This year, however, there weren’t any celebrations.  Usually there is a banquet, or some other gathering of those of us working in tourism, to commemorate the day – but the season has been little to celebrate. The day didn’t go unmarked – some firms sent out congratulatory messages – like Telegrams that are read out at weddings from those who cannot, for one reason or another, be present.

As it happens, I spent the day in an appropriate way: thinking about Tourism.  I spent most of the day preparing a speech.

Back in April, before the revolution, the Japanese Embassy and the Japanese Center for Human Resources, (KJRC), established a committee for the development of Tourism, with the purpose of developing tourism – particularly by increasing the number of tourists to Kyrgyzstan and by gaining an acquaintance with Japan.

Now, the Japanese have always been good friends of Kyrgyzstan.  Their interest in Kyrgyzstan might well have been something to do with the Japanese prisoners of war who were sent her at the end of the second world war – many of them worked on building the military sanatoria at Tamga, and some of them actually returned recently to see the place where they had spent the last days of the war.  On the other hand it could be as a result of their interest in The Great Silk Road – one of the first themes that is taught in History lessons in Japanese schools.  It could be a more personal factor – most, if not all, of the official Japanese representatives that I have met have had a great affection for the place and one even wrote a book (in Japanese) on the Kyrgyz language.  They have run a wide variety of courses for people here in Kyrgyzstan and a previous Japanese ambassador was one of the leading lights in raising awareness about the awful state of Kyrgyz toilets – but, probably the less that is said on that particular theme, the better.  Maybe another time.  On the other hand, it could be as a result of the fact that the Japanese are one of the world’s greatest traveling nations and this is a part of the world that they rarely visit, partly because it so difficult for them to get here.

The fact that there are so few Japanese visitors to Kyrgyzstan is something that causes some controversy.  For many years we, in the industry have been trying to get the Kyrgyz visa regime simplified.  We argue that the visa is a hurdle that tourists have to overcome and many find it a “burden to far” and decide to go a country where a visa is not required.  It’s not just the cost, there is also the time and effort that is involved.  There is also the psychological barrier that “they don’t want us”.  So much for the fabled Kyrgyz Hospitality.

Now, back in 1999, the then President, Askar Akaev, decreed that he wanted to see a visa free regime for countries of the WTO – World Trade Organization.  Kyrgyzstan had just become a member of the WTO – the first of the former Soviet Republics to do so.  He issued his decree in September and gave the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until the end of the year to come up with a plan to fulfill this aim.  Those of us working in the tourism sector were delighted.  However, it didn’t work out quite as we had hoped.

In the last week of December the Ministry announced its plan.  As from January 1st – citizens of Japan would not require a visa.  After that, there was a rolling programme to be be implemented over three years.  As from January 1st the following year, visas would not be required for citizens from a number of countries – holders of diplomatic passports.  As from January 1st the next year, visas would not be required for visitors from another group of countries – holders of diplomatic passports.  Finally, as from January 1st the next year , visas would not be required for visitors from another group of countries – holders of diplomatic passports.  The Ministry fulfilled it’s obligations – there would be a visa free regime for citizens of the developed world – provided they were holders of diplomatic passports.

Japan was the “lucky nation” in that no Japanese citizen was required to obtain a visa.

In theory, there should have been an increase in the number of tourists from Japan – but, that didn’t happen.  They didn’t come.

Now, whenever the vexed question of relaxing the visa regime is raised, the opponents of the reform retort: but a relaxation in the visa regime does not necessarily lead to an increase in the number of tourists … look at the Japanese, they enjoy a visa free regime, but there are precious few Japanese tourists.

We have to acknowledge that this is true.  But, there are good reasons for this which may not apply in other cases.  One of the reasons may well have been the difficulty in traveling to Kyrgyzstan from Japan.  Another may well been that very few Kyrgyz Tour Operators actually worked in the Japanese market – cultivating relationships with Japanese partners and advertising Kyrgyzstan to the Japanese public – although, to be fair, over the years this situation has changed a little and Kyrgyzstan has, for example, been represented in tourism Trade Fairs in Japan.  Another problem, however, is that Kyrgyzstan received bad publicity in Japan as a result of the Batken incidents – when four Japanese geologists were kidnapped in the south of the country.  Not something that would encourage a mass influx of visitors.

It’s certainly a fact, however, that most of the Japanese that come here really like the place, the landscape, the sense of history, the people, the culture.  It is said that their is some affinity between the Japanese and the Kyrgyz – the languages are supposed to have similarities, although I don’t speak either so I cannot comment on this suggestion.

Incidentally. as a separate aside: the fact that the Japanese enjoy a visa free regime regime but have not granted the same privilege to Kyrgyz citizens gives the lie to another argument that is often put forward by opponents to reform – that visa regimes are a reciprocal affair.  If other countries agree to grant Kyrgyz citizens a visa free regime, then Kyrgyzstan can, in turn, grant them the same rights.  But, although Kyrgyz citizens are still required to obtain a visa to visit Japan, Kyrgyzstan unilaterally granted Japanese citizens a visa free regime.

As it happens, I was invited to take part in the first meeting of the Committee.  I won’t comment on the fact that the first meeting of the committee which was established on April 1st, was to take place on September 30th – apart from to say that the delay is probably understandable given the circumstances.  I was asked if I would make a presentation and allocated 10 minutes.  I was to be the sixth speaker on the provisional timetable – and knowing the others who were going to be speaking – and they are all all accomplished orators, well experienced in the subject – I wondered what I could say.

I was fairly confident that the thorny issues of visas would be raised by one speaker, and the question of marketing by another.  Another would concentrate on investment, whilst another would talk about the development of “Rural Tourism”.  Apparently, I was invited as the Chairman of the IBC’s Tourism Committee, who just happened to be foreigner, a tour operator and who ran two hotels.  It looked as if I was meant to take a wider, business, view.

So, I sat down and thought, what can I say?  I was hampered by the time limit, the theme of the meeting which was relatively narrow and the fact that it had to be in Russian.  The embassy put extra pressure on me by phoning every other day asking me what my theme would be so that they could firm up the programme.

I know that we were supposed to be concentrating on Japan and Japanese tourists but I decided that we need to take a wider view.  Is it simply a case of getting “bum on seats”? (if you’ll pardon the expression), or a wider one about ensuring that those that do arrive receive a quality experience, value for money?  This latter approach is, I think, the best way forward – but it will take longer to achieve significant results and will involve a greater outlay in both finance and effort in the early stages.  It should, however, create a more impressive result in the long run, revolutions not withstanding.

I the end I decided to take a leaf from the Japanese form of poetry, haiku.  There was no way I could summarize what I wanted to say in just seventeen “syllables” in three lines, with a meter of 5-7-5, but I could be as esoteric, figurative, symbolic.  I would pick up the idea of customer service – very important amongst Japanese customers – the importance of the tourist’s experience as well as the importance of the process whilst trying to combine the other themes which I felt sure would be adopted by others.

