Ambulance

Tourism is a global industry and tourists have a wide choice of possible destinations and there are many factors which affect their choices, for example: the location; landscape; activities; facilities timescale, and, (as an intensively competitive industry), the price.

Among the main factors that they will consider are the issues of safety and security.

Globally, the tourism industry has proved to be surprisingly resilient to the negative effects and consequences of various types of events – at both global and local levels:  financial instability.  In the face of financial difficulties and also in the face of the collapse of certain economies.  Growth continues, as consumers decide to spend more of their disposable income on rest and relaxation.

However, the success, or failure, of a tourist destination depends on it being able to provide a safe and secure environment for visitors. 

With some notable exceptions, tourists tend to avoid destinations where they consider that they may be at risk … from natural disasters such as Tsunami, volcano, earthquake, avalanche, landslide and flooding; from health risks such as infectious diseases or unsanitary conditions; from political instability, terrorism or war; from potential “accidents” such as road conditions, poor driving discipline, air traffic or perceived fire risk; from exposure to crime, from robbery to harassment and assault.

In these cases the risk may be considered as “external” but there are other situations where the risk in “internal” – in that the risk is an inherent part of the activity being undertaken:  Mountaineering and skiing, for example, contain inherent dangers.

In order to ensure that Kyrgyzstan is successful in attracting potential tourists it is important that we are able to convince them that the issues of safety and security are a priority.

I believe that the Kyrgyz government understands this. In the face of “Black press” reports following the events of 24th March, 2005 and 7th April, 2010, campaigns were conducted in the Kazakh and Russian media designed to try and convince out traditional customer base that the situation in Kyrgyzstan was returning to normal and open for business, ready and eager to welcome guests.

Accidents happen – but according to a recent report on the internet[i], a skier who was involved in a motor accident and suffered injuries including a broken back, broken sternum, and a blown knee, found herself “stuck in a third world country … she waited for help in unbearable pain.” Instead of an ambulance, she was carried by local villagers to a hospital where there was “no running water, no hygiene regulations and no adequate medication for serious injuries.”  She “courageously” refused the “inadequate” medical treatment and waited for a plane to evacuate her “from a dirty, run-down medical center of third world Kyrgyzstan to the safe haven of the rich country of Dubai in one of the most prominent and reliable hospitals in the world.”

We might want to decry the emotive language of the report and question some of the details of the account, (for example, the lack of hygiene regulations), or to stress the professional expertise and dedication of the medical personnel who respond to incidents involving vehicle and aviation crashes.

The damage, however, has been done and no matter how strong a publicity campaign we mount in denial, it is not likely to be successful in persuading potential tourists that should they be unfortunate enough to be involved in a medical emergency that they can rest assured that their needs will be well looked after.

It is not just a question, however, of providing facilities for tourists, (important though they are for the economy of the country); there is a wider issue.  It is important an important issue for the local population as well.  It seems reasonable to consider that providing hospitals with running water and sufficient medical equipment and medication to handle a situation where a driver loses control of his vehicle and “crashing into thick trees that might as well have been a concrete wall”, should be a matter of routine.

Of course, there are cost implications in making this possible, and it has to be admitted that Kyrgyzstan has a budget problem and so may not be able to improve health facilities in regional centers thoughout the country… at least not straight away, but for both the Kyrgyz citizens and foreign tourists alike – it’s an important issue that needs to be addressed.

Similar?

Last year, Kyrgyzstan adopted a new tourism brand – the winning entry in a competition depicting a multicoloured circle with swirling patterns resembling traditional Kyrgyz ozori, (pattern), portraying the sun, mountains, lakes and a swimmer with the slogan “So much to discover”.

Although it was selected from about 40 different entries by a commission representing many of the different sectors of the industry, it wasn’t a universally popular design – with some people complaining about the kaleidoscope of colours and the “busy” image was too complicated.  It was designed by a student and that fact was also the subject of some comment, in that it wasn’t a design produced by marketing specialists.

Although the previous Kyrgz logo, which was the product of a professional marketing company, was not circular, it featured similar colours and imagery, (and  the slogan was “Somewhere that you haven’t yet been” … although in English it was “Somewhere new, somewhere different“).  It also proved to be somewhat controversial.

As it happens, a similar logo was developed separately by a group of individuals and made a considerable impact on Facebook, attracting over 12000 “likes” and regularly receiving around 4000 reposts.

At the beginning of the year, the newly adopted logo became the subject of much discussion once again.  This time, however, the attention came from abroad – from Bulgaria.  It seems that they have also been undergoing a rebranding process.  They contracted a marketing firm to carry out research and design a new brand.  The design that was eventually chosen was a similar multicoloured circle with swirling patterns and the slogan “Discover and Share”.  It proved to be a controversial choice with the people working in Bulgarian Tourism with many expressing their opposition and dislike of it..  To many people working in Bulgarian Tourism, it also looked very similar to the Kyrgyz design and there were cries of plagiarism … although the marketing company strongly denied this.

It made me wonder if the designers all studied together, or had used the same textbook – or if it was an example of “great minds think alike“.

In many ways, Bulgaria is like Kyrgyzstan.  It’s not a large country and has an existing tourism industry based on traditional markets. It doesn’t have a single USP, (Unique Selling Point), which marks it out as different from its competitors.  It has three main types of tourism: Recreational Tourism based on the Black Sea ports, (similar to Issyk Kul), Adventure and Cultural Tourism (based on their mountains), and Health Tourism, (based on a number of sanatoria spread throughout the country), with a number of other niche markets which it might like to develop such as skiing and Sustainable Tourism, (based on something that looks very similar to CBT – Community Based Tourism).

To be fair, there are also important differences – particularly the fact that it is part of the European Union and much closer to new potential markets that it hopes to exploit.

One of the major issues in the controversy over the design and choice of a logo in Bulgaria seems to have been that, whereas the Kyrgyz logo had cost very little – the competition had been organized as part of project funded by the European Union, thousands of US dollars had been spent on the Bulgarian logo.  In defense of the expenditure the marketing firm pointed out that the expense represented far more than simply creating the final design, which was just one of several which were all considered.

As part of the process they undertaken considerable Market Research … asking visitors to the country about their experiences and impressions and used this information to help them in creating the various alternative designs.  It gave them valuable information, telling them who their visitors were and where they came from, what they did, where they had visited and where they had stayed .  It answered questions like, what the visitors found interesting and appealing?, what they had enjoyed?, what had gone well during their visit? and … what could have been improved?  What hopes and aspirations they had before their journey? and to what extent had they met?   If they were to return, then what they would like to see and do given the knowledge and experience that they already had? and if they would recommend Bulgaria to others, their relatives, friends and colleagues?

All this was valuable information.  More importantly, however, the company realized that these people represented a biased sample, in that they had already chosen Bulgaria as a destination.  It gave them valuable information, but didn’t tell them anything about grabbing the attention and attracting potential visitors who may not know anything about the country and may never have thought about travelling there.  What sort of image did they have of Bulgaria?, what did they know about Bulgaria? what did they look for in a holiday destination? where did they go to get information? what would attract their attention? and influence their decision? and what would discourage them from choosing a destination for their holiday?

So, they went outside Bulgaria and talked to people who had never been to the country.  In this way they gathered a lot of information which was not available to them if they simply asked people on the streets of the capital Sofia or visitors to the main tourist spots, by handing out a questionnaire to tourists at the airport as they were about to board the plane to return home.

All this was also valuable information and gave them the opportunity to explore new avenues and seek to attract new visitors, possibly opening new markets.

It seems to me that Kyrgyzstan could learn from this example.  Most tour operators and hotels welcome and ask their clients for feedback about their experiences and impressions of Kyrgyzstan and their services.  Also, over the years, there have been several research projects which have asked tourists for similar information and there are proposals for an exit survey to be conducted, funded by a donor project.

As with the Bulgarian example, these surveys give us valuable information.  How much more useful, however, it would be if we could gather the additional data from abroad.

Unfortunately it is also an expensive exercise … but the Bulgarians thought it was worth it.  As it happens, as I understand the situation, it didn’t cost the Bulgarian taxpayer anything as it was all part of a project – funded by the European Union.

Originally written  for: Tourism in Kyrgyzstan: Problems, Practice and Perspectives

Horeca magazine

I am sorry, but I not sure that this is a useful question. The government may well have allocated resources from the budget to be spent on measures for the development of tourism, but we are already over a third of the way through the year and we still do not have any official body to plan and oversee how those resources are spent.

What share of gross national product of our country is made by tourism? 

According to official statistics, tourism accounts for about 4 % of the country’s GDP, but to be honest, I am not sure. As you say in your question, there are many different aspects to how tourism contributed to GDP, and it is not just through payments to tour companies. After all, tourists may make their own bookings in hotels, (independent of any tour operator), and if they are not on an inclusive tour then they will chose where to eat. They will also pay for transport around the country; buy souvenirs and other goods from shops and bazaars; visit museums, theatres and other attractions.

What do you think of the Ministry Tourism?  Is it necessary to create one again? What work was carried out by the tourism ministry?

