The convenience of living over the office is, in some ways, a definite advantage … but in others it is definitely not to be recommended.  In the winter, for example, it is extremely pleasant to be able to roll into the office without having had to brave the elements, but on the other hand I feel that I am always on call.  Sometimes, for example, if I have an meeting in the late afternoon or early evening, then I always face the dilemma on returning home about whether to go into the office on the way, or not.  There is always something to do and there is always the great temptation to fill half and hour usefully doing this or that.

Being constantly available, “on call”, is definitely a disadvantage because you can be sure that the telephone will ring or someone will drop in.  It is quite common for tourists, who “just happen to be passing”, to drop in at all hours clutching their copy of Lonely Planet or the Oddyssey Guide to Kyrgyzstan, open at the page which gives our address – late in the evening or on a Sunday.  Last Friday we got a phone call at about half-past four from a tourist who wanted to call in, and who asked “How do I get get to your office?”.  She had the address, (and, obviously the telephone number because she was calling us), but she wanted to know which “marshrutka“, miinibus, she needed to take from the sixth microdistrict, (suburb). That gave me a slight problem because I don’t often use the minibuses in Bishkek.  The city is not exactly small, but virtually everywhere in the center where we are based is within easy walking distance – I can get almost anywhere in about half an hour or forty minutes and, usually, there are many taxis if I am short of time.  Anyway, we gave her directions and she said she would be with us in about half-an-hour.

At the time I thought that was quite optimistic, but as I always have lots of routine tasks to do on Friday evening, I wasn’t too worried if she was going to be a little late – which she was, but she did find us, or rather me, because it was already well after office hours and everyone else had gone home.

So I answered her queries and once business was out of the way the inevitable conversation, or question and answer session,  began.  She asked where I was from, how long had I lived here and how on earth I ended up in Central Asia – all the usual questions.  I asked here where she was from, how long she had been travelling, where had she been and what her plans were.

She was Swiss, and had been travelling for over a year already and was on her way back home, over land.  Most recently she had been in Mongolia and China and had crossed the border at Irkeshtam and spent a day in Osh before travelling up to Bishkek in order to arrange visas.  She had wanted to travel through Kazakhstan to the Caspian and then over to Azerbaijan and eventually in Turkey, but her plans had been thrown into disarray and she was having to rearrange everything – but, before we get to that …

Hearing that she had spent some time in Osh, I took the opportunity to ask for her impressions.   It was quiet, she said, and peaceful.  There were some signs of the destruction the had occurred during the summer but there also signs of reconstruction.  The Bazaar was now working and she had taken the opportunity to buy a few things.  I pointed out that this was indeed good news because I had heard quite recently that it still hadn’t opened.  (In fact the photos on the Eurasia.org website  - http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62352 – still give a very discouraging impression).  Of course, she said, she didn’t know what it was like in “normal” times, and the no market hall, but there were stalls in the outside and people were buying food and other things.

She offered the usual praise for the scenery – the “spectacular” landscape, and also spoke very highly of the attitude of the Kyrgyz – everyone had been very hospitable – really friendly, courteous and helpful.  When there was a delay at the border, for example, the border guards even given her tea! … at no charge!!  This was a high point of her travels so far and compared favourably with what she had experienced so far in Asia.  That was really good to hear and I made a mental note to make sure I passed the comment on to the authorities whenever the opportunity arose … they like to hear good news … don’t we all?.

So turning to her future plans, why did she have to rearrange her itinerary.  She told me something that took me aback.  As she is travelling for so long, then she is having to get visas en-route – never a good idea, there are often many problems finding embassies, and the possibility that you might get turned down and stranded.  That’s why the general advice is always to try and get them before you set out if at all possible.  Being on the road for so long, however, meant that she couldn’t that.  Apparently, when she enquired about obtaining a visa for Kazakhstan at the Kazakh consulate, she was told “no problem” – but when she turned up to actually apply, the consul looked at her and most apologetically said: “I’m sorry, I can’t give you one.”  According to him, it seems that for some reason the Kazakhs have decided that no visas will be issued for the month.

