Structural balance of Kazakhstan's regional hotel business

Abstract

Hotel-business development in Kazakhstan is characterized not only by wide regional gaps but also by unequal combinations of infrastructure, demand, economic conversion, quality structure and labour use. A high aggregate score therefore does not necessarily indicate an internally coherent development pattern. This study assesses both the level and structural balance of the regional hotel business and uses the results to formulate differentiated policy priorities. The object of analysis is the hotel sector of 17 harmonized territorial units of Kazakhstan. The study uses official statistics for 2019-2024, min-max normalization, integrated assessment, structural comparison and matrix-based typology. The 2024 integrated level is calculated from 16 indicators grouped into five dimensions. A structural balance coefficient is additionally proposed as one minus the range of the five partial scores. Almaty and Astana record the highest aggregate levels, whereas the most balanced configurations are observed in Mangystau and Astana. Atyrau displays the largest internal gap, combining the maximum quality-structure proxy with the minimum recorded labour-use score. Four regional groups are identified from the joint distribution of level and balance. The dynamic integrated assessment increased in 16 of 17 territories between 2022 and 2024, although the pace of improvement varied considerably. The contribution of the study is the explicit separation of development scale from internal consistency among its components. The results can support differentiated regional measures aimed at removing bottlenecks, stimulating demand, improving infrastructure utilization or establishing the basic conditions of a viable hotel market.

Keywords: hotel business, regional development, structural balance, hospitality industry, Kazakhstan.