Even if tourism does represent an important sector of the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic, I am not sure to what extent it is necessary to have a separate Ministry of Tourism. Although there are many countries where there is a specific Ministry dedicated to the sector, but there are also countries where there is no specific ministry. It seems to me that the most important thing is not the form and structure, (Ministry, Agency, Department … or whatever), of the official body which oversees the affairs of the industry, but what is does and how effectively it is able to work. Its role is mainly one of information and co-ordination because many of the issues which affect tourism involve or are controlled by other bodies – the border services, the police, and so on. Perhaps the one major task which they can perform is the promotion of Kyrgyzstan as a destination: marketing the country and attracting clients to visit us.

Who should be involved in the marketing of the country by abroad, the state or private tour agencies which have an interest in it?

This is an interesting question … but not a simple one. It is not a case of either / or … it is a case of both. Promoting the country is something in which the state must be involved. It has a vested interest. Not just because of the tax revenues which are raised, but also because it involves the image of the country, its name and reputation; it affects not only tourism but also plays a role, for example, in the attraction of investments. If you like, the State promote the country as opposed to other countries whilst the tour companies and providers of individual tour services, (accommodation, restaurants, attractions etc.), within that framework. Compare it to promoting a new Hollywood Blockbuster film … the studio will advertise the film on a global scale to raise awareness and interest in the film and then individual cinemas will run specific local advertisements when they show the film.

 Why, until now is there is no logo for our country as, for example, as at Turkey, Egypt, etc.?

For this we need a brand, slogan and logo which would help to identify and project an image of the country. In the past there have been such symbols: Oasis on the Silk Road, a special rendition of the Tunduk, the Aigul flower and even the slogan “The land of Santa Clause”. Although a brand may be designed to last for several years, it is necessary to develop new logos and slogans from time to time and Kyrgyzstan is in the process of trying to do so now – with a recent announcement of a competition for this purpose. It it is not a simple task to devise and agree on a brand, logo and slogan; it takes time and many people will have different opinions which will have to be taken into consideration and not everyone will agree on the final version.

How do you think, the political events which occurred in 2010 will affect the tourist season of 2012 if at all?

The events in 2010 obviously had an effect on the tourist industry in the country, discouraging tourists from visiting Kyrgyzstan. As time passes, however, the effect will diminish, and the events of 2010 will no longer be an important factor. I think it is too early, however, to say that this is already the case and we will have to see when, for example, the number of tourists visiting the country returns to the level of 2009.

What can the capital’s hotels hope for from this season?

 Although the number of tourists visiting the country may be growing, we also have to recognise that few tourists spend more than one or two nights in the capital – preferring to get out and about. I think and hope, however, that hotels will see a better season this year.

What is the situation concerning the How affairs with a visa-free regime between our country and other countries? And what countries  are included under this mode?

The bill, (draught law), about extending a visa-free regime to forty four countries has passed its first reading in the Jogorku Kenesh, but it is not clear if and when it will pass the further stages and be enacted into law. It is unlikely that even if the measure were to be adopted today that it would have any real effect on the season this year.

Whether to attraction western and tourists absence of an individual approach influences tourism development?

 Many, if not most, people in the West know anything about Kyrgyzstan and the potential of the country. So, yes, of course it makes a difference. If we want to attract Western tourists to visit Kyrgyzstan, then we have to address them, to prepare special materials to market the country to them ….

At the Ak-Zhol customs post, on border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, in summertime there is a huge congestion of cars, which can result in tourists from Russia and Kazakhstan spend on border from 3 till 6 o’clock. Whether this is still a question or is resolved?

Arrangements were made last year so that groups of tourists could be met and pass through the border formalities and we have been promised that they will apply again this year. The arrangements are not ideal and only apply for organised groups, but they are a sign that the authorities recognise the problem and want to address it. We are also expecting other border posts to be available for tourists to cross the border as well this year, which should help to alleviate the problem.

Why not raise the question of the absence of direct flights with a number of the European countries? How can we involve international airlines? 

This is a very acute problem, but it is an example of what we in the West call a “Chicken and Egg” question – which comes first?, passengers or flights? If the airlines thought that there were sufficient travellers wanting to fly to Bishkek, then they would be only too happy to arrange flights and if there were flights then that would help to attract passengers.

How does the restaurant and hotel business, and tourism as a whole, develop in other regions of our country?

I am afraid that this is another “Chicken and Egg” question … restaurants and hotels will develop when there is demand and demand should stimulated by the existence of new facilities. I can say, however, that in the time I have been here in Kyrgyzstan, (already seventeen years), I have seen considerable development in terms of the restaurant and hotel business throughout the country. However, this not uniform across the country – in some areas it is much more pronounced than in others.

Many assert, what the price and quality of given services in boarding houses of Issyk Kul do not correspond to each other.  Can you can comment on this situation? How it is possible to discipline the market?

There are three factors involved in this question: Price, level of service and a value judgment about whether they are equivalent, (if the price and quality of given services correspond).

In fact, the issue of whether something is “value for money” is a difficult one. I am not sure if the comments you refer to are complaints about the price (which is considered to be too high), or about the level of service, (which is considered as being “poor”), or both.

Tourism is a service industry and it is not always easy to assign a value to service. It is, however, relatively easy to be critical and say that things could be better, which is a “truism” in that it is nearly always true … it is very rare when something is perfect and cannot be improved upon. We should always try and improve on levels of service and train our staff accordingly.

Statements about whether something offers “value for money” often involve a comparison with what is charged elsewhere in the world, in which case we should be careful to compare “like with like”. (As a foreigner, I get upset when someone asks me what I would pay for the same goods and services back in Britain. We are in Kyrgyzstan and price levels in Britain are not relevant.) Whereas a price must be fair and realistic, it has to cover the costs incurred in providing the goods and services, (and providing sufficient income to allow for development and future growth), and not simply what we feel we can “get away with” or based on what is charged elsewhere in the world.

How can these questions be resolved in the opinion of the association of tour operators in Kyrgyzstan?

No two issues are identical and each “problem” has its own solution, and often there is a choice to be made between two or more different possible “solutions” which are implemented by different people or bodies in accordance with their own powers, responsibilities and spheres of influence. KATO works together with its members and partners, (whether that is in government service or the private sector), to raise issues and explore those different solutions representing the views of members. One of the most effective things that can be done is to establish a forum where the different interested parties can meet, raise and discuss proposals and issues before they actually become problems.

In the country there are a lot of associations, (for example, yours, hotel and restaurant business).  Do you cooperate and conduct work in common? 

It is true that there are many different associations in Kyrgyzstan – but each one represents a different aspect of business. KATO, for example, unites Tour Operators whilst the Hotels and Restaurants brings together and represents the interests of those businesses, individual service providers (providing accommodation in homestays and yurts in rural districts) join together in KATOC, and there are associations in the regions, such as in Naryn and Issyk Kul. Of course we co-operate and work together when there are issues of common interest that affect tourism just as we liaise and work with other bodies, (such as the International Business Council) on more general issues affecting business in general.

Your wishes to your colleagues.

Basically, of course, I wish my colleagues a successful season and the opportunity to plan for the next season.

]]> http://ianbek.kg/?feed=rss2&p=8066 0 http://ianbek.kg/?p=7976 http://ianbek.kg/?p=7976#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 01:00:49 +0000 ian http://ianbek.kg/?p=7976 It’s nice to be asked for an opinion … and as I am fond of saying, I am one of those people who “likes the sound of his own voice”, so being asked to give a speech at a function is a double bonus.   Most of the time I get asked to give a talk or presentation to a group of students but sometimes it is an invitation to a more formal occasion.

As it happens, yesterday was the opening day of the Discovery Central Asia Travel Forum here in Bishkek and I was asked to give one of the speeches in the opening session.  They told me that it had to be a short speech – about 15 minutes, but as it had to be translated, it would have to be even shorter.

Usually, I am given a theme to talk about … but this time I was given free reign.    That was quite a problem … I knew it was for the opening session so it was supposed to be a welcome speech and it was supposed to help to set the scene …  so, I set to work:

They told me that there would be interpreters and that, as several other speakers would be giving their presentations in English, I should also give mine in English.   In a way that made me happy because, although I am used to giving speeches in Russian, it’s obviously easier for me to work in English … and, I assumed, would probably be easier for the audience as well.   As it happens, that was a mistake … I should have worked in Russian.  Even if I make lots of mistakes, people usually make allowances and appreciate it when I make the effort to speak in Russian.

What made matters worse was that, as it turned out, after the official opening speech, which was in English and translated a little falteringly by an interpreter, I was to be the third speaker – following Former President Rosa Otunbaeva and the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, who both spoke in Russian.

When I was called to the podium I asked once, English or Russian?, and was told English.  OK, so I started.

I am not sure whether it was my accent, the grandeur of the occasion and the celebrities in the audience, or just inexperience but first one interpreter faltered … and a second jumped up to take his place … then he too faltered and a third stepped up to the microphone … I decided to switch to Russian – only to be told it would be better to stick to English.  Once again, I made a mistake … I listened … and continued, in English.  As the third interpreter also dried up  the Deputy Minister bounded up to the microphone and took over.

Actually, he did very well.

As it happens, although I had prepared a speech, it was not meant to be a script to be recited as an actor recites his lines.  I find that no matter how well a speech is prepared … there is always the possibility, (no, make that a probability), that another speaker will say something that means you have to adapt what you want to say.