I don’t know if I was successful.  Maybe I was simply trying to be too clever – and remember that I was working in English – but had to deliver the speech in Russian, so I had to choose something I felt reasonably confident in delivering in Russian.  Of course, there was too much, but that was deliberate – so that I could miss bits out if they were covered by earlier speakers.

Anyway, here’s what I prepared:

I think you all know who I am – an Englishman who has been here for 15 years who runs a tour company ad two hotels: The Silk Road Lodge in Bishkek and a Guesthouse in Naryn.

Being a foreigner is sometimes an advantage – and sometimes a disadvantage.  I come with a different background and a different outlook – a different perspective, Just as our Japanese partners do.  It means that I can sometimes look at the situation a little more dispassionately, (although, after 15 years, the independence that gives me is perhaps tempered by a greater understanding).

It’s the same with our Japanese partners who have organised this meeting, and I need to thank them for giving me the opportunity to make this presentation, and to wish them success in the future with this committee.

My theme?

The theme I was asked to address was the development of tourism.  A very wide theme with many different possible topics – none of the speakers will be able to the topic comprehensively – especially in the short timescale that we have.  So I am going to pick just one aspect of the topic in the overall theme.  Other speakers will probably concentrate on other aspects, other topics, within the overall theme: marketing, visas, training, rescue services, safety and security ….  The fact I don’t mention some of these other topics does not mean that I don’t think they are important … just that I have a limited time.

Back in the 1930’s, the then Prince of Wales visited a small coal mining village in South Wales and he was so shocked by the poverty that he saw that he said: “Something must be done”.  That’s how I feel about Kyrgyz Tourism.  The question is: what is it that needs to be done?

That, it seems to me, is what we are here to consider.  But, this is not a new question.  Although this is the inaugural meeting of this particular body, it’s not the first time that we’ve attended such meetings to address such a theme.  I have no idea how many times over the years I have asked to make a similar presentation; to talk with visiting consultants here on a project; or give an interview to journalists; or to write a paper; or read a report, – I have lost count.

Most of the reports – press reports, project reports, seminar reports, etc. – seem to have stressed the same sort of things: the need for marketing; the value of Tourist Information Centres; the need for Kyrgyz Embassies abroad to be proactive; the need for accurate statistics; the need to define priorities; the need for planning; the importance of concentrating on the tourists and their experiences; … and so on.

The fact that they all seem to repeat the same thing over and over again is worrying … after the problems experienced in this year’s season we need to make a definite decision to do something which will be effective – or else to recognize the fact the fact that it is going to be a case of “business as usual”, (and recognize what that means).

Assuming that we really want to “do something”, then the first thing is to do is to decide is what we want to achieve – where we want to be – and in order to do that, so that can make realistic decisions, then we need to know what the current situation is – where we are the moment and what we can realistically afford to do.

It’s a part of the standard decision making process – in business, in engineering, in whatever … you name it.  Before you set out on a journey you should know where it is you want to go, you should know where you are starting from, and then can decide on the route.

Which road: for example the high road – concentrate, say, on alpinism – or the scenic route – say, Silk Road Tourism – or take the fast route – go for the highest volume, “mass” tourism, say recreational tourism on Issyk Kul in which case should we rely on traditional markets of think in terms of developing new markets, such as the Chinese and Indians … or the Japanese.

The Fork

One of our biggest problems is that there is so much choice, there are so many different aspects of tourism, both globally and in Kyrgyzstan in particular: Recreational, (beach tourism); Health tourism; adventure tourism (mountaineering, trekking, horse riding, rafting, …); Silk Road tourism; “cultural tourism”; domestic tourism; winter tourism; conference tourism (business tourism); religious tourism (pilgrimages) … the list goes on.

As a former schoolteacher, I know the importance of visual aids – and I have brought one – This!  A fork.  Each of these different types of tourism can be thought of as part of a fork – one of the prongs.

Each has their own peculiarities, their own market segment, Which one, or ones, should we concentrate on?

For example, should we as a nation and industry concentrate on recreational tourism based on Issyk Kul which has traditionally brought the vast majority of tourists to Kyrgyzstan, (mainly from Kazakhstan, but also from Russia and Uzbekistan).  This form of tourism is obviously important to Kyrgyzstan, but, like one of the prongs of a fork, on its own it is not much use.  It is part of something bigger and needs to be seen in context.  Our firm, for example, doesn’t sell putevka for resorts on Issyk Kul, but it’s important to us that the resorts are there and thriving.  (For one thing, it adds another facility and service that we can offer our other clients.)

This domination of tourism in Kyrgyzstan by one market, however, causes us many problems.  Apart from the ecological issues which it raises, the reliance on a single market hits us hard when it fails for one reason or another – as we have discovered this year.  Try eating with a fork that has only one prong – for example, relying on a single market – it’s possible, but difficult.

Thank heavens that this year domestic tourism helped to save the season, to some extent at least, and provide some employment opportunities for those working in tourism in Issyk Kul.  This isn’t the first year that the season has failed … we know from bitter experience that something as simple a lorry falling off a bridge can have a disastrous effect.   The existence of a second prong on our fork helped Kyrgyz Tourism to survive this year.

This concentration on Issyk Kul also means that the benefits of tourism tend to be felt in just one region of the country.  What about the rest of the country – if we are looking to bring the benefits of tourism, (employment opportunities and improved standards of living) to the population then we shouldn’t forget the regions, for example: Talas, and Batken.

Concentrating on one form of tourism does not necessarily mean ignoring the others – just that we have to be realistic about what we can achieve.

We should avoid trying to do things because they are the easy option, because they are grandiose, because they look good or sound good.  We should avoid overreaching ourselves.  How many building projects have been started in Bishkek and then abandoned because the finance ran out?  In some respects, image is important – but results are more important.

We need to consider How best to use our limited resources? – how to divide the resources that we have available in order to make the most effective use of them – to obtain the greatest benefit from them?  We can’t do everything at once, so we have to prioritise and need to concentrate our efforts on those measures which will bring the greatest benefit – and that doesn’t necessarily mean investing huge sums of money on grandiose projects or getting ever more tourists.  It can, for example, refer to the quality of the experience for those tourists that we do have.

For example, should we produce advertising material in just Russian and English – or should we consider other languages – for example Japanese? – and if so should that material be simply the same in each case or specifically adapted to the particular market.  I am interested to hear from our Japanese what they think we should stress to attract Japanese clients.

We could organize a competition for the “Muesum of the Year”.  Which museum offers the best experience, or improved the experience, for visitors, for example by providing a café or by simply labelling exhibits, (or producing leaflets), in different languages – Russian, Kyrgyz, English, (Japanese?), so that people know and can appreciate what they are looking at.  This shouldn’t necessarily cost a lot, but could make a big difference to the value of the experience of visiting the experience.

