Tourism is an important instrument for diversifying regional economies and creating employment. Despite its diverse natural and cultural-historical resources, the Almaty region has not fully realized its tourism potential, while development priorities remain insufficiently examined from the perspectives of residents and tourists. This study aims to identify the main constraints on tourism development and formulate strategic priorities for the Almaty region. A mixed-methods design combined a review of scientific literature and national strategic documents with a structured online questionnaire of 15 closed-ended questions completed by 503 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while SWOT analysis and a TOWS matrix were used to develop strategic directions. The main barriers were inadequate road and transport infrastructure (25.0%), low quality of tourist services (21.3%), and insufficient protection of natural resources (20.5%). Priority measures included improving service quality (23.1%), protecting natural monuments (21.3%), and implementing advertising campaigns (21.1%). Social media was the main source of tourism information (52.9%), while health and wellness tourism was the most demanded type (33.6%). Nearly half of respondents (48.5%) rated service quality as average or below average, and 60.5% considered staff training important or very important. Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon accounted for 51.2% of reported tourism demand, indicating the need for visitor management at major natural attractions. Respondents primarily associated the role of government with attracting investment (40.4%), while Talgar district was identified as the main territorial priority (42.5%). The SWOT–TOWS analysis identified strategic priorities including infrastructure modernization, workforce development, digital marketing, investment attraction, and nature conservation. The findings provide an evidence base for regional tourism development programmes and management decisions.