For example, when I am asked to give a talk to an unknown audience, I usually find it best to introduce myself.  Who am I? … and why should anyone consider what I have to say as interesting or important?  You never know what the Chairman or Moderator might say in introduction, so this might not actually be needed … but just in case I prepare a couple of sentences which set the scene.  In this case:

Briefly: I am English; I have been here for seventeen years; I run a tour company and two hotels; and amongst other things,  I am currently the President of the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators – yes, an Englishman is head of one of the main Kyrgyz tourism associations.

I am often asked to address students about issues to do with business in Kyrgyzstan, (and in particular, of course, tourism), or to foreign businessmen of consultants in order to give an opinion on this or that topic, (tax issues, marketing, investment opportunities and so on).  I think that’s mainly because I am able to bring a western viewpoint to bear on a local situation … and that is especially important in the field of tourism where it is vital that those of us who work in the industry understand the client.

Most of that had already been said in the introduction, so all I really had to say was the bit about seventeen years … which led nicely into why was I here in Kyrgyzstan …

Many people ask me how I ended up here in Kyrgyzstan and, to be honest, my answer varies from time to time and depends a lot on how mischievous I am feeling at that particular time.  Is it because I failed an examination at the age of 11?, or is it my answer to a mid-life crisis?, the result of a love affair? or that there’s nothing left for me back in the UK?

In a way, all of these are true … at least to a certain extent.  Nothing in life is simple and there are several reasons why I accepted the invitation to some here seventeen years ago and, more to the point, why I chose to stay when so many others have chosen to follow their careers and move on … or go back home.

At this point it was clear that there was a problem with the translation … so I tried to keep things simple and missed out on most of the details … but, for the record, this was the outline that I had prepared:

It’s true, for example, that I felt that I was in a rut back in the UK and a year in Kyrgyzstan offered me an interesting challenge.  It wasn’t anything connected with tourism but was certainly a challenge … and didn’t go exactly according to plan.  Eventually, when the task that I came here to do was completed, I looked around to see if there was something else that provided opportunities.  That’s when I became convinced of the tourism potential offered by the region – and Kyrgyzstan in particular.

To be honest, at first there was an element of what I call: “Kyrgyz-where” or “Where-is-is-stan” …  Back in the mid 1990’s Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia was still very much an “undiscovered country”, “somewhere new, somewhere different”.  Although we aware of names like Tamerlane and Babur, Samarkand and Xanadu, but other names such as Bishkek did not come tripping “rapidly off the tongue”.  I would like to be able to say that this is no longer a problem, but even with the impact of Borat, colour revolutions and the like, the land of the Tien Shan is still a Terra Incognita to most people in the West.

Which is a pity because the region offers a Kaleidoscope of landscapes, natural environments, wildlife, history, peoples, culture, traditions and the opportunity to experience much, much more.

There is the landscape – which in Kyrgyzstan means mainly “mountains” (whether dramatic peaks or simply highland pastures) and lakes.  Leave an office in the center of London and drive for an hour in any direction and you’ll probably still be within Greater London, but within an hour of leaving central Bishkek you could be walking in an alpine valley.

The landscape offers more than just something to look at … it offers an opportunity to interact with the natural environment … to encounter exotic wildlife … (fauna or flora) …  .

Then there’s the historical heritage that links the ancient world of Alexander the Great , the medieval empires of Genghis Khan with  the modern periods of the Great Game and the Soviet Union … all bound together by the Great Silk Road  which brought together merchants and traders, soldiers and pilgrims, from East and West, North and South.

Basically, there is something here for everyone, whatever their interest.  You would probably expect that to be a good thing – but in fact it’s a handicap.  The trouble is that we have no USP – Unique selling point – and so our limited efforts and resources are scattered far and wide like shot from a blunderbuss.

Also, when I said “there is something here for everyone” … I should probably have said, “for almost everyone”.  To be honest, I have met one couple from Europe who were not interested in the landscape, the natural environment, the history, the people, the culture … they didn’t want to sit and relax, (for example, on a beach), or to do anything energetic like trekking or horse riding.  To this day I am not sure why they came … but, to be honest I think it was because they were stamp collectors … stamps in their passports, that is …  so, as it happens, even they managed to find something that they wanted.

This couple, however, were very much the exceptions to the general rule … many visitors to the region are enthralled with what they see and experience here … they want to stay longer, or to return, and quite a few do actually resist the temptation to go after new stamps in their passport and do indeed return … again and again.

In my opinion, (IMHO), the biggest task before us is getting them here in the first place … getting their attention and then doing everything we can to encourage them to come to Central Asia – effective and effective marketing – on several different levels; making it easy for tourists to come here, (for example having tourist friendly visa schemes – preferably that cover the region and not just a single country; and encouraging “open skies”, and good efficient, comfortable transport between capital, (or at least major), cities).

Once they are here then we can concentrate on doing all we can to make their stay enjoyable and  memorable, (for example by establishing Tourist Information Centers which are exactly that, Central points where information and a variety of services designed to make life easier, invigorating  and interesting for the tourist).

In fact, a former British Ambassador once said that most of the Brits in this part of the world are here as the result of a “love affair”.  I am not sure that that is entirely true – it’s seems a little oversimplified to me … although I do have to admit that there is probably an element of truth in it.  Central Asia does that to people; it is easy to fall in love with the place, with the way of life, the culture, the people, a particular person …  and I suppose I am an example of that.

Those of us here already know that there is something appealing and attractive in Central Asia and we want to share it.  That’s why an event like this Discovery Travel Forum is something which is both very welcome and long overdue.

All that remains is for me to say: Welcome to Central Asia, Welcome to Kyrgyzstan, Welcome to Bishkek and Welcome to the Discovery Travel Forum.  I hope it’s a successful event for you all and that you all manage to get the chance to come back and discover some more.

We knew where we wanted to go, but which road to take?; apparently, they both went there, but which was the right road for us?

At first I wasn’t sure if the sign was a joke. How could it possibly be that both roads lead to the same destination?  I soon learned that Naryn is a long, narrow town standing on the banks of the river after which the city is named.  So long, in fact, that it is said to have been the longest town in the former Soviet Union. It turns out that the choice made at the fork in the road sent the traveler to different ends of the town; one road to the Western end of the city and the other to the Eastern.  So, although both roads would take us to Naryn, one would take us towards our ultimate destination whereas the other would take us further away.

We didn’t know that at the time and so we sat in the vehicle, debating amongst ourselves about which road to take.  Some suggested Left whist others suggested Right.  In the end we chose the Left … not because anyone won the argument but because it seemed the more “logical” option – working left to right.  Fortunately for us, it proved to be the more appropriate choice and we were soon at the guesthouse.  If we had gone Right, of course, we would have still arrived but it would have been a longer journey.

In a way, I feel that those of working in Tourism in Kyrgyzstan face a similar dilemma.  We all want to move forward and develop the industry, but we are not sure how to achieve this.  Unfortunately, the choice is not as simple as it was for us on that visit to Naryn; there are more than just two options to chose between.  Far more.  The signpost would be far more confusing … all roads leading to the future, but they take different routes not all of which are necessarily the most appropriate for arriving at where we want to be.

So we have decisions to make; which way forward?

Just as in that vehicle a debate takes place.  Some we recommend one route forward, others a different one.  Whom should we listen to?

We often hear the plea from officials and politicians, “Advise us”.  Tell us as experts, people working in the industry, what you think we should do, what steps we need to take for the development of the tourism sector.

We also hear a complaint: “Why can’t you speak with one voice?”  There are so many associations, each with their own point of view and offering conflicting suggestions about what should be done.  “There are so many voices saying different things that we don’t know who to listen to, which advice to take.”

“Unite!”, we are told, “and tell us what you want us to do with a single voice.”

There are problems with this view.  It assumes that there is “a single voice”, and implies that there is a “simple” solution to the problems that face us.

It seems to me that not only is there is not “a single voice”, there cannot be.  Tourism is a multi facetted industry.  There are many types of tourism represented in Kyrgyzstan.  In the now defunct Concept for the Development of Tourism recognized this and identified several such strands: Recreational tourism which has traditionally been represented by those who come to the resorts on the shores Lake Issyk Kul; Adventure tourism represented by the mountaineers drawn to our peaks and the trekkers who revel in our magnificent landscape, the rafters who seek the challenge of our mountain streams and rivers, the horse riders who delight in experiencing the traditional horsemanship of the nomadic Kyrgyz … and many, many more examples; those travelling the Great Silk Road; tourists with an interest in the history and culture of Central Asia, the legacy of nomadic Kyrgyz and the Soviet Union; those who travel to Kyrgyzstan for “business” whether it be for commerce or to attend a conference or seminar, as a volunteer or student attending a course of study.

But this is not all … there are others, such as those who come to Kyrgyzstan to undertake a course of medical treatment; Pilgrims who come to visit Holy sites such as Suleiman Too, or in search of the tomb of Saint Matthew, or even the sacred places associated with Tengrism and Shamanism and hunters who come in search of trophies.

We should not forget that there are also citizens of Kyrgyzstan who are tourists, (technically, someone who spends between one night and six months away from home); who need rest and recreation, who want to visit parts of their homeland or ***

Each of these types of tourism are different “markets”; they have different clients who look for different things in their visit to Kyrgyzstan, different requirements and demands.