I am impressed, for example with the Japanese project in the Issyl Kul region: “One village – one product” … one village concentrates on growing apples, another on apricots, a third on producing shyrdaks.  Of course they don’t grow only apples, or only apricots, but the concentrate on this as their main product.  They are given help and advice to develop and market their own particular specialty product.  If someone wants to do something different then there is no reason why not … although they don’t necessarily receive the same help and support, and have to rely on their efforts, nothing is done to stand in their way.   It doesn’t involve large investments, spreads the benefits of the results and gives people something with which they can identify.

Issyk Kul is like the fork – each village, concentrating on a single product, one of the prongs.  Taken separately, the results will be mixed, but together they provide a coherent whole.

I think that the same approach could be applied to tourism, perhaps not on a Geographical basis but on a thematic basis.

Let’s look at, for example, developing a network, for example based on CBT, or what is sometimes called “Rural Tourism”.  It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, will bring benefits to local community and can be marketed to foreign tourists (both from the near and the far abroad) and to the Kyrgyz tourist alike.

Whatever we eventually decide to do, we need a vision.  A comprehensive vision that looks at the subject as a whole, not at just one aspect – that see the fork as a whole, not just one of the prongs.  What do we want to achieve? What has Kyrgyzstan to offer? What needs to be done (and can be realistically be done) to attract potential tourists, and provide them with a valuable, enjoyable and memorable experience?  What can we learn from our Japanese partners and how can do we need to adapt it to meet the needs of all tourists.

Most people tended to stick to the time that had been allocated to them, and the main speeches were similar to the “tick box” type to which we have become so familiar … but there were a number of high spots and some concrete proposals.

One of the main speakers delivered what struck me as a “tick box” speech … but when it when it came to the general discussion, he didn’t have a script and he spoke from the heart.  He commented on the paucity of signing at tourist attractions – directional signs and informational signs, which is something we have been talking about for some years.  Then he dropped his “bombshell”, his agency would start work on this project – tomorrow.  If he is true to his word and we actually see some results that will, indeed, represent a very useful result and a valuable contribution to the development of tourism in the country.  Of course, it’s only a start, but it will hopefully show people that not everything has to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time but that some issues can be resolved quickly and effectively and provide a good example to be emulated at other places around the country.

Indeed, the Ambassador said that he was hoping to see other results arising from the suggestions put forward in the short term and people were actually named to take responsibility for individual activities.

One of the most valuable aspects of these events is not the formal activity of the planned programme. but the chance to socialize and network.  During the coffee break I met several people, including one of the Japanese volunteers – a man who has now retired after forty years working in a Travel Agency in Japan.  He has some ideas about what he might be able to achieve, but I was struck most by his story about why he chose to come to Kyrgyzstan.  He had been to Bishkek once before – it must have been something like seven years ago – but was here for less than a day.  He was so struck with Bishkek that he always wanted to come back and when this opportunity came up, he leaped at it.  I keep saying – Kyrgyzstan does that to people!

The real high spot was the Japanese volunteer who delivered her contribution in Kyrgyz.  Another gave hers in Russian, and a third in English, but it was the Kyrgyz speech which brought smiles to the faces … and not just because it was in Kyrgyz, but also as a result of the content.  What she had say was practical, to the point and very effectively put.  Molodetz! – Well done.

The situation was widely reported in the media all around the world.  Scenes of crowd disturbances, man toting guns, death and destruction were seen on television screens and Newspaper front pages from London to Sydney and from Moscow to New York.

Many people, family, friends, business partners with whom we work and clients, both former clients and people who are planning trips later this year, wrote to express their sorrow and concern about the way that things were turning out.

Here in Bishkek, we not only had to cope with the situation as events unfolded, we also had get on with our everyday lives and plan for the future as best we could.  For those in the tour industry this was not an easy task.  We already had experience, unfortunately, to help guide us in preparing ourselves for what was likely to be a difficult year, thanks to the events five years ago which led to the fall of another President and another government.  Fortunately, on that occasion few people were killed, and those deaths that did occur were not the result of “revolutionary” fervour but of the civil unrest, rioting and looting that followed the storming of the White House, the seat of government.

On that occasion there was a lot of frantic activity undertaken to help preserve the summer tourist season.  Tourism is an important part of the Kyrgyz economy.  It may account for something like just 4% of the economy, but for many people who work in the industry it is their main, if not only source of income.

As it happens, although there were tourists who cancelled their planned trips in 2005, there were equally many who did not, who waited to see how the situation would develop and when it was clear that things were settling down, they came … and, basically, their experiences did not lead them to regret their decision.  They were greeted with traditional Central Asian hospitality and there were few, if any, major incidents involving tourists whether from Kazakhstan, Russia or Uzbekistan, from Britain, France, Germany or the United States.

So, five years later, we faced a similar situation, but one in which the world had changed … a global financial crisis had already eaten into the volume of tourists traveling abroad for their holidays …  and the question arose, “What can we do to help to protect tourism in 2010?”

It’s not just our own livelihoods that we are seeking to protect.  Of course, we want to protect our businesses, that goes without question, but just as the failure of a harvest will have effects that reach far beyond the farmers whose crops did not materialize, so the failure of the tourist season will have repercussions which will  reach far beyond the tour operators and hotels who lose customers.

To be honest, I am not sure there is much that we can do that will have that much effect … the damage has already been done … but, of course, we have to see what we can do in terms of damage limitation.

One of the things we can do and to try and persuade people planning to visit Kyrgyzstan not to cancel their trip.  We can also try to reach new audiences, especially if we now have a wider audience who have at last heard of Kyrgyzstan.

Another thing we can try to do is make sure that their visit is enjoyable and memorable, (memorable, that is, for all the right reasons).  We can try to make it easier to get to the country, offer additional value and additional services.

What we can’t do at the moment is make any promises or give any guarantees about safety and security.  To those tourists who ask if we can guarantee their safety then we have to answer honestly, no … indeed, we couldn’t do so even in other years when there hadn’t been a revolution … and neither could any other destination.  Who can tell what will happen.  We’ve had tourist staying in our hotels who have been attacked on the streets at night.

One promise we can give, however, is that we will do our best to protect our clients … for example, to cancel tours in the event that the situation deteriorates and is considered too dangerous for tourists to visit.  Let’s be honest, it is NOT in our interest to bring people into an unsafe environment.  The amount of money we earn would be far outweighed by those and the goodwill that we could lose as a result of acting irresponsibly.

The members of KATO, (The Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators), met one week after the events erupted on the streets of Bishkek to discuss the situation and plan what to do next.  As is usual at the Association’s meetings, there was much heated discussion.  Everyone has a view and wants to express it.  Sometimes, someone feels very strongly that another person’s suggestions or comments are not helpful, or just plain wrong.  It can lead to interesting and exciting meetings, or it can descend into chaos.

