In the current conditions of sustainable development, the main reason for the importance of creating tourism clusters in mountainous areas is determined by competitiveness, the availability of attractive tourist facilities, and the possibility of achieving economic development by increasing the number of tourists. This is due to the fact that recreational resources and landscape features of mountainous areas significantly increase the tourist potential of the territory and contribute to the development of tourism. In connection with this, Almaty agglomeration is one of the most favourable regions for the creation and development of the first mountain tourism cluster in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the opportunities and prospects of mountain tourism cluster development in Almaty agglomeration. The study began with a literature review of the theoretical and practical foundations of mountain tourism cluster formation. The main problems of the enterprises-participants of the mountain tourism cluster and ways to solve them became known in the course of a specially conducted interview. The interview was based on 4 questions pre-designed for tourism industry entrepreneurs participating in the cluster located in the agglomeration and 63 business managers voluntarily participated. As a result of the research the main problems of enterprises-participants of mountain tourism cluster in Almaty agglomeration are revealed and the structural model of mountain tourism cluster development is developed. The model was aimed at mobilising tourism and recreational facilities and service organisations into a unified environment that would form the basis for the formation and development of a mountain tourism cluster. As a competitive advantage of Almaty agglomeration the presence of unique picturesque wildlife, as well as the occupation of such types of active recreation as sports tourism and extreme tourism is defined. Thus, having studied the development potential of mountain tourism cluster in Almaty agglomeration, natural resources and attractions, as well as the current state of the tourism industry, the need to develop a state strategic plan for the development of tourism cluster in Almaty agglomeration was determined. The said plan should fully incorporate marketing strategies, infrastructure development, socio-economic development, environmental cleanliness and safety, and protection of stakeholder rights. The results of this study will be effective in creating a mountain tourism cluster in the Almaty agglomeration, attracting visitors from around the world and stimulating the local economy.

The paper focuses on how tourism contributes to the formation of economic development and geopolitical relationships between the states of Central Asia, specifically, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Despite the historical, cultural and geographical connections that are strong in this region, particularly through the story of the S ilk Road, tourism remains an unbalanced part of the regional agenda of development and integration. The research aims at observing how various actors view the economic and geopolitical potential tourism holds and to what level tourism helps in regional cooperation and state positioning. The study relies on the qualitative and comparative research methodology. Data was collected by use of 120 semi-structured interviews with the representatives of the common sector, academia and the tourism industry in major urban and cross-border destination. The analysis of data was conducted in NVivo 14 software with the application of the thematic and comparative and matrix codes. According to the findings, tourism, in the majority of case s, is viewed as a tool of local economic growth and enhancing the resiliency of local communities, and its geopolitical and integrative capabilities are under-explored. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are unique because they have a more advanced institutional support level, infrastructural preparedness, and strategic orientation as it allows tourism to be a source of s oft power and regional presence. Conversely, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are administratively weak and their institutions have a low capacity of collaboration across borders. The paper will add to the literature on tourism and regional development by highlighting the importance of regional structures and mechanisms of joint governance to ensure the validation of tourism as an aspect of long-term stability and collaboration in Central Asia, particularly in contexts where shared narratives such as the Silk Road remain insufficiently translated into concrete policy.