Kazakhstan is marked by wide, open spaces and lunar landscapes.

emote and hypnotic, the Kazakhstan’s landscape can be endless. At dusk, venture into the domed yurt of nomadic herders and you might be offered camel-milk sweets. Rancid at first, they might be off-putting, but keep in mind that out in the steppe, the Bactrian camel is not only a beast of burden, it is also a source of protein. Welcome to 29 million square feet of Big Sky country, the Central Asian version.

Western travelers have described the wonders of Central Asia since the 13th century. In the Travels of Marco Polo, blue-tiled caravanserais and descriptions of local khans create a dazzling picture of the Silk Road. A Trans-Eurasian route that began in 200 BC, the Silk Road was a conveyor belt of textiles and porcelain for centuries. It was also a crucible of cultures, from Persian to Turco-Mongol. In the 19th century, Russia added new elements to the fusion.

Ancient traditions of hospitality are an economic asset these days. That is why officials see tourism as a key non-oil cluster with future earnings potential. Sauat Mynbayev, former Minister of Trade, is especially keen on developing the sector into niche markets, which requires extensive planning. “We need to have a clear vision about what tourist products we can offer. Tourism here is possible only in certain niches: business conventions, ecotourism, adventure sports and mountaineering,” says Mr. Mynbayev.

Inbound tourism grew 19 percent in 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Most visitors were Russians, but there were also thousands of Germans, Turks, Chinese and Americans. Statistics also showed that the number of inbound tourists exceeded the outward-bound Kazakhs for the first time in a decade. Nevertheless, the market is still in its infancy. Revenue doubled in 2004, but it only accounted for 1.6 percent of the GDP.

The idea is to coordinate road construction with the building of tourist facilities. Each niche market will have a detailed government development plan, just like metallurgy or cotton. Before tackling tourism, Mr. Mynbayev wants to revise visa policies and guarantee security. “We’ve already liberalized the visa regime for 28 countries,” he said.

For Kairat Kelimbetov, the Minister of Economy and Budget Planning, the main challenge is infrastructure. Almaty needs more five-star hotels. There are also the usual CIS problems with customs and taxes. “We’ll solve these issues quickly because they are extremely important,” says Mr. Kelimbetov. In the meantime, he thinks adding a film cluster to tourism is a great idea. Bollywood films routinely fly their crews to Switzerland to shoot mountain scenes. Why not do it in Almaty, which is two hours away from Delhi, at a fraction of the cost?