Abstract
This study examines the determinants of tourist inflows across Kazakhstan's regions from 2003 to 2023, focussing on marketingrelated factors aligned with the four dimensions of the marketing mix.Using regional panel data, the analysis highlights the critical role of tourism service development, representing the product dimension, as the most consistent driver of tourist arrivals.The expansion and diversification of tourismrelated services enhance regional destination capacity, emphasizing the significance of strategic investment in service provision.In contrast, capital investment shows negative effects.Regional income growth, applied as a proxy for price-related cost conditions, exhibits positive but statistically non-robust effects, indicating that cost competitiveness is not the primary determinant of regional tourist inflows.Meanwhile, accommodation is a crucial factor in driving up tourists flows only in three mega cities.This study extends tourism marketing research beyond perception-based analyses to an economic development context.It provides actionable insights for academics, policymakers, and tourism practitioners seeking to optimize tourism strategies in a transition economy.