established translation and interpretation industry serving business events, with services covering Russian, Kazakh, English, and other languages.
Practical Considerations for Exhibitors
Exhibitors planning staff for AstanaBuild should recognize that these roles serve distinct functions and require different skill sets. Stand assistants need operational reliability and crowd management abilities. Hostesses need warmth, professionalism, and often multilingual capabilities in Russian, Kazakh, and English. Models need to combine professional presentation with basic product familiarity. Interpreters require specialized construction vocabulary and business communication skills.
The recruitment process for major brands typically involves casting calls for models and hostesses, while interpreters and stand assistants may be sourced through staffing agencies or professional networks. Astana has an established market of agencies providing hostesses, promotional models, and event staff for exhibitions and business events.
Budget planning should account for the full duration of the exhibition, which spans three days from April 28 to 30. The investment in staff quality directly affects brand perception at an event where the visitor base consists primarily of CEOs, business owners, and industry professionals who evaluate exhibitors on organizational competence as much as product quality.
AstanaBuild represents the leading construction and interior gathering in Central and Northern Kazakhstan, serving as a strategic platform for the region’s rapidly developing construction market. The professionals who staff its booths—stand assistants, hostesses, models, and interpreters—are not peripheral to the experience. They are the human interface between construction technology and the global professionals who come to evaluate, negotiate, and partner.
