Rural Tourism & Cultural Tourism

(Match: Rural tourism is determined as a priority field of action in the Program of Tourism Development For 2019-2023. One of the Priorities of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy is to develop tourism based on the diversity of the rich spiritual culture of the Kyrgyz people, unique traditions, customs, and crafts).

• UNWTO Rural Tourism Development Programme - Best Tourism Villages of the World: International Label; Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme; Best Tourism Villages Network
  • Kyrgyzstan has not submitted any applications for 2021 and 2022

Education & Training

(Match: The enhancement of skills of the tourism workforce, along with the creation of jobs in tourism, is identified as a key priority. A low level of training in the tourism industry is one of the challenges stated in the program of tourism development for 2019-2023).

• Support through the UNWTO.Academy: UNWTO can support Kyrgyzstan in the development of tourism educational programmes (i.e, curricula), along with the delivery of tailored-made trainings (I.e., training for officials, training for tourism guides)
• Explain the TEDQUAL certification (International University On Tourism and Hospitality)

Digital transformation

(Match: Digitalization of tourism is one of the key priorities of the tourism development plan of Kyrgyzstan).

• Introduce the UNWTO Start-up Competition, the world’s largest startup competition in tourism
• Potential to collaborate on the advancement of SDGs through innovation

Attraction of foreign investment

(Match: One of the main challenges of the Kyrgyz Tourism industry is the low quality of roads, insufficient development of infrastructure of tourist and recreational areas)

• Explore the possibility to provide support through the IEI programme, and the organization of an investment forum with the support of UNWTO in Kyrgyzstan.
• UNWTO & fDi intelligence from the Financial Times - UNWTO Members can have limited access to world-class digital investment platforms at no cost   

Branding & Marketing

(Match: The first strategic point of the tourism development program is Marketing activities: Promoting Kyrgyzstan as a center of tourism in the Central Asian region).

• UNWTO.Academy: Organization of dedicated trainings on efficient promotion and marketing of destinations for destinations officials / Assist destinations on the development of marketing & promotion strategy of destinations.
• Promotion of the most successful stories in tourism of Kyrgyzstan through the UNWTO’s platforms.

Priorities of Kyrgyzstan for 2024-45

1. Development of sustainable and regional tourism
2. Elaboration and introduction of green financial tools
3. Infrastructure development and introduction of green technologies
4. International and regional cooperation
5. Improvement of the state system of management in tourism

Source: UNWTO Survey for the preparation 2024-2025 programme of work

Program of Tourism Development for 2019-2023

Strategic Points

1. Marketing activities - Promoting Kyrgyzstan as a center of tourism in the Central Asian region
2. Digitalization of tourism.
3. Tourism development in the regions of the country. It is the regions of the Kyrgyz Republic that should become centers of tourism development.
4. Creating favorable conditions for doing business in the field of tourism and attracting investments, for which work will continue to simplify the taxation process and improve the investment climate.
5. Tourism development based on the diversity of the rich spiritual culture of the Kyrgyz people, unique traditions, customs and crafts.

Challenges

1. insufficient development of infrastructure of tourist and recreational areas
2. low-quality roads leading to popular tourist sites;
3. lack of geographical signs in foreign languages;
4. lack of 4 and 5 star hotels, roadside service facilities, specialized accommodation facilities for adventure tourism lovers, modern business and congress centers, etc.
5. Human resource development/training and education

Source: Deptourism.gov.kg