On this occasion we decide to hold a press conference … to address different audiences and raise several issues that need to be considered:

• the government and people of Kyrgyzstan – to stress the importance of tourism to the country and the effect of recent events on the tourist industry – and hence, indirectly, on the country as a whole; to stress that there were things that could be done to try and limit the damage which had already been done, and why it was important to do so …
• to clients and potential clients, both in the traditional market, (Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan – which provide clients for the resorts on Lake Issyk Kul), and further afield.  To stress the in the light of the experience gained in 2005, that it might pay off to “wait and see” how the situation developed before taking an irreversible decision to cancel travel plans.

I was asked to speak at that press conference, and here is the presentation that I prepared for it:

Because I am a foreigner, British, I have been asked to talk about the situation regarding “Western” visitors to Kyrgyzstan … often referred to here as visitors from the “far abroad”,  and about the potential results of this year’s tourist season which is due to start in earnest in the very near future.

Every year I am asked what my prognosis is for the coming season.  I usually something like: “Ask me at the end of the season, “how was it?” and I will tell you, but don’t ask me at the beginning because nobody can really tell what might happen.”  All anyone can tell really say is how many enquiries and provisional bookings they have received.  I can tell you that this year we have received fewer enquiries and provisional bookings than in previous years.

But, that was last true this time last year as well, and in the end, the season wasn’t so bad.  There was a slow start as people started planning their holidays later than usual.  There were fewer cancellations.  In the end, the season was not excellent, but wasn’t a big disappointment.

So what about this year?  Will this year see a repeat of what happened last year?  Will there be signs of a trend, year on year?

That’s hard to say.

I can say that people cancel their travel for all sorts of reasons.  Sometimes their personal circumstances make it necessary, like the tourist whose mother died just before they left home to start their visit to Kyrgyzstan.

Sometimes, however, it is because events occur in the place they are visiting that make them think twice about traveling there.  Maybe, even, their own governments advise them against visiting the country.  What sort of thing makes them think twice?  Usually there is just one reason: Personal Safety.

It doesn’t matter if that relates to a health scare like SARS in 2003, Bird Flu in 2005, or Swine Flu in 2009; or to the start of a war or to a series of political disturbances.  They all have an effect on international travel.  If the tourist feels that they won’t be safe, then they will cancel their plans and make alternative plans.  They have plenty of choices.  As we say in English, they have the world at their feet.

Last time we had a Revolution in Kyrgyzstan, in March 2005, we saw tours that were planned for April and May cancelled, but many of those who were planning to travel later in the year decided to wait before they made a decision.  As time passed, even though there were some difficult times, it was clear that the situation was stabilizing and there was little, if any, threat to foreign tourists.  So they decided to come.

The government of the day took also measures to try and help encourage tourists not to cancel their planned trips, or to actually consider Kyrgyzstan as a destination if they hadn’t already made their plans.

If you asked me for my prognosis of the season to come in the last week of March 2005, then it would have been very demoralizing.  In  fact, however, by the end of the season, we knew that it had not as bad as we feared.

The same thing could happen this year, but only if it is clear that the situation in the country is stable, peaceful and without threat.

It is not just the foreign tourist that wants to feel safe – we all need to feel safe.  The ordinary people of Kyrgyzstan need to feel safe and free from threat.

As it happens, just as in 2005, the country’s tour operators are receiving cancellations, but not everyone who has planned to come to Kyrgyzstan has cancelled yet, many are waiting to see how the situation will develop in the near future, and we are still receiving enquiries.  These are from people know about Kyrgyzstan.  About: the magnificent mountain scenery; the pristine natural environment; the historical associations with the Great Silk Road and characters like Genghis Khan, Tamerlane and Babur; the traditional nomadic culture, music, crafts,  and hospitality of the Kyrgyz.  They want to come here, but they want to be sure that they can do so easily and safely.

Is it possible to enter the country easily?, to travel around the country?, to go shopping, to the market, theatre or to restaurants?  Is it safe to walk the streets without being attacked or robbed?  Are they sure that there is no threat to their health?, that they won’t get ill?  If the answer to these questions is “Yes”, then people will come.  If it is “No”, or even “it’s not certain”, then they won’t and Kyrgyzstan’s  loss, (the losses of all those who work in the industry: the tour operators, the hotels, resorts  and homestay hosts, the guides, the drivers, the porters and cooks, the cafes and restaurants, the souvenir shops and craftswomen who make the souvenirs), will be someone else’s gain.

I think the answer is “Yes”, but now we have to convince them!

I hope that I was right, and that we can, indeed, persuade them … but only time will tell … on both counts.

]]> http://ianbek.kg/?feed=rss2&p=1428 0 http://ianbek.kg/?p=1423 http://ianbek.kg/?p=1423#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:42:44 +0000 ian http://ianbek.kg/?p=1423 I have referred before to the fact that “the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley …”, and this postcard is just another example of how right Robert Burns was when he made this sharp observation.

A few months ago I got a phone call from the secretary of Association for Franco-Kyrgyz Cooperation.

The Association was established by some Kyrgyz students who were studying at the university in Grenoble, France, and for several years they have organized an annual conference at the university about Tourism in Kyrgyzstan.  As it happens, several of them had been former pupils of Ludmila, one of our staff who, apart from being an excellent guide, is as a very successful French teacher here in Bishkek.  For several years, her pupils have been amongst the the winners of the state wide “Olympiad” in French.  As a result, when the invitation to participate in the first of these conferences arrived on my desk, it got slightly more attention than it might have done otherwise.

There were other reasons why I found the invitation interesting … for a start, the French are very good travelers and, for some reason, have provided one of the largest contingents amongst our clientele.  That has always surprised me, that so many French would chose a British owned and run company when there are others in Bishkek, including two French owned companies.  After all, the French and the English have a record of not really getting on that well down through the centuries.  It could have had something to do with Napolean, or the history of Calais, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that they once ruled most of Britain, whilst at another we ruled most of what is now France.  To be perfectly frank, it is probably more to do with culture and language … and the all pervading influence of the English speaking world, especially as represented by the United States of America, crowding out French culture and language and putting the French national identity under pressure.  Anyway, whatever the reason, the French and French speaking world are amongst our best customers.

So, I decided to support the conference and to send Ludmila who could make a speech and represent the company.  At the time, I was aware that I was probably committing myself for three years if, by any chance the conference turned out to be more than just a one-off, “flash in the pan”.   Generally speaking, in tourism it is pretty pointless in attending an exhibition just once – especially for new companies.  The first time you turn up, you may earn some business and sign the odd contract, but it is really more a case of establishing a presence and making contacts.  Then, the second year, people remember you from the year before and note that you are still around and in business … no mean feat in this volatile market, but it still doesn’t earn you that many contracts.  It’s only on the third occasion that you show that you have really established yourselves and are likely to be around for some time.

Our experience in Grenoble has certainly followed that pattern … with lots of interest generated in the first year, but little in concrete terms.  More interest the following year, but generating more business, which is repeated and intensified in the third.

If I thought that after three conferences that I might decide to cut back and try another market in future, I didn’t really get the chance.  That’s what the phone call was all about.