Let’s take a simple example: Hotels.

I am a hotelier.  I run two hotels, one in Bishkek and the other in Naryn.  It would be easy to think that the interests of the two are identical – but they are not.

One is in the heart of the capital city and serves mainly businessmen from abroad.  The other is in a mountainous region in the heart of the country and serves mainly travelers from the “Far Abroad” along the Great Silk Road, (making their way to or from China over the Torugart Pass), and domestic tourist, (about half of our guests are citizens of Kyrgyzstan).  Most importantly, however, we need Marketing.  We need to attract guests, which means that potential guests have to know that we are here and a reason to come to Bishkek.

For our hotels to prosper, they need different things.  The one in Bishkek needs a strong and healthy economy, a business friendly environment, city center facilities which are commonly found throughout the globe, (business services, conference facilities, good internet access, entertainment and health facilities).  Whereas the success of our hotel in Naryn relies on good relationships with our neighbours along the Great Silk Road, good marketing of the historical and cultural value and importance of the Silk Road, and also a tourist friendly environment, (a visa free regime would be a useful and welcoming signal to our guests and help to facilitate their journey).  Most importantly, however, we need Marketing,  We need to attract guests; which, in turn, means that guests have to know that we are there and what Naryn has to offer.

Hotels and resorts in Issyk Kul, however, serve mainly visitors from our neighbouring countries, (predominantly Kazakhstan, but also Russia), as well as local citizens.  Their success relies heavily on weather conditions, (but there is not much we can do to affect those), good facilities and service.   Most importantly, however, they need marketing.  They need to attract guests; which, in turn, means that potential guests have to know that they are there and what opportunities for rest and relaxation there are in the region

The families which provide Bed and Breakfast accommodation in a homestay or yurt as part of the Community Based Tourism initiative are often located in villages or a jailoo in the remote parts of the country.  They do not aim to provide luxury, but plain and simple accommodation in a traditional family environment.  Their guests come from far and wide.  In order for them to be successful and help raise additional income and improve the quality of life for the people in these remote regions, they need Marketing.  They need to attract guests; which, in turn, means that potential guests need to know that they are there and what they and their regions have to offer.

Marketing is vital to Kyrgyzstan’s tourism industry.  Without tourists there is no industry which will mean fewer jobs and less taxes paid to the budget.  The dilemma is, what should we market?

Individual hotels are responsible for marketing themselves; distinguishing themselves from their competitors.  Marketing the country or the regions, distinguishing them from their competitors around the globe, is something which must be addressed by a different entity – the state.  But how should the government market the country.  If it listens to the voice of hoteliers, then it is faced with a number of conflicting possible directions, such as: the attractions of Issyk Kul, the legacy of the Great Silk Road or the more remote regions.

In order to decide the best course of action, we need to have an idea of where we want to go.  Ask any engineer.  The first step in solving any engineering problem is to decide what it is that we want to achieve.  Having set our targets the engineer will research the situation and possible solutions.  He will seek advice and there may be many competing theories and potential solutions, but he makes a choice of which path to follow.  However, the most important thing to note is that there is not a single option, no single voice.  What there is … is a choice.  A choice of which road to take.  We must choose well

Not only do I think that the search for a single voice to represent the tourism industry is futile quest, I consider it to be a dangerous one.  It implies a simplistic view that there is a single option, a single opinion.  As we have seen, there isn’t one.  Adopting one position exclusively, at the expense of the others, can have detrimental effects.

To take the example of marketing the country, I think that we need to market all of the different aspects of the country, but I recognize that the government will have to prioritize and choose where to concentrate its limited resources, but without necessarily ignoring the rest.   We saw, for example, the result of relying heavily on one single market, (attracting visitors from Kazakhstan and Siberia to Issyk Kul), when that market collapsed in the aftermath of two revolutions.

If the decision is to develop “mass tourism” based on the resorts of Lake Issyk Kul, and there may be good reasons to do so, (it does, after all, represent the bulk of the tourism industry in the country), then who will tell others, (those working in adventure tourism, conveying people along the Great Silk Road, or the people in the regions), that their government abandons them to their fate?

The fact that there are so many different opinions about what could be done in order to develop tourism in the Kyrgyz Republic is not a bad thing.  Far from it.  I see it as a strength.  It signifies that there is a variety of options available to us.

We should always remember that there are alternatives; perhaps, for example, new markets to explore.  If the government decides that the best way forward for the country is to concentrate on developing “mass tourism”, then what of developing other potential markets: China and India?  There is little point in marketing the beaches of Issyk Kul in Europe, (they have the choice of many such destinations much more readily available to them), but both of these are within easier reach of these shores, so perhaps we should consider marketing them in these two markets.

It is often said that “We are standing at a crossroads”.  That cliché implies that there is a choice to be made.  Just as I discovered on my trip to Naryn, it is not always obvious which of the available options represents the best, the most appropriate, to choose.  All that is required is to listen to the advice, consider it and, having done so, decide on which course of action to adopt.  It may not be an easy decision to make, but it should, at least, be a informed one.

Orinally written for the 2012 edition of the journal “Tourism in Kyrgyzstan: Problems, Practice and Perspectives“

Open Central Asia

A short while ago, I was having lunch with the publisher of Open Central Asia, (a quarterly magazine, published in the UK, which aims to connect and highlight the links between Europe and Central Asia), and he was asked if I would write an article for the magazine about the Presidential election here in Kyrgyzstan.  I was reminded of my experiences as a teacher of Information Technology, so many years ago.

It had been made crystal clear to me that in my lessons I was supposed to cover “the use of computers, not the study of computers and computing.”

At the time, computers were a fairly new addition to the classroom and many teachers were excited about the possibilities they opened up, whilst at the same time anxious about exposing their own uncertainties and lack of familiarity with the technology.

For the record: The latter was to be restricted to the examination classes in Computer Studies and Computer Science, although I was allowed a shorter taster course so that the pupils would have an idea of the difference between “Information Technology”, (which everyone had to take), and “Computer Studies”, (which only some pupils elected to follow), in order to make an informed decision.

The first topic we covered was the use of the computer as a word processor – typing text.  We used a simple WYSIWYG programme, and the first exercise was to correct a prepared text which had lots of mistakes in it.  This was followed by typing exercises and then some layout exercises covering things like underlining, bold text, changing font size and so on.

For the record: just in case you haven’t come across it before, WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get … nowadays, virtually all the systems are like this, displaying the text on the screen exactly as it appears when printed … but, believe it or not,  this wasn’t always the case.

Anyway, a popular task was to create an article for a class “newspaper”.  Later on, we repeated the same sort of exercise several times, tying in with work being done (in other subjects, English or History, for example), and when introducing a simple DTP package, (DTP – Desktop Publishing).

One of the biggest problems we always had was reminding the class that there was a time lag between their entering the text and when the newspaper would be printed and “published”.

If the class was working on a “newspaper project” reporting, for example, the events and characters involved in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605,  or the vendetta between the Montagues and the Capulets in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, then this wasn’t a big problem.  If, on the other hand, the class newspaper was about school life, then a match report about the fist football game of the season which wasn’t printed and published until half-term, (say, eight weeks later), lost it’s immediacy and value.

I have a similar problem when talking to journalists working for a number of newspapers and magazines, especially if they are weekly or monthly periodicals, but insist on featuring “topical”, “Hold the Front Page” stories – especially on the front page.  By the time the newspaper is published, the story is already “old hat” and out of date.  Sometimes the time lag between the events being described, the story being written and, (perhaps more importantly), being seen and read, can be quite significant.

Whereas a daily paper can and should run stories of this type, it seems to me that weekly and monthly papers or magazines need to concentrate on in-depth analysis and background stories.

A short while ago, I was asked to write an article for a magazine about the Presidential election here in Kyrgyzstan.  At that point we were still in the campaign and voting was still well in the future.  Now, I take my hat off to the editorial team for planning ahead but, all the same, the request gave me several grounds for concern which I put to the publisher:

• Firstly, why me?, why should my opinion be of any interest to readers?, I don’t consider that I am a good writer, so surely they could find someone better to write the piece.
• Then again, it was about politics – and, as a general rule, “I don’t do politics”;
• The timescale worried me … it wouldn’t be “news” because there would have been some time between polling day and the deadline for the story, yet alone publication and/or people reading it;
• As it happens, the deadline for the article was after polling day but before any second round of voting if that had proved necessary – so I faced a distinct possibility that I would be writing about something where the “end of the story” was still unknown;
• Despite that, whether or not we got a result in the first round of voting, it didn’t give me much time for reflection on the issues involved;

Well, he had an answer to all my objections.  The article would be, for example,  from the viewpoint of an eye witness who happened to be living here as a British ex-pat.  I wasn’t going to be billed as an “expert”, (oh, how I hate that word), but someone who lived here and could compare the campaign with what happens elsewhere.  My observations would be just as valid as anyone else’s who was here at the time.

