Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city and economic heart, has long served as the undisputed exhibition capital of Central Asia. While the capital Astana boasts the modern EXPO International Exhibition Center, Almaty’s Atakent International Exhibition Centre remains the region’s most established and active venue for trade fairs, hosting dozens of major events annually that draw thousands of companies and tens of thousands of visitors from across Eurasia.
From construction and mining to technology and healthcare, Almaty’s exhibition calendar reflects the city’s role as the commercial and cultural hub of the region. This article explores the largest and most significant exhibitions held in Almaty.
KazBuild / Aquatherm Almaty: The Construction Industry’s Flagship
The largest exhibition event in Almaty—and arguably in all of Kazakhstan—is the joint staging of KazBuild and Aquatherm Almaty, held annually at the Atakent International Exhibition Centre.
The 2026 edition, held from September 2 to 4, brought together 631 companies from 34 countries, with participants from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Vietnam, Germany, Hong Kong, Greece, Egypt, India, Iran, Spain, Italy, China, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the UAE, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland, France, and more. The combined exhibition covered a comprehensive range of sectors: KazBuild focused on building materials, equipment, ceramics, stone, window technologies, interiors, and finishing materials, while Aquatherm Almaty complemented this with heating, water supply, sanitation, air-conditioning, and ventilation solutions.
The business program featured the joint plenary session “New Construction Code, Tax Policy and Digital Regulation: Reforms Transforming Kazakhstan’s Industry,” along with forums dedicated to building materials, urban development, and architecture. A notable highlight was the participation of Paolo Matteuzzi, architect and director of Zaha Hadid Architects, as a special guest.
The scale of this event underscores the construction sector’s importance to Kazakhstan’s economy. As one government official noted, the share of domestic production of construction materials has increased by 8 percentage points over the past five years and exceeded 70%, though the market—worth USD 4.2 billion—still offers significant room for growth.
Mining and Metals Central Asia / Kazcomak: The Resource Industry’s Premier Platform
Held annually in September, Mining and Metals Central Asia (MMCA) alongside Kazcomak represents the largest exhibition in Kazakhstan and Central Asia dedicated to the mining and metallurgical industry and specialized machinery.
The 2026 edition, scheduled for September 16–18, was expected to feature 520 companies from 30 countries across 20,000 square meters of exhibition space. This event is particularly significant for Kazakhstan, where the mining and metals sector forms a cornerstone of the national economy. The exhibition serves as a critical meeting point for equipment manufacturers, service providers, and industry professionals from across the region.
Kazcomak, held concurrently, focuses on road and industrial construction machinery, municipal equipment, and related technologies. Together, these exhibitions create a comprehensive platform that covers the entire spectrum of resource extraction and infrastructure development.
The business program includes plenary sessions on the future of Kazakhstan’s mining and metallurgical complex, AI applications in mining, and specialized seminars on mineral processing technologies. The event traditionally attracts strong participation from international exhibitors, including collective pavilions from countries like Russia and Germany.
KIOGE: The Oil and Gas Industry’s Biennial Gathering
KIOGE (Kazakhstan International Oil & Gas Exhibition) stands as one of the most authoritative platforms for the oil and gas sector in Central Asia. Held biennially in Almaty, the 2026 edition is scheduled for September 30 to October 2.
The exhibition traditionally attracts over 300 companies from 20 countries, showcasing technologies and equipment for the oil and gas industry. Given Kazakhstan’s status as a major oil producer, KIOGE serves as an essential meeting point for industry professionals, government officials, and international investors.
The event includes both an exhibition and a conference component, with discussions covering exploration, production, refining, transportation, and the growing focus on sustainable practices in the energy sector.
Powerexpo Almaty / Kazatomexpo: The Energy Sector’s Main Stage
Powerexpo Almaty and Kazatomexpo, held jointly in October, represent the main exhibition platform for the energy and electrical engineering sectors in Central Asia. The 2025 edition attracted over 3,800 visitors from 40 countries and 234 exhibiting companies.
The exhibition covers the full spectrum of energy equipment, technologies, and services, including power generation, transmission, distribution, electrical equipment, and nuclear energy. Collective stands from regions such as the Republic of Mordovia demonstrate the event’s international reach. The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 21–23 at the Atakent Exhibition Centre.
GITEX AI Kazakhstan: The Technology Sector’s New Flagship
In a significant development for Kazakhstan’s technology sector, Almaty hosted the first GITEX AI Kazakhstan in 2026—the largest event in artificial intelligence and digital technologies ever held in the region. The exhibition brought together over 300 companies and startups and hundreds of investors from 60 countries.
GITEX, which originated in Dubai over 40 years ago, chose Almaty as its first Central Asian host city, reflecting Kazakhstan’s growing role as a digital hub in Central Eurasia. The event covered AI, fintech, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0, and smart energy, with pavilions transformed into a giant hub for discussing the future of the digital economy.
Kazakh startups showcased innovative solutions, including an AI platform for school psychologists and career guidance specialists that has already reached over one million users, and “Smart Eye,” a computer vision system for industrial safety and production optimization.
Securex Kazakhstan: Security and Fire Protection Innovations
Securex Kazakhstan is the largest event in the country dedicated to security, fire protection, information technology, communications, and drones. The 14th edition, scheduled for October 21–23, 2026, at the Atakent Exhibition Centre, continues this tradition.