The Chairman of the Association  was coming back to Bishkek from France and wanted to invite me to lunch … “OK”, I thought to myself when I got the invitation, “I wonder what this is all about”, after all, they say that there is no such thing as a “free lunch”.

What is about, it was revealed, was that the fourth conference was going to be staged as part of a much larger event, the World Exhibition of Sustainable Mountain Development. SAM2010.  The Association had managed to persuade the Grenoble Chamber of Commerce and the exhibition organisers to incorporate their conference as one of the exhibition activities.  There were lots of advantages to this arrangement, but there was also one drawback.  The conference would last for just half a day – effectively just two, (or two and a half), hours.  Despite this, the benefits of combining the two events seemed to outweigh the disadvantages.

The reason the Chairman wanted to see me was two-fold: first he was looking for a sponsor – and asked if we would be willing to take on that role.  As it happens, the sum he was looking for was not as large as I had feared so I cautiously agreed.  Secondly, he asked if I would be willing to speak at the event.

Now, quite frankly, I tried to our cold water over the suggestion.

I’ve already referred to the fact that, although we are basically friends and neighbours, there are sometimes little differences of opinion between the French and the Brits.  Surely it would be better, I argued, to invite one of the French people here who running a tour company, or even a local who could better present themselves as representing Kyrgyzstan.  There wasn’t only the question of language, there was the issue of cultural understanding and empathy.  Although they understood the point they still thought I would be a better candidate due to the fact that were a long standing European investment in Kyrgyzstan and the industry and was a member of the Management Board of the International Business Council and had been President of the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators for four out the last five years and could represent the industry as a whole rather than just one firm.

Also, although the others had occasionally participated in the conference, we we had persistently and continuously supported them.

So I tried another tack: although I can read French reasonably well and understand most of what I read, (thanks to the sterling efforts of Mrs. Steer and Mrs. Taverner when I was a mere strappling of a schoolboy), I really cannot speak the language.  If someone talks to me in French, slowly and using simple words, then, once again, I can understand quite a bit of what I am hearing.  Whenever I attempt to speak the language, however, my mind works too slowly and I end up speaking Russian, or some form of bastardised franglais.  Surely if would be better to send someone who was fluent in the language – like Ludmila!  Although they liked the idea, they said that it wasn’t really important, it wasn’t an issue, becasue they would have interpreters present.

In short: they still wanted me.

So, I let the flattery get the better of me, (although there were also other considerations which had a bearing on my decision), and I agreed.

So I began to prepare my speech.  I had a maximum of twenty minutes allocated to me … which would be difficulty in itself, but it was made more serious by the fact that as I would be speaking in English I had to allow for an interpreter to translate my words into French.  That meant I had to try and cram what I wanted to say into just ten minutes.  Did they realise just what they were asking me to do?

Still I worked on a speech and was beginning to put together a Powerpoint presentation to go with it when the events of April 7th interrupted me … and I came to a reluctant decision that I had to cancel my participation in the event, because:

1. I could see that it might be necessary to be around to deal with things and couldn’t risk being out of the country for a week;
2. I didn’t want to be seen to be apparently running away, and
3. If things were to develop badly, then it might be difficult to re-enter the country …

In the end, as it happens, the conference was cancelled … which was a great pity because its at this sort of time that we need the exposure.

Anyway, this is the speech I prepared … and never got the chance to give:

Tourism Opportunities in Kyrgyzstan  – Summer

World Exhibition of Sustainable Mountain Development

Grenoble – 21/04/2010 – 23/04/2010

The first thing I have to say is that I am grateful for the opportunity to be here in France, in Grenoble, and to at the World Exhibition of Sustainable Mountain Development, (SAM 2010), and to be able to say something about Kyrgyzstan and what the country has to offer.  I want to thank the organizers of the exhibition for their support, and in particular to thank the Association of Franco-Kyrgyz Cooperation for the efforts in recent years in organizing events to help bring Kyrgyzstan to the attention of people her in Europe, and in France in Particular.

The Plan:

I have a very short amount of time, and there is so much to say, that I am going to have to limit my comments to three brief points:

• Who am I? … why am I here?
• What does Kyrgyzstan have to offer?
• Tourism opportunities in Kyrgyzstan – What it is possible to see and to do

In particular, in relation to the tourist opportunities that exist in Kyrgyzstan during the summer as the next speaker will be addressing the question of the opportunities for activities in the country during the winter, winter sports and so on.

Who am I? … And Why am I here?

It’s always good to know who the speaker is, so let me give you a few outline points

• British (English) …
• Came to Kyrgyzstan in 1995
• … originally for one year
• … but I am still here
  I sometimes joke that I just never really went home … but there is a lot more to it than that.
• I was invited here  today as
• a Tour Operator …
• a former President of KATO …
  (the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators)
• a Board member of IBC …
  (the International Business Council – one of the leading Business Associations in the republic)

The Celestial Mountains Companies

I am here to talk about Tourism in Kyrgyzstan, nor specifically about our companies, but you should know that the companies were established by three British investors, (I am one of them), some 13 years ago, that was in 1997.  We have a number of activities, but the main ones are:

• The Tour Department:
  we run tours throughout Kyrgyzstan, mostly motor tours customized to meet specific requests, but also throughout the Central Asian region and along the Great Silk Road.
• The  “Silk Road Lodge” Hotel in Bishkek:
  established in 2000 as a small and comfortable “western style” hotel, offering a wide range of services  to guests; and
• The «Celestial Mountains» Guesthouse in Naryn:
  A small, basic but comfortable guesthouse in Naryn, a town on the road to China over the Torugart Pass.

So why am I, a “Brit”, (albeit one who has chosen to make Kyrgyzstan his home), here to talk about tourism in Kyrgyzstan?

… in the words of a British Ambassador …

… most British interests in Kyrgyzstan are usually the result of a love affair.  “Brits” tend to come here, fall in love and want to stay here.  Just as I did, some fifteen years ago.

But it is not just the British that fall in love with Kyrgyzstan.  There is something special about Kyrgyzstan that  “gets into your blood”, or “under your skin.” To be honest, I am not sure exactly what it is, and for different people it will be different things, but there is something about this country that excites visitors – makes them want to extend their stay, or at the very least to return.

It could be: the spectacular scenery; the wildlife; the traditional culture of the nomadic Kyrgyz; the atmosphere connected with the many historical places in the country, (archaeological sites connected with the Great Silk Road, the Mongol Hordes, the Bolshevik Revolution); or it could be the variety of possible activities; the hospitality of the local populace … or possibly a combination of all of these factors?

It could simply be that Kyrgyzstan is still relatively unknown as a tourist destination … although you might see lots of people relaxing on the beaches of Lake Issyk Kul, there are still very few Westerners who venture into this part of Central Asia each year.

Whatever it is, there is something that makes Kyrgyzstan “special”.

So, What has Kyrgyzstan got to offer?

