Abstract
Rural areas often face economic challenges due to their heavy reliance on natural resource extraction and agricultural production, leading to development disparities between rural and urban regions. This study aims to assess rural residents’ perceptions of ecotourism advantages, deterrents, and necessary conditions to inform strategic tourism planning in rural Kazakhstan. The research objectives include evaluating local perceptions towards potential ecotourism development, identifying perceived barriers, and determining enabling factors for successful implementation. A novel adaptation of the Importance-Performance Analysis was employed to analyze quantitative survey data collected from 793 rural Kazakhstan residents. Results indicate that residents recognize valuable natural and cultural assets that could attract ecotourism but cite deficiencies in knowledge, infrastructure, finances, and capabilities as obstacles. The study concludes that strategic investments and partnerships addressing identified gaps could leverage perceived regional strengths, such as heritage and ecological resources, to foster inclusive tourism entrepreneurship and economic diversification in rural Kazakhstan.