That surprised me … it surprised her, and threw all her planning into confusion.  As it happened, however, some of her travelling companions were planning to travel from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan and then head off back towards Europe.  It wasn’t exactly what she had in mind … but seemed to be an attractive and viable alternative.  There are problems with the route, however, especially the perennial problem of visas.  Instead of two visas, she now needs to apply for four different ones – and nearly all the countries concerned have a reputation for being difficult to get visas – even for the Swiss.

Even though the Swiss don’t need a letter of invitation for some of the countries, the consuls concerned looked for one, which involved not only additional expense but also required more time.   … Then there was the matter of making the applications … the consulates all open at different times and to make matters worse, in the coming weeks, there are holidays when the embassies will be closed.  It looks as if she may be “trapped in Bishkek” for a couple of weeks for the bureaucracy to work itself out.  Even then, there is no guarantee that she will get all of the visas … and she only needs one application to be rejected and she has to start planning all over again.  This sounded to me to be an ideal example of how we need a “Silk Road Visa”.

There have been discussions for about a decade now for some sort of visa reform to make it easier to travel the Silk Road.  The World Tourism Organization, (now called the United Nations World Tourism Organization), have long proposed that there could be a single visa covering all the countries along the Silk Road, but it’s never come to anything.  Some of the countries along the way have been sympathetic to the idea, but others resolutely opposed.

The were other problems that I could foresee.  Travelling to Tajikistan overland, for example, means using the Kyzyl Art pass – down to Osh and Sary Tash again, then head further South into the mountains, and taking the remote and rugged Pamir Highway … in November and December!  Technically, as I understand it, it’s possible … but I am not sure that I would want to do it.  It will be a cold and difficult journey at that time of the year.

More to the point, however, I asked about she planned to cross from Tajikistan into Uzbekistan.  Technically the border is closed at the moment.  The discussion then ranged far and wide about the difficulties in crossing borders.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you will be given tea everywhere.”  In Europe, it’s so easy – especially since the advent of the European Community and the Schengen zone.

In answer to the question “is this sort of thing common here?”, I responded that: “It’s one of the delights of working in Central Asia.  You can never be certain about what is going to happen.  The situation keeps changing, from year to year, month to month and even day to day.  You can’t take anything for granted.”

She took it well, in her stride.  She “rolled with it”.  After a year on the road, she said, she had become used to setbacks of one sort or another and having to rethink her plans.

I wished her luck as she ventured out into the Bishkek night – I hope she doesn’t need it.

All in all, it was a pleasant exchange and well worth the unplanned extension to the working day.

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.

One of the most distressing, recurring nightmares that I suffer is not one where tourists are caught up in civil disorder … despite having experienced two revolutions and numerous “little local difficulties” of this sort; it’s not having to deal with a road traffic accident or a natural disaster like an earthquake.  All of these represent and present real problems, but are easier to cope with in many respects than my bête noir: problems with the documentation.

What is so frustrating about this issue is that many “problems with documentation” should never happen, they are foreseeable and can be avoided by checking and rechecking … and checking again.  Still, they do happen, very easily – a slip of the pen, or a simple oversight of a small detail – and they can be so difficult to resolve.

It could be that someone has simply misread a figure wrong – or swapped two figures over … we had that problem on one occasion with one our registration documents … it took us ages to get it sorted out.  We’ve also faced that problem over bank transfers … the transfer has been arranged, but the money doesn’t arrive in the account … you wait for five working days and then ask for an enquiry, or search, to be made … on one occasion it took three attempts to transfer money … on each occasion a bank clerk filling in the paperwork, and on each occasion the money either being returned or credited to the wrong account.

In the case of official forms, such as social security returns, the penalties for making such a simple mistake can be quite serious – 25% of ALL the social fund contributions made by the company that year … which could well be millions of soms.  This means that our accountants are especially careful in checking and double checking every box on every form …

On one occasion we had a vehicle stopped by the traffic police in a routine documentation check, and they wanted to impound the vehicle … because the two sides of the document giving that particular driver the authority to drive it were completed in different pens, (one black and one blue).  All the details were complete and correct – the