The list could be quite extensive but the short answer is that it has “Something for everyone”:

• Mountains
  It may seem odd talking about the attractions of mountains here in the heart of the European Alps, but the mountains of the Tien Shan are, perhaps, Kyrgyzstan’s greatest asset.  Kyrgyzstan is a small country with over 90% of the territory classified as “mountainous”. There are peaks over 7000 meters high, … some have never been climbed and there are even peaks which have yet to be given a name.  These mountain 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.

  But you don’t need to be a mountaineer to appreciate the grandeur of the scenery.   Within an hour of the center of the capital city, Bishkek, it is possible to be in an Alpine valley, with cool clear air, clean rushing mountain streams … unlike anything you could find in Britain.  There are many interesting places within easy reach of the road, and for the more adventurous, there are vast relatively unexploited stretches of land available to explore.

• Nature and Wildlife
  The landscape is just one aspect of the natural environment.  Central Asia plays host to a wide variety of fauna and flora … including many endangered species, the most famous of which are the Snow Leopard and Marco Polo Sheep.  To be fair, it is unlikely that a tourist will encounter one of these reclusive animals during a tour, but at the right time of year ornithologists and lepidopterists have the opportunity to see a wide variety of specimens.  Central Asia is also the home of many easily recognizable plant species, such as: Apples, Tulips and Rhubarb.  Although they probably didn’t originate here, Southern Kyrgyzstan is home to the world’s largest relics of Walnut forests, and a host of fruits are grown in the region.
• History
  It doesn’t matter what period of history you are interested in.  For those interested in “pre-history” there are numerous sites where Petroglyphs can be found, especially the remote Saimaluu Tash stone fields.  Ancient Burial mounds, Barrows, abound.

  There are several sites associated with the Great Silk Road, (such as the Tash Rabat Caravanserai, and Burana Tower), and although there are only a few actual examples that remain, there are many interesting sites associated with the Silk Road and it is possible to get a feeling for the sort of experiences and difficulties that the merchants, soldiers and pilgrims encountered as they travelled that ancient great highway.  To get a feel for the “authentic” Silk Road.

  Kyrgyzstan also saw an important role in the rise and fall of many great kingdoms and empires: such as those of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane and Babur, all of whom are associated with the region.

  In more recent times there is the legacy of Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.

• Traditional Nomadic Culture
  One of the great riches of Kyrgyzstan is its people.  There are overt eighty different nationalities represented in the population, each with their own traditions and culture.  Like the native Kyrgyz, each group maintains its own identity and culture and so it is possible to experience a kaleidoscope of cultures in a short visit.

  Of course, it is the nomadic Kyrgyz traditions that predominate … traditions that have been maintained over the centuries, such as: horsemanship; crafts; cuisine; music; oral literature and traditional hospitality.

  One of Kyrgyz Tourism’s success stories is the development of Community Based Tourism, which not only gives visitors the opportunity to stay with local families in their homes or traditional yurts and to experience something of everyday life and traditional nomadic hospitality rather than spending all one’s holiday in comfortable hotels and resorts in the main tourist centers, it also opens up more remote areas of the country and helps the local population to supplement their income

• …..

The list could go on … but as I said, we are short of time …

Tourism in Kyrgyzstan

There are a variety of activities possible for anyone interested in visiting Kyrgyzstan

• Recreational – mainly around the world’s second largest mountain lake: “Issyk Kul”
  The traditional “Sun, San and Sea”, (well, Lake), type of tourism … the shores of Lake Issyk Kul are lined with resorts which have been popular since Soviet times.  In recent years there has been a growth in the number of resorts with new resorts built to international standards which has been little less than spectacular.
• Adventure Tours, taking advantage of the spectacular scenery and pristine natural environment: Mountaineering, Trekking, Rafting, Hunting, Horse Riding, Caving, … and, of course, Skiing, but more on that topic later.
• Travelling along the Great Silk Road, taking the opportunity to explore the Historical and Cultural  heritage of Central Asia
• There is even the opportunity to “combine Business with pleasure” – for example, there are facilities for conducting Seminars and Conferences, from small to large, in a number of locations around the country …

… in short, “there’s something for everyone”

It’s a great place to visit …

… and one that offers opportunities for investment, especially in this growing sector of the economy.

Finally, it only remains to say:

Рахмат көңгул бурганыга
Спасибо за внимание
Merci pour votre attention
Thank you for your attention

Actually, quite easily … It all depends on the circumstances: what I am asked to talk about?, if it is to be in English or Russian? … and so on.

Sometimes it is an English class, and they just want a native English speaker to deliver a talk and answer questions … basically they want practice with their English.  Now, I have a funny accent,  and I joke that even Englishman sometimes find it difficult to understand me … it’s not Oxford English but, all the same, they are quite glad for someone to come and spend an hour talking with them.  The level of English language skills can vary quite a lot and so it is important to speak slowly and use relatively simple vocabulary.  Fortunately, most of the time they seem to want some background about Britain and the differences between the two countries.  In a way that is quite simple, and I have a standard short talk, (and power point presentation) which I can give before we go into questions.

One of the first things I have to point out is that I haven’t lived in Britain for over fourteen years … and the last time that I went back, in 2005, I noticed a lot of changes and felt a little out of place.

The questions usually involve “How did you end up in Kyrgyzstan?”, “What are the biggest differences you notice?”, and “If you had the chance to go back … knowing what you know now … would you still do it again?”.

Other occasions involve groups studying Economics or Business Management, and the topics can be quite varied, ranging from Management Styles, to Business Ethics, Marketing and Personnel Management.  The biggest problem here is knowing what they have already covered in their lectures, and keeping things brief, to allow time for questions.  A straight question and answer session would be simpler.

Because I am a foreigner and I work in tourism, I am often asked to talk to students studying Tourism – especially for courses preparing people to work as guides.   I usually get asked to do a session on “working with foreigners”, covering such topics as their hopes and expectations, the importance of a welcoming smile and knowing names, as well as various aspects of their work as a walking encyclopedia, an ambassador for their country, (and their company), and the fact that they will need to know basic first aid and psychology.  All of this in the space of an hour or ninety minutes!

Every tourist is different, their reasons for visiting Kyrgyzstan and no two groups are identical.  What they think they might encounter here in Kyrgyzstan is just as varied.  Some think they are coming to “the back of beyond” – or as the Australians put it, “in the wops”, whilst others expect all the little luxuries and comforts of home – in reality the situation is somewhere in between.  Some tourists welcome humour but others find it an annoyance.  A person working in tourism has to be prepared for almost any eventuality and has to be remarkably adaptable.

There is only one way they can really cope … they have to prepare themselves … to expect the unexpected and be ready for anything.

I normally close with an exhortation and a quotation.

The exhortation: Don’t think that when you have finished the course that you are ready to be a guide … you are always going to be learning.  As the English proverb puts it: “Live and Learn”.  Sometimes you will learn new facts, and at others you will be gaining new skills and learning how to handle new and different experiences.