In the end, I relented, and agreed.  The election came and went, and this is what I wrote:

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When I was asked to write a piece about Kyrgyzstan’s presidential election, “through the eyes of an expat”, I was both flattered and concerned.  “Flattered” because I am just an ordinary person who happened, by chance, to be in the “right place” at the “right time”; why should my opinion be any more valid than the next persons?, especially those journalists and International Observers who can bring considerable training and experience to their assessments.   “Concerned” because, as an ex-pat, I “don’t do politics”; I am a “visitor”, albeit one who has been here for sixteen years and with the status of a “resident”.

Also, I was concerned about squeezing the mass of events into a limited word count, (which isn’t easy for someone who is naturally verbose, like me) and the fact that the deadline for the piece fell into what might have been a period of uncertainty as we awaited a second round of voting.

As it happens, the result of the first round of voting, on Sunday 3oth October, was sufficiently conclusive in that we now have a winner, a president elect, who will take the oath of office in the New Year and assume the power and responsibilities that go with it.  It wasn’t, however, a foregone conclusion.

Given the history of elections in the countries of the former Soviet Union, and those in Central Asia in particular, since the demise of the Soviet Union this one was still “an open book”.  Even if Almazbek Atambaev was a front runner, with most people expecting his victory, it wasn’t at all clear if he would be able to amass the votes necessary to avoid a second round of voting which could have been damaging pitting a Northerner against a Southerner.

There was no way it was going to be an election by acclamation, with over 80 candidates being nominated, (even if most of those dropped out, either withdrawing their nomination of failing to meet the requirements to get their names onto the final ballot paper).

The campaign was quite lively, at least here in Bishkek, with lots of posters and a few canvassers.  There were articles in the papers and the television and radio coverage was extensive with many political adverts.  Some candidates choosing to show the same clips over and over, whilst others showed a variety of different broadcasts.  In most cases the election materials concentrated on the candidate themselves whilst others featured the candidate’s supporters but, (at least, so it seemed to me), very little seemed to refer to specific policies.

It all cost a bomb, not only did the candidates spend over three million dollars between them, (apparently ranging from just over two thousand to almost a million), but there was also the cost of organizing the election itself, which must have been considerable.  As it happens, the government received a lot of support from international agencies and in bilateral aid, so that should have reduced the cost to the budget.  Even so, there was a lot of comment about the wastefulness involved and the better ways in which this money could have been used.

Not all the campaigning cost money – social media was a new weapon in the armoury available to candidates, and some of them used it extensively, even if it was in order to spread “black PR” about their opponents, and some of it apparently through proxies, (supporters).

The televised Electoral Presidential Debates were watched attentively, although only a few candidates appeared in each one and the by the luck of the draw, (ballots were drawn to decide who would debate with whom, none of the leading contenders came face to face in front of the cameras.

Indeed, the election was a hot topic of conversation wherever you went.  Most of the comments I heard, however, were expressions of confusion, (“Who should we vote for?”, and I lost count of the number of times I was asked who I would vote for, if I had been able to vote), or of election apathy, (“It’ll make no difference who we vote for” or “I’m not sure who I am going to vote for”).  There was even a lively discussion in the social media about whether to vote for the final option, “Against All”, or not.  Almost ten thousand people did chose this option, and there were many spoilt papers..

Despite the concerns that had been voiced beforehand, the day itself went smoothly, well, by that I mean there were outrages or disorder.  In another way, however, all was not well.  Many voters could not find them themselves on the list of voters, and so were unable to vote.  Others found themselves on, for some unaccountable reason, on the lists for different polling stations, far from where they lived.

As the polls closed the news coverage was full of violations and irregularities: the unfair use of “administrative resources” by one candidate or another; stuffing ballot boxes; multiple voting with people being bussed from polling station to polling station; the ink being used to mark the thumbs of voters to prevent this being washed off even though it was supposed to last for ten days; bribes being offered to voters, officials or observers; and so on … I finally went to bed a little depressed wondering what the morning would bring.

As it happened, I needn’t have worried.  Although there were cries of “foul!”, (“this was the dirtiest election ever”), and candidates lining up to denounce and disown the result, in the end almost everyone accepted the reality and the congratulations started rolling in to Atambaev’s office.

In the end, I would have to concur with the views expressed by the observers in the interim report; it was like the curate’s egg, “good … in parts.”  Despite some problems, the preparations were adequate; there was ample choice available to voters; the campaign was lively and active with ample coverage in the media, but the events and procedures on the day itself left a lot to be desired.

It’s arguable whether the various problems experienced would have materially affected the final outcome, but my gut feeling is that they probably didn’t.  Despite the attention given to the debates and the choice, it struck me that most people were more interested in going about their daily lives, and saw the election as just one of things that in life that is necessary but the sooner the question is decided and they could return to a safe and stable environment, the better.

There are, however, a whole host of issues facing the president elect: the shape of the future government; the presence of the American Manas Transit Center; whether or not to join the Customs Union; improving the economy and, of course, trying to unite the country.

The election seems a long time ago now, and so does the exercise of writing the piece.    It’s like a snapshot.  It represented my opinion at the time, seen from my perspective.  Time passes, and with the passage of time, perspectives change as more information becomes available and we see the result of history unfolding on subsequent events.  Perhaps in a few years time with the benefit of hindsight I would chose to write something different, but I’m not sure if I would write something different if I was to pen the article today.

I received an email last weekend from the local television programme, “Open Kyrgyzstan“.  It’s a discussion programme which   tackles a variety of social, economic and politic topics and they have several times in the past considered questions about the development of Tourism in the Kyrgyz Republic.

As we approach the start of the tourist season, they are once again turning their attention to the development of tourism in the country.  They sent several people involved in tourism, (including me), a series of questions which they hope to cover in their analysis.  The answers will be posted on their website www.open.kg (in Russian).

Here are the questions they asked:

Here’s what I wrote in reply, (in English):

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Your questions seem to fall into two sections.  The first asks for statistical data concerning last year and the coming season:

Last year was not a good year for tourism in Kyrgyzstan … but you don’t need me to tell you that.  Everyone was talking about the lack of tourists, how few foreigners there were travelling the Silk Road, how many of the resorts on Lake Issyk Kul had empty places, and how the resorts had to reduce prices and rely on local visitors.

When you ask me about statistics, I have to say that you are asking the wrong person.  I can only tell you the results of our season, for example: how many tourists our company served.  I cannot tell you about the overall situation in the country, how much the local population earned, or other tour operators or the state budget.  I can tell you that our business declined to about 30% of what we would have normally seen during a season.

Many of those were people travelling the Great Silk Road, who basically have to transit through Kyrgyzstan between the ancient settlements of Uzbekistan and the mysterious orient – China.  Obviously very few of them chose to travel through Osh to Irkeshtam.  The majority came through Bishkek and Naryn to Torugart.  Some, unfortunately decided to by-pass Kyrgyzstan altogether and travelled via Kazakhstan to cross the border at Korgas … or chose to cancel/postpone their visit altogether.

Those tourists who had planned visits to Northern Kyrgyzstan, (for example, horse riding in the mountains of the Kyrgyz Range or Terskey Ala Too), decided to continue with their trips, and they had a very positive experience.

Turning to the prospects for this coming year, I have to say that when people ask me to make predictions about the forthcoming season I usually reply: “Ask me at the end of the season and I will tell you how it was.”  There are several problems with trying to predict the likely outcome of a tourist season, especially for a firm like our which works almost exclusively with clients from the West, the “Far Abroad”.

Most of those visitors have a long journey, which is usually very expensive.  They plan their journey well in advance. Those who were thinking of coming to Kyrgyzstan in the summer would have been planning their trip the previous year.  Usually, we start to receive enquiries during the previous year and many of the bookings we get are provisional.  They have to be confirmed, and depend on the number of applications for that particular tour.  Normally we don’t know if the tour will actually take place until about a month before it is supposed to start.  If our partners plan, say, six tour groups during the coming season, then we might end up with six groups, five, four, three, two or just one … or maybe, even, none at all.

It is true that there are tourists that appear during the season, but it is not the main part of our business and we never know how many of those we can expect.

What I can tell you is that we have received far fewer enquiries and prospective bookings for this year than ever before, (with the exception perhaps of our first year in business).  Some of those enquiries and prospective bookings will result in actual tours, but not necessarily all of them.

As a result, I think that this year will actually be worse than last year.

As I said, we work almost entirely with Western travelers, from the “Far Abroad”, and the situation may be different for those companies that work with more traditional markets, (Kazakhstan etc.), providing putovkas for the resorts on Issyk Kul.  However, I have some doubts about this.

You don’t ask about next year.  I understand that your focus is the prospects for the coming season, but I think you should also address this.

If, this year, there are no social and political upheavals, then I see no reason why next year should not see the start of a revival in the prospects for tourism.  The main attractions of Kyrgyzstan, (the mountains and spectacular landscape, the natural environment, the historical connections, the traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture of the Kyrgyz, and so on), remain.  There may well be, however, other issues to address that will provide challenges for us to overcome, such as the effects of climate change as a result of Global Warming, the escalating cost of fuel, and so on.

In my opinion, our most important task this year is to survive and develop so that we are in a healthy position so as to develop and grow next year and beyond.

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The second section asks about what can be done, what has been done and what should be done to facilitate the development of tourism in Kyrgyzstan.