The 2025 edition featured 65 exhibiting companies from 8 countries and 1,585 unique industry visitors from 12 countries. Notably, 76% of visitors were business owners or held executive positions, and 85% came specifically to search for or purchase products and services for their business. The exhibition covers video surveillance, access control, fire safety, perimeter security, information security, and the rapidly growing field of drones and anti-drone systems.
A distinctive feature of Securex Kazakhstan is the inclusion of a multi-drone championship, showcasing practical applications of drone technology.
Central Asia Home Textile: The Textile Industry’s Regional Hub
Central Asia Home Textile has established itself as the largest specialized event in the textile industry in Kazakhstan. The 22nd edition, scheduled for June 22–24, 2026, at the Atakent Exhibition Centre, will bring together exhibitors from over 14 countries, including Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, India, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan.
The exhibition covers the full range of home textiles: bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen textiles, interior fabrics, window decoration, sun protection systems, upholstery fabrics, carpets and floor coverings, and textiles for the HoReCa sector. The target audience includes importers, distributors, regional dealers, wholesale companies, retail chain purchasing managers, interior designers, and hospitality industry representatives.
PharmaTECH Kazakhstan / KIHE: The Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Nexus
The healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors are served by the joint staging of PharmaTECH Kazakhstan and KIHE (Kazakhstan International Healthcare Exhibition), held annually in May at the Atakent Exhibition Centre.
The 2025 edition of PharmaTECH featured 48 companies from 9 countries—Belarus, Egypt, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan—and attracted 4,970 visitors from 50 countries. The business program included 26 events with 81 speakers. The combined exhibitions occupy five pavilions of the Atakent Exhibition Centre, making it one of the largest healthcare events in Central Asia.
PharmaTECH covers the entire pharmaceutical production process, from project development and raw material procurement to equipment supply, packaging, labeling, and marketing. KIHE, meanwhile, remains the largest and most visited healthcare exhibition in Central Asia.
Furniture. Interior. Woodworking: A Growing Industry Showcase
The Furniture. Interior. Woodworking exhibition, held annually in June, has become one of the largest events in Kazakhstan’s furniture and woodworking industry. The 2026 edition, scheduled for June 10–12, is expected to attract over 7,000 professional visitors.
Occupying five pavilions (7 through 11) of the Atakent Exhibition Centre, the exhibition presents furniture for homes, offices, and public spaces, interior solutions, textiles, lighting, materials, components, and modern woodworking technologies and equipment. The event is organized by Atakent-Expo in cooperation with the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Industry Enterprises of Kazakhstan.
KITF: Tourism and Travel
The Kazakhstan International Tourism & Travel Exhibition (KITF) is the leading event for the tourism industry in Central Asia. The 24th edition is scheduled for April 22–24, 2026, at the Atakent Exhibition Centre.
KITF brings together tourism companies, national tourism organizations, airlines, hotels, and travel technology providers from across the region and beyond. The exhibition serves as a vital platform for promoting tourism destinations, developing business partnerships, and discussing industry trends.
Central Asia Fashion: The Fashion Industry’s Regional Platform
Central Asia Fashion is the largest exhibition of fashion brands in the region, showcasing clothing, shoes, and accessories from various countries. The 2026 edition is scheduled for March 9–11 at the Atakent International Exhibition Centre, occupying Pavilions 9, 10, and 11.
The exhibition covers fashion, children’s fashion, underwear, outerwear, and related segments, serving as a key meeting point for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and fashion industry professionals from across Central Asia.
NFA Expo: Consumer Goods for Retail
NFA Expo, the International Exhibition of Consumer Products for retail chains and marketplaces, is a significant event for the consumer goods sector. The 5th edition, scheduled for November 25–27, 2026, at the Atakent Exhibition Centre, is expected to feature 350+ exhibiting companies across 7,000+ square meters and attract 6,500+ professional visitors.
The exhibition facilitates 385+ personal B2B meetings between buyers and suppliers and covers key sections including tableware, household goods, home textiles, cosmetics, children’s goods, and private label contract manufacturing. Buyers from major retail chains and distributors from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Azerbaijan participate in the event.
The Atakent International Exhibition Centre: Almaty’s Exhibition Hub
The common thread linking virtually all of Almaty’s major exhibitions is the Atakent International Exhibition Centre, located at 42 Timiryazev Street. This sprawling venue, with its multiple pavilions and extensive outdoor exhibition space, has been the heart of Kazakhstan’s exhibition industry for decades.
Atakent’s capacity to host multiple large-scale exhibitions simultaneously—as demonstrated by the joint staging of KazBuild and Aquatherm Almaty across numerous pavilions—makes it uniquely suited to the growing demands of the region’s exhibition market. Its central location in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city and commercial capital, provides exhibitors and visitors with excellent accessibility and supporting infrastructure.
Almaty’s exhibition landscape is as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. From construction and mining to technology and textiles, the city’s trade fairs serve as vital engines for economic development, international cooperation, and technological exchange. The Atakent International Exhibition Centre stands as a testament to Almaty’s enduring role as Central Asia’s commercial crossroads—a place where East meets West, where industries converge, and where the future of the region’s economy takes shape.
For businesses seeking to enter Central Asian markets, Almaty’s exhibitions offer unparalleled opportunities for networking, market research, and partnership development. As Kazakhstan continues to invest in its exhibition infrastructure and attract major international events like GITEX, the city’s position as the region’s premier exhibition destination is set to strengthen in the years ahead.