The quotation: this usually raises eyebrows around the room as I launch into it: “Remember the advice of  Vladimir Illyich: … ”

As their eyebrows shoot skyward, the faces portray puzzled and amazed looks … Vladimir Illyich? … there is no need to ask who he was, everyone knows: Vladimir Illyich Lenin – the Bolshevik founding father of the Soviet Union.  But what is this Englishman, this Westerner, this businessman, this bourgeoisie, this “capitalist lackey” doing, quoting the doyen of the communists, the scourge of the capitalists?

Now I am not a Marxist, never have been and never will be … and I’m just as likely to litter my talk with quotes from Winston Churchill or Ronald Reagan, … but “the devil sometimes speaks the truth” – even if Banquo in Shakespeare’s Macbeth finds the notion incredulous.

Lenin was a revolutionary – he was expelled from University for being one and had to complete his studies, for a Law degree, as an external student.  He went on to lead the Bolsheviks in the Great Socialist Revolution of October 1917 which seized power in the weakened Russian state.  He was ruthless and dealt harshly with those who apposed him, and was well known for it as is evidenced b y the controversial “Hanging Order” – a document apparently written in Lenin’s own hand instructing local communists in Penza to suppress a kulak uprising by publicly executing “no fewer than one hundred known landlords, rich men, bloodsuckers”, publish their names and confiscate their possessions   Indeed, if it hadn’t been overshadowed by that of his successor, Josef Stalin, whose harshness and cruelty in sending millions of Soviet citizens to their execution, to the Gulags or into internal exile in what is known as the “time of the repressions”, then Lenin’s legacy and reputation might be even worse than it is today.  He was far from being universally loved and respected in his own day, and there were two assassination attempts in 1918.  Ironically, it was a result of the second attempt that led to his increased popularity in the country and the personality cult that eventually resulted in his embalming and the mausoleum in Red Square with the ever present (in Soviet times) queues of mourners waiting to pay their respects to the “great man”.

However, he was also a pragmatist.  His writings contain not only dogma but also a number of notable sayings such as “It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws.“  There is also an element of cynicism in his writing: “One man with a gun can control 100 without one“, “Sometimes – history needs a push”, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth. ” or “There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel“.  If the last one sounds like an echo of Machiavelli, the he sounds almost like a Jesuit when he says: “Give us the child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik forever” and “Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.”

So which his “golden nuggets” do I use?

“Remember the advice of  Vladimir Illyich: ‘Study, Study and once again Study“.

It usually brings the house down.

I was sitting a Geography exam once, and was completely thrown.  I really prepared well for the exam.  I had noticed that the first question on the Physical Geography paper was always about glaciation – and glaciation was one topic that I felt I knew back to front.  So when it came time to turn the question paper over and read the question, you can imagine my surprise when I read: “To what extent can the landform of these islands be attributed to the Pleistocene period.”  I was not only “thrown” … I was confused, dumfounded, devastated.  OK – If I really knew glaciation “back to front” then I should have known that it was the technical name for the Ice Age.

Fortunately, as I went through the rest of the paper looking, (unsuccessfully, of course), for the glaciation question I found there were other questions that I was able to answer.  In the end, I got my pass grade.

Incidentally, RF Delderfield, in his novel “To serve them all my days”, has one of his characters tell his Science class that first question on the Biology paper was always about Blood, and he dictated to them the first line for their essay … which they were supposed to learn and quote word for word … as it would convince the examiner that they were not the dunces that they might be.

If only it was that easy!

I was very lucky in another exam that I sat … There were twelve questions on the paper and we had to answer five.  My mood went from bad to worse as I read through them … I didn’t like question one, and question two wasn’t much better … and neither was number three … and so it went on for question after question ,,, it wasn’t necessarily that I didn’t know the answers, but I didn’t feel very confident that I could do myself justice if I tackled them.

Then I came to question number eight and I picked up my pen.  At last a question that I felt I could answer and not dry up half way through.  One of my tutors once told me that he liked my essay very much, he was enjoying it very much, but …   What a horrible word that is, “but …”.  The trouble was, he said that I started off well and was just getting going, and then it suddenly came to an end … I didn’t see the problem.  I thought I had answered the question, and written a pretty full answer given the time available … but, (there it is again), he seemed to think that I could have gone on and said more … much more.  Anyway, I wasn’t going to run out of steam on question eight.

Incidentally – I know that I shouldn’t have picked up my pen until I had read the paper all the way through … but by the time I got to question eight I was beginning to feel quite demoralized.  I was so happy to find a question I liked.

When I finished question eight I turned to question nine, confident that I had at least one reasonable answer under my belt.  I was feeling even better when I read the question … this was another one that I felt happy about and so picked up my pen and started work on constructing an answer.

Question ten was a good one as well … as were eleven and twelve.  In the end I got my five answers – and a pass grade … but thank goodness there weren’t just seven questions on the paper, or I would have been in serious trouble.

Now, the standard tactic often used by students when they meet a question they don’t like is to change it into one that they do like by changing a word, or two.

Of course it is not a very good tactic, because if the question is about the reason for Britain’s entry into the First World War, there’s not much point in pretending it really says the Second World War and writing about Chamberlain, Munich, Hitler and Poland … but, unfortunately, many students do try this.  I know from my days as an examiner.

This all came to mind because the other day I was watching a lecture by Professor David Starkey and he actually referred to it … apparently he surprised at one conference when he saw the topic he was supposed to be giving a lecture on was “Anniversaries and events that have, or have not, changed the course of history”, but he had prepared something quite different.

He announced that he was going to change the word “history” and substitute it with “Cambridge” … which more or less fitted with what he had prepared.  Fortunately, he is a professor and was delivering a lecture to a conference and not a student sitting an examination … so he was able to get away with it.

Anyway, it reminded me of speech I had to give a short while ago.  Actually, someone else was booked to give the speech, but had to drop out because of another urgent meeting, and he asked me to give the speech in his stead.  It happened to be a subject I felt confident about, as I had given similar talks on it before … even in my faltering Russian … so you can imagine my surprise, confusion, dismay when I arrived on the morning of the conference to read on the programme a totally different title for my speech.

To make matters worse, there were several different versions of the programme circulating in the room – and each version seemed to have a different title …

I approached the organizers and explained my dilemma.  “Don’t worry,” they said, “just deliver the speech that you have prepared.”

As it happens, I was rescued because time was running out.  Several of the earlier speeches over ran, and because it was a jubilee, marking the fifteenth anniversary of an Institute of Higher Education, there was much back slapping and congratulations.  In the end, there wasn’t enough time for me to deliver my speech, so I adlibbed.

The Conference was called ‘The Third International Scholarly-Practical Conference “Business and Education: Interaction and Development”‘  … and this is, more or less, what I said …

BFEA has long been involved in tourism.  They were one of the founder members of The Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators, (KATO), and for many years provided both the secretariat and a venue for our meetings – until, that is, we grew too large for all the members to be accommodated in their Library.