You suggest, for example, that many of the basic problems facing the development of tourism in Kyrgyzstan, (and you mention some of them), have remained the same over the year.  It is hard to disagree with this … but, then again, it is not that surprising.

It is true, for example, that over the years there have been many meetings to discuss the development of tourism in Kyrgyzstan and sometimes it does often seem that discussion always revolves around the same issues … and although there have been many suggestions about how to address and resolve the issues, little concrete actually gets done.

Of course, there are problems with implementing suggested improvements – especially the lack of financial resources.  There is also a considerable shortfall in the amount of finance available to implement policy.  That is understandable.  The country has trouble raising tax revenues to pay for essential services and pay pensions, so they have difficulty in allocating large sums to measures which may, (or, let’s face it, may not), be successful in bringing tourists to Kyrgyzstan, providing job opportunities and raising tax revenues.

Then again, the situation is not a simple one.  For example, not all the issues you mention concern tourism in isolation.

Let us take just one example, the conditions of Kyrgyzstan’s roads.  It has to be noted that there has indeed been some improvement in respect to these – especially on the main trunk roads through the country.  When I first came here almost 16 years ago, for example, I frequently heard talk about how difficult the journey to Osh was, but now the road is good, high quality, along its entire length.  Hopefully, the main road between Bishkek and Torugart through Naryn will be just as good now that it is under reconstruction, and later also the road from Osh to Irkeshtam.  There are still many roads that needs attention but, of course, major improvements such as the renovation of hundreds of kilometers of road surface are expensive and take a long time to complete.  They should, however, bring considerable benefits – and not just for the development of tourism – by improving access to and around the country.

So, some issues, (such as the provision and development of general infrastructure resources – such as the roads, the marketing Kyrgyzstan as a country – whether to attract investors or tourists, and the visa regime), are matters for the government to address, (within the constraints of available resources), whilst others, (for example, the provision of hotel facilities and entertainments), are questions for the private sector.  Government policy can probably best help the development of tourism by fostering an attractive and conducive environment for the attraction of investment and for the conduct of business, so that investors are not only willing but are eager to take up and develop opportunities.

In theory, the development of a concept for the development of tourism should be helpful.  It should, for example, help to focus attention on the sector and it could give an impetus and direction to the organs of State in implementing various specific measures, but I am not sure to what extent it will actually help in practice.

The reports on Tourism Development in Kyrgyzstan that I have seen are usually very good, well written and insightful, at least when it comes to describing the existing situation in the country: the historical context, the strengths, (attractions of the country and opportunities for development), as well as the weaknesses and threats facing the industry.  The problem with these reports, however, normally arises when considering the future direction the country should take.

There are conflicting ideas about exactly what form of tourism the country should try to develop.  It seems reasonable that we should try to preserve the existing markets, (for example Recreational Tourism based on the Resort Zone at Issyk Kul, Adventure Tourism – such as Mountaineering and Trekking, and Travel along the Great Silk Road), but also to develop new ones, (such as Winter Sports or developing the potential of the Chinese and Indian markets) … or at least provide the conditions that will allow entrepreneurs and investors to do so.

I do expect that that the review will lead to changes in legislation, indeed it seems almost inevitable.  Once again, however, I am not sure to what extent this will help, or is even necessary.  I am not convinced, for example, to what extent a separate law “On Tourism” is necessary.  Tourist companies are just examples of companies doing business.  There is already ample legislation concerning the conduct of business and the protection of consumer rights and so I am not sure that I see that there is anything Tourism that requires a separate law.

You ask, in particular, about possible changes to the Visa Regime and the possibility of introducing a Visa Free Regime for certain “developed” countries.  There has been much said and written on this topic over the years.  Let me just say that, it seems to me, Kyrgyzstan has a lot to gain in terms of attracting potential tourists by relaxing its visa regime.

One of the most important tourist resources for Kyrgyzstan is, of course, Lake Issyk Kul.  The majority of visitors to the country come to rest in the resorts on the shores of the lake.  It brings not only a mass of tourists, providing employment opportunities for the local population for the duration of the season but also it has a large potential in tax revenues for the state and local budgets.

Once again, however, there a question about what the state can do, and should do, to assist in the development of tourism and what should fall to the private sector.

A lot of work has been done to establish new facilities, and modern existing ones, on the shores of the lake.  Most of this has been achieved by the private sector, investors hoping to create a successful business and reap the rewards of their investment.  One step that the government could undertake to help the development of tourism in the region is to prioritize the development of the airport in order to make access to these facilities easier.

Ours is a service industry and relies on satisfying both the needs and the expectations of the client – providing the levels of service that the modern tourist has come to expect.  It is true that there has been much attention paid to trying to raise the level of professionalism of the people working in tourism, and this is probably as important, (if not more important), than the development of new facilities.  There is still more that could be done, for example simple improvements such as, instead of providing a set meal at set times, introducing some element of choice.

There is a limit, however, as to how many tourists the region can sustain without damaging the very thing that people come to enjoy.  Concentrating on this region in isolation can also mean that other regions of the country do not gain from the benefits that the development of tourism can bring, such as the increased employment opportunities.

It is important to remember, also, that the season in Issyk Kul is very short and that the resorts not only compete amongst themselves but also in the global market place against other resort areas such as Turkey and Thailand.  One of the most useful things that can be done would be to find a way to extend the season so that resorts and facilities do not stand idle for the best part of the year.  The development of ski resorts, for example, is a welcome development, as would be the development of training facilities for sportsmen, (which, incidentally, would help Kyrgyzstan sportsmen as much those from foreign countries.)

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Here’s the interview, (in Russian), as they posted it.

There are several sectors of the tourism industry in Kyrgyzstan.  The main one in terms of both the numbers of visitors and monetary value, is Recreational Tourism – mainly involving visitors from Kazakhstan to Lake Issyk Kul.  Another sector involves various types of Active Tourism, or Adventure Tourism – involving such activities as Mountaineering, Trekking, Horse Riding, Rafting, Hang gliding and similar activities – which are centered on utilizing Kyrgyzstan’s natural environment.  Also there is Travel along the Silk Road which attracts mainly visitors from “Western” countries.  In this sector might be considered Cultural and Historical Tourism – which center on the cultural and historical heritage of the country – especially the traditional nomadic culture of the Kyrgyz – which is of particular importance to those in Community Based Tourism (CBT)groups in more isolated and remote parts of the country.    In addition there are specialist, “niche”, markets, such as Health Tourism, Hunting, Winter Sports and Business Tourism (MICE) where the primary purpose of travel is not Tourism, (rest and recreation), but connected with some other business activity such as attending a conference.  Then there is Domestic Tourism – which played an important role this year in providing employment for people in the Issyk Kul in the absence of tourists from the traditional markets of Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan.

It is important to note that all sectors of the Tourism industry affects not just those who work directly in the industry itself, for example in tour companies and hotels, but also people working in a much wider variety of activities: cafes and restaurants, the manufacture of souvenirs made from  traditional crafts, performers, museums, transport, (public and private), and so forth.  The goods and services purchased by the tourist contribute to the economic activity within the community as whole.  Tourists use facilities which are also provided for the population such as energy, and food is purchased in shops and bazaars to serve them.

All sectors of the Tourism Industry have suffered a reduction in business during the year – some more than others.  Many tour companies operating tours along the Great Silk Road reported operating at between 10% and 40% as the previous year; the number of visitors to the reports on Lake Issyk Kul was about half of that in previous years.

Although the reduction in the number of visitors can be attributed as a direct result of the events that took place since April 7th, there was also a considerable contribution to this decline by Travel Warnings issued by foreign Governments warning their citizens about travelling to Kyrgyzstan, and the reporting that took place in the world’s media.  Many tourists cancelled or rearranged trips that had been booked, so as to avoid parts of Kyrgyzstan (e.g. Osh and Djalalabad) or to avoid Kyrgyzstan altogether.  On the other hand, those that did come to Kyrgyzstan reported that accounts in the media suggested that the situation was considerably worse than they experienced during their stay.   The amount of “black PR” was especially noted in Kazakhstan.

More importantly, perhaps, this publicity has had an effect on enquiries and provisional bookings for the coming year, 2011, which are considerably less previously than at this point of the year.  Some tour companies are reporting that they have no provisional bookings for next year at all.  So, as well as having suffered an actual reduction in the level of economic activity in the tourism sector during the year, there is a loss of potential economic benefit in the future.

Many tourists, especially those from distant markets, plan their holidays well in advance, and so even though a referendum and election may be held successfully and stability return to political life in Kyrgyzstan, the time for publicizing the tourism potential of the country is now – sooner, rather than later.

Following the revolution in March 2005, the new government and the industry jointly undertook a number of measures with a view to “Save the Tourism Season”.

It is difficult to compare the situation in 2010 with that in 2005, (even though both Revolutions led to a change of government), because the situation this year was far more serious and lasted longer.  However, it is worth noting that in 2005, the effect of the revolution on Tourism was fairly contained when compared to what the industry has experienced this year.

There is a saying that “Extraordinary situations require extraordinary measures” – and no-one can deny that we have faced an extraordinary situation this year.

There are several aspects of the tourism industry which it is necessary to note, that single it out as different from many other areas of economic activity, such as manufacturing.

Firstly, it is seasonal – and in Kyrgyzstan the season is short, very short.  The “high season” when most of the activity is undertaken is a matter of just a few months.

Secondly, any investment in tourism (whether capital expenditure or expenditure on activities such as Marketing) is long term expenditure and takes a longer period, often in terms of years, to be recouped.  However, losses are incurred immediately.

Thirdly, as most travelers and tourists like to explore new destinations and receive new experiences, it is necessary always to find new clients or customers.

Potential clients, (that is, tourists), have a wide choice before them.  They cannot be compelled to visit Kyrgyzstan, we need to persuade them that it is an interesting country, with lots to offer them in terms of attractions, (natural and manmade), that is safe and can meet their needs and their interests.

Tourism products involve not just the goods and services which the tourist purchases, (and it is the responsibility of those selling such goods and services to market these aggressively and effectively), but include the inherent aspects of the destination, (in this case Kyrgyzstan), such as the landscape, environment, wildlife, people, history and culture, (and these also need to be marketed – separately and in addition – in order to attract potential tourists.

It is important to publish as much positive information about Kyrgyzstan as possible – it is then the responsibility of tour operators, hotels, manufacturers and investors to market their own goods and services independently.

“Brand Familiarity” is an important concept in marketing.  In this case, the brand is Kyrgyzstan – and in particular Kyrgyzstan as a Tourism Destination.  The more times Kyrgyzstan is featured in the foreign press, for example, then the more familiar the foreign public will be with Kyrgyzstan.  It is, of course, important that the image presented in the press is positive – which means that much must be done to counter the negative coverage has received – and is still receiving at the moment.

It is also necessary to point out that, expenses on marketing Kyrgyzstan as a country (not just as a Tourist destination) helps to raise the profile of the country internationally and promotes the image of the country, (it’s nature, people and culture), to attract interest from investors, raise awareness of Kyrgyz products such as Fruit and meat products.  All of these areas of Kyrgyzstan’s economic life, not just tourism, could benefit from a campaign to create a positive image of the country abroad.

This raises an important question: Who should undertake this campaign?

I would suggest that this is something which requires the involvement of the State.  We are talking about the image of the country as a whole – not just an individual company, (be it a tour company or a resort on lake Issyk Kul), or even, as I have tried to suggest, just the tourism sector – but Kyrgyzstan as a whole.  The whole community stands to benefit from such a campaign.

I am not suggesting that the State should support individual companies, by promoting individual tour products, etc., but that it should concentrate on promoting the country as a whole: the mountains, the traditional nomadic culture, the history, the wildlife, and so forth.  In short the vast potential of the country.  It is then for the individual companies to promote their own products and services.

It is true that the beneficiaries of such a campaign would undoubtedly include individual companies working in the tourism industry – be they tour operators, hotels, resorts, restaurants or manufacturers of souvenirs, but the benefits would also be reaped by other sectors of the Kyrgyz economy and ultimately, through tax revenues, the state itself..

Written for “Tourism in Kyrgyzstan: Practice, Problems and Perspectives”

I am often amazed how many people either telephone telephone the office or try to drop in at all sorts of time during the day … and night.  Over the years there have been several occasions when I have been sitting in the office late at night , (at, say, seven or eight o’clock at night … or even later … once a couple of years ago it was two o’clock in the morning), trying to finish one task or another and  received phone calls from local “prospective clients” who wanted to know where we could send them?, (to what countries we had tours that they could join?), or if we had any places available in Issyk Kul?.  There have other times when there has been a knock on the door and there is a tourist from abroad, often with a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Central Asia or some other guidebook, in their hands and who want some information about this or that, (say, about crossing Torugart or where they can go trekking/skiing/horse riding).

It’s not the questions that these callers pose that surprise me … after all, that’s our job … it’s the timing of the call.  I have no idea why people think that the office will be manned at that time of night.  OK – I understand that, maybe, the idea that they want to go somewhere has just come to them  and that they are trying “on the off-chance”, just in case … but all the same … why do they think that the office works krooglo-su-toch-noi-ye, (“around the clock”)?

It’s not just at nighttime, either … it also happens on Sunday’s and public holidays.  On Sunday, for example, two tourists from New Zealand who called in … they had only just arrived in Bishkek, just happened to be passing by and “just on the off-chance” decided to see if anyone was in the office .  Well, I was there … so I invited them in …

But that wasn’t the surprise …

After we had chatted and I had answered their specific questions about Kyrgyzstan and their planned itinerary, the conversation moved on to more general topics.

Now, I am used to people asking me questions along the lines of: what I am doing here in Kyrgyzstan?, how long I have been here?, how did end up here in the first place?, what keeps me here? … and so on.

Of course, they posed some of these questions as well – and, as usual, I was happy to answer them.  I also turned the tables and asked them some questions, although still related to their trip along the Silk Road, things like: Where we they from?, what had they seen so far?, what were their general impressions? … and so on.

Tony, one of our investors, is from New Zealand so I am also interested when someone else from there shows up.  It is not easy to get here from New Zealand … there are difficulties getting a visa and there are no direct flights, and they are flying here it involves at least two changes of flight, (say, in Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent, or Beijing and Urumchi – unless, of course, they fly via London, in which case it’s only one! … but “via London” !?!?!?).  Many New Zealander tourists, however, arrive overland as this couple had – travelling the Great Silk Road.

As it happens, they told me that they were from a part of New Zealand that I happen to know, although not that well, having been there, albeit over a quarter of a century ago … goodness!!! … how old just uttering that phrase made me feel.

But, no, that realisation wasn’t the surprise, either.

During the conversation I was asked about the possibilities for skiing.  Now, I am not a skier.  On one occasion, ( on my trip through New Zealand as it happens – over a quarter of a century ago!), I spent the night in a hotel at the foot of a ski field.  The owner started talking about the skiing possibilities in the neighbourhood.  When we said that we didn’t ski, he looked dumbfounded and, after he had recovered from his shock, he looked at us with pity and said: “I think you are our first ever non-skiing guests”.

To be fair, I have tried a couple of times … once on an artificial dry slope in the UK – and once here in Kyrgyzstan … but I feel that I am too old to learn new skills and was always scared that I would fall and break a leg – or worse.  I have been to a few ski bases here and was able to tell them a little bit.  I pointed out that it might be difficult to much skiing at this time of year – in August – and they only had a couple of weeks which, according to their plans, were already crammed full, so if they were really keen to try skiing, it meant that they would have to come back.

To be honest, it was said, more or less, tongue-in-cheek.  Apart from the difficulties of getting to Kyrgyzstan, they have lots of fantastic ski resorts much closer to home in New Zealand and Australia which are much easier for them to reach.  (I have already mentioned the problems associated with getting to Kyrgyzstan from New Zealand.)

The reply, however, was: “Oh, I am sure that we’ll be back … We just love Kyrgyzstan!”

My first reaction to this was: “Now that would make a great slogan for the country.”

I was a little surprised, however, because  they have only just arrived in the country a short while ago … but, no that wasn’t the surprise.  I suppose that there is such a thing as “love at first sight”.

A lot of New Zealanders love the country.  Tony always said that one of the reasons he instantly  liked the country when he first came here, back in the early 1990′s, was that Kyrgyzstan reminded him of New Zealand when he was growing up back in the fifties and sixties.  I had felt something similar when I first came out here … certain things reminded me of how things were growing up in the UK back in the sixties.  Now, these two visitors said that they felt the same … but they didn’t mention in which decade.

It was whilst I was in the middle of replying along the lines that a lot of visitors have the same reaction when one of them said “Yes, there’s something special about Kyrgyzstan …” and went on to list a few things … and that was when I got the the surprise that caused me to be “taken aback”.

You see, a few years ago I was asked to write the introduction for a new magazine, Discovery Kyrgyzstan” published by the Silk Road Media.   At the time, I was the President of KATO, (The Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators), and they wanted a local “celebrity” to write a “welcome message”.  I was told that it had to be a short article, less than a page long, and something general about the country.  In the end, I took the theme: “There’s something special about Kyrgyzstan …” and now I found myself listening to someone else saying, if not exactly word for word, something that was more or less the same that I had written in the opening to that article.

I asked if they had ever seen the magazine and they said “No” … which led me to think to myself: “So it wasn’t just me … .”

For the record – Here’s the article:

There is something special about Kyrgyzstan …

Ian Claytor

General Director The Celestial Mountains Companies

“… it gets into your blood, under your skin.” I don’t know exactly what it is, but there is something about this country that excites visitors – makes them want to extend their stay or at the very least to return.

Is it the spectacular scenery; the wildlife; the traditional culture; the atmosphere connected with the many historical places and archaeological sites connected with the Great Silk Road, the Mongol Hordes, the Bolshevik Revolution; or the variety of possible activities; the hospitality of the local populace … or is it a combination of all of these factors?

Whatever it is, there is something that makes Kyrgyzstan “special”. It is a small country with over 90% of the territory classified as “mountainous”. The peaks and valleys divide the landscape into quite distinct landscapes, microclimates and habitats. It is possible to encounter many different experiences in a small geographical area, and a short space of time.