They have been especially active in the field of Ecotourism, one of the themes of this year’s conference, producing an excellent textbook on Ecological Management with particular reference to the management of Sanatoria and other enterprises in the Issyk Kul tourist zone, and establishing the Chamber of Ecological Auditors with an aim to establish standards and certification for hotels, resorts, sanatoria, etc..

I must say that I like the title of the conference – with one reservation.

“The third conference” … which means it is not a “one-off”, but part of a series of such events.  Once could say that as the third such conference it has already established itself as a regular feature – almost a tradition.  In English, we have a saying that “Rules are made to be broken, but Traditions are meant to be kept”!  Let us hope that the practice of holding such conferences will indeed continue and as a tradition.

“International” …  to me, both as a foreigner (an Englishman), and as I work in tourism, this is very important.  Kyrgyzstan is a small country – richly endowed in many respects, but a small country and it cannot hope to survive in the modern world if it remains in splendid isolation.  We live in a “Global Village” with a network of interconnecting economies.  As an international conference, today’s event helps us to put the situation in Kyrgyzstan into a context: a regional context, a world context – and as such helps us to understand ourselves and our situation much more clearly.

How often do we hear, (or use), the phrases “European standard” or “international standard”? – especially when someone wants to criticise or denigrate local business and practice.  It is true that we can learn a lot from abroad: international experience can widen our horizons; it can give us new ideas and techniques to employ in our activities; it can provide us with standards and benchmarks to compare ourselves and place ourselves on a global scale.  We should also remember, however, that Kyrgyzstan is not, for example, Russia, or the United Kingdom, or Turkey, or anywhere else.  We have our own specific situation and circumstances so that what works in one country may not work here.  We need to learn from other people’s experience about what works well, in what circumstances and why, and then to adapt it to meet our own situation.

We should also remember that we in Kyrgyzstan have much to offer and it should be a dialogue – not a lecture, not a one way transfer of knowledge, skills and experience.

“Scholarly-Practical” … again, to me this is very important.  Theory is all well and good, but in practice the real world may throw up many things to upset theory.  On the other hand, practice without a firm foundation in theory is a recipe for chaos.  We need both.   Again, we need a dialogue.

“Business and Education” … I suppose that this is an extension of “scholarly-practical” with Business representing the practical, real world, and Education the scholarly, theoretical.  Business and Education don’t exist in isolation, we need one another.  Education needs business as the future employers of their graduates.  Business needs Education to provide the next generation of our employees, and colleagues.  There is a saying that “Our children are our future” and if we are to be fair to them then we to equip them as best we can to meet the trials and difficulties that they are likely to encounter in later life.  It is no good if Education provides graduates unsuited to work in our businesses in the real world, nor if it produces graduates who don’t have the theoretical background, experience, adaptability and flexibility to meet and overcome new and unfamiliar situations.

If I have one reservation about the title, it is this: I think you are missing two important players, or stakeholders, – Government and Society.

“Interaction and Development” … interaction means communication and dialogue … and this conference is an example of that dialogue, bringing together both academics and businessmen.

KATO also offers another platform for that dialogue.  Although it is the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators, we have a wide range of institutions represented in our membership.   At present we have fifty three members – most of them are tour companies involved in “inbound tourism”, that is we bring tourists into the country and show them the variety of splendours that the country has to offer, whether that is the landscape, the wildlife, the places connected with the rich historical heritage of the country, or the traditional culture and lifestyle of the nomadic Kyrgyz.  Some of our companies are large, well established firms which have been operating for nearly twenty years, whilst others are smaller, perhaps a small family business, and newer, some having started operating only in the last year or so.  Some of our members also work in the “outbound tourism” market, sending local people abroad as tourists; offer other services such as insurance or rescue services; or operate hotels in Bishkek, pensionats, hotels, resorts or sanatoria on Lake Issyk Kul.

We also have three institutes of Higher Education as members – including BFEA, which was, as I said, one of our founding members and has been an active member of the Association throughout our existence.

One thing that they all have in common is that they have been accepted as members by others who work in the industry, who recognize them as serious and experienced people.  Together the members are responsible for the general policy of the Association; there is President and Presidium to oversee the day to day operations and an executive director to implement the various activities of the Association.

Amongst those activities is work on providing training for those who work, (both now and future potential employees), in tourism – drawing together both educational institutions and businesses amongst our members.  The staff of BFEA, for example, contributed to one of our publications, a handbook for guides, and we were able to arrange sponsorship for the publication of “The Road of Chingiz Aitmatov” – which was course material prepared by students of the Academy.

We see this vital if our businesses, (and tourism in Kyrgyzstan in general), are to grow and develop.  Tourism is a service industry – our customers do not buy material objects from us, but an experience.  That experience depends on many things, such as the landscape, the facilities and infrastructure, but above it depends upon the professionalism and expertise of the personnel who work in the industry.

In fact, in the Tourism sector there is a lot of cooperation between business and educational institutions, which goes far beyond the traditional practice of providing students with internships, (or work experience placements – “practica”).  I would appeal to all businessmen to follow this example and become involved in preparing the next generation for work in their industry.  Likewise, I would appeal to all those in Education to involve business in their courses: in the design of courses; delivery (invite businessmen as guest speakers, to try and make sure that they incorporate into their courses practical examples drawn from real life …); examinations and assessment.

Once again, I want to stress that this represents interaction, cooperation and dialogue, between partners – it is not, and should not be, a case of one side trying to domineer or dominate the other.

(For the record: This is only one aspect of the activities that we undertake.  Amongst the others are disseminating information, including publishing materials; marketing, (Volodya Petrov, our Executive Director, who was supposed to be speaking here today, is currently representing the Association in the Bishkek International Tourism Fair); lobbying, (for example: attending meetings, round tables, consultations over issues such as the new draft law “On Tourism”, Visa reform, or tax reform); and representing members before government bodies and other agencies.

Our mutual aim or target of our interaction is to achieve Development.

As businessmen, of course, we want to our businesses develop and grow and it is easy to think of an Association such as ours as existing only to represent and protect the interests of its members.  Although this is indeed one of our tasks, the overriding principle of what we do is always to develop the industry so that it becomes a major sector of the Kyrgyz Economy.  This is not just a case of self interest, (although we obviously hope that visitors to the country will use our services, however, we do have to acknowledge the fact that there is a growing tendency for people to prefer to travel as “independent travellers”).  Like Kyrgyzstan in the wider world, we cannot operate in isolation.  We rely on other service providers, be it the owners of yurts or homestays, hotels, cafes and restaurants, museums, folklore groups – and also banks, providers of internet services, medical practitioners and other services in the wider community, including institutes of higher education.

So, in closing, I would like to congratulate BFEA on its 15 years of successful activities; on the occasion of this third International Scholarly-Practical Conference “Business and Education Interaction and Development” and especially on the title they have chosen which encompasses so much and gives a clear indication of how to proceed.