The Kyrgyz, themselves, recognize the uniqueness of the country as is shown in some of their legends:

One that tells how, after the creation, God was apportioning plots of land to the various peoples of the world. The Kyrgyz, whilst waiting in line with all the others, decided that it was taking so long and that he needed to go and look after his sheep. When he returned, he discovered that God had finished his task – and the Kyrgyz asked God: “What plot of land shall I have to call my own?” God replied that all the land had been allocated – there was none left. The Kyrgyz said that he did not need a lot of land, it did not have to have lots of riches – it just had to be sufficient for him to pasture his flocks. God took pity on him and said that there was a little plot of land left. He had been intending to keep it for Himself as a garden for his own rest and relaxation, but the Kyrgyz could use it for pasturing his flocks.

Members of The Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators, (which comprise about a third of the tour operators in the country), are ready to welcome you and make your stay memorable – and are sure that that you too will agree that there is something “special” about Kyrgyzstan.

“If those events caught everyone by surprise,” starts Claytor in his first “postcard” from the country’s capital, “then this year it was even more unexpected.  Looking back in hindsight, I suppose that we have been better prepared and foreseen the possibility of what happened taking place – but, quite frankly, we were all caught “off-guard”, especially by the speed at which everything occurred.”

Claytor’s postcards sent back to friends, family and colleagues have proved succinct observations of events on the ground as he witnessed them unfold. With the situation changing almost from moment to moment and with a great deal of uncertainty in the air as rumour and counter-rumour circulated, he attempted to record what he experienced in the heat of the moment. Others have, undoubtedly, had different experiences and reported different impressions.

“You will have seen the news items,” Claytor continues, “about what one newspaper here is calling the “Easter Revolution”. It’s my second Revolution in five years and, there is a very strong sense of déjà vu about the events.  They say that History has a habit of repeating itself and I suppose that what has happened here in Bishkek will only go to support this view.  There are some differences between what happened in March 2005 and in April 2010, but the similarities are pretty striking. Amongst those differences are the speed of the events, the effect of the internet … and the death toll, over 80 people.”

The background to the events are well documented. President Bakiev came to power as the result of the “Tulip Revolution” in 2005.  During this there was uproar and anger the population concerning authoritarianism, corruption, “empire building” and nepotism.  It all came to a head in demonstrations in the capital when the White House, (the seat of the government) was stormed by crowds of protestors.  President Akayev fled the country and the fragmented opposition found itself thrust into a position of having to try to forge a new government to fill the vacuum.  Bakiev emerged as the compromise leader and, for a time at least, hopes for improvement were high.

Things did not, however, go smoothly.  There were continuous protests over the five years of his presidency and he often made many of the same mistakes as his predecessor.  His party won parliamentary elections and he got himself re-elected to office for another five years, but there were many criticisms about the conduct of these elections, both within the country and from abroad. In addition, a particular cause of concern amongst the population were the huge hikes in the price of energy as a result of deteriorating relations with the Russian government, four or five fold in some cases, but with little or no support for the poor, who represent most of the population.

“We knew of the planned protests,” the first postcard continues, “although the opposition played their cards close to their chests, releasing little concrete information, presumably to prevent their plans from being disrupted by the authorities.  We also knew that Bakiev and his Prime Minister were strong authoritarian characters who had acted with firmness in the face of opposition.”

There is evidence that the authorities anticipated the events because there were huge transfers of funds out of the country just a few days before the trouble erupted. A number of government meetings were cancelled in advance because of news that there were to be mass demonstrations around the country, but few people anticipated the full extent of the way that events would turn out. These were not similar demonstrations to those that are continually seen in the West. No-one fully took into account the extent of the displeasure amongst the population against the regime, and their reaction to being shot at and people in the crowd being killed.

The protests actually began some before, with demonstrations against the energy price rises.  However, they erupted on Tuesday, the 6^th of April, in Talas.  Government offices were taken by the crowd, then taken back by the authorities, then seized again, and then it spread.

“The first I heard of it was when I was in a meeting on Friday evening.  One of my colleagues had received a phone call from his partners in Moscow asking what was happening.  It was all over their news reports.  He didn’t know anything about it, and the local TV stations didn’t seem to reporting it.  During the meeting, another of my colleagues took a phone call and he told us of the deaths in Talas. I left that meeting with a sense of despondency, but even at that stage I didn’t really foresee history repeating itself in the way that it did.”

“So, the following morning things continued more or less as usual. Some people had started to take precautions and several shopkeepers started to clear their shelves in the morning. There were a lot of people on the streets, but everyone seemed to be going about their usual business. ”

With this Claytor strolled off to meet a friend for lunch. Before they had finished, however, the shutters were going up and the streets began to fill, showing signs of frantic activity. Throughout that morning there had simply been no signals of what was to happen.

“We saw how the crowds were amassed around the White House; how some of the police, having tried to control the crowd, were retreating with some of them falling and being caught and beaten by the protestors; “snipers” were seen firing from the roof of the White House; the gates of the building were rammed by vehicles. We heard the news about how Bakiev had disappeared and a new, interim, government had been set up.”

Much of the action was happening in the main Ala-Too square. As darkness drew in the crowds started to roam the streets. At first they were just boisterous, but as the night progressed they began to breaking windows, firing gunshots and looting shops and offices. Some stores managed to escape damage thanks to metal shutters installed post the 2005 revolution, but the looters were resolute and exploited any weakness. All the stores in the Narodniy chain were more or less destroyed and those that managed to escape destruction on the first night were to suffer their fate the next. Claytor watched all of this unfold from his office, which he’d already taken measures to secure. “At first it was mainly food and alcohol… it was only much later that we saw signs of fridges, televisions and the like being loaded into cars.”

By this stage it had become clear that Bakiev had fled to his home in Djalal Abad, in the South of the country.  He started giving interviews and was clear that he did not want to resign, although for many it was hard to see how he could continue as President. Some foreign governments were quick to support the temporary incumbent opposition led by motherly figure, Roza Otunbaeva, others were more cautious. A Bakiev rally in the south did not gain any momentum. He continued to maintain that he was innocent of wrong doing and he laid the blame fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the “opposition”, but before long news filtered out that he had fled the country, supposedly seeking refuge in neighbouring Kazakhstan before heading to Byelorussia.

The interim government set to work with gusto, trying to present a united front. One of the biggest problems they faced was one of “legitimacy”.  Bakiev was the lawfully elected President. Even though the international community had expressed concerns over the conduct of the election, no-one declared that they considered the results to have been invalid.  Every decision the interim government made, every document they issued, every appointment they made, every signature and every stamp was open to question and dispute.

Nevertheless life slowly resumed in the capital. It had to go on.

“Banks have re-opened for business as normal … well, some banks at least, because five, that have connections with President Bakiev’s family were taken under special administration,” the postcards continue, taking a humorous break from the gravity of the situation. “Offices returned to work … well, some offices, because some were looted. Restaurants, Cafes, Bars are welcoming diners … well, some restaurants, cafes and bars.  Some are operating shorter working hours because there are fewer clients. Schools and Universities are operating as usual … although some classes are denuded as some parents have kept their children at home. Public transport has begun operating … Buses, trams, trains, (what few there are in Kyrgyzstan) and taxis were all running normally … well, there are less busses on the street because nearly thirty were completely destroyed and almost ninety suffered serious damage in the events of April 7^th. The borders are open … well, almost all of them.  Three of our four neighbours, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), closed their borders with Kyrgyzstan pretty sharply when the disturbances started, but now only the one with Kazakhstan remains closed, although they accepted a flight with Kurmanbek Bakiev on it.”

The big “clean-up” began and the detritus remaining after the rioting and looting was cleared away within days, although the city still bears signs of the damage incurred. Meanwhile aftershocks of the revolution have seen further violence and demonstrations. For the time-being it appears as though civil war has been avoided and the Foreign Office has removed  its warning against all but essential travel to Kyrgyzstan. The uncertainty does leave a certain risk of instability returning, but the signs at present don’t appear to guarantee this.

What is going to happen? “This is perhaps the most difficult question.  The future is open to all sorts of possibilities and no-one knows what will happen, but there are many people surmising and predicting a number of possible scenarios. Some of those scenarios are positive and full of hope for a brighter future.  Others are more pessimistic, pointing to the possibility of further strife: ethnic, regional … or other.”

The new authorities are still pursuing people involved in the previous regime.  “Only a few arrests have been made, so far, but about twenty former Ministers have been questioned by the police.  As a result of arrest warrants issued here for some prominent characters, notably Bakiev’s son, Maxim, Interpol have apparently issued “red notices” so we could see an extradition attempt. Luschenko, President of Byelorussia, has once again, made it clear that he is not going to allow the extradition of Bakiev.”

In conclusion to the events that Claytor witnessed first-hand he is stoic. “It wasn’t that bad!  It was bad.  It was unpleasant.  The deaths were tragic.  On the other hand it could have much, much worse.”

“It’s hard to say that things are truly “back to normal”, how can they be “normal” after such an event, especially so soon after the event?  After the death of a loved one, the funeral, memorial service, requiem mass, etc. are all designed to help the living come to terms with their loss and get on with the rest of their lives.  Life goes on, but people have to adjust to their new, changed circumstances.  That’s what is happening here.” Either way the reaction over the next few months are critical in determining whether the events and sacrifices of the “Easter Revolution” will prove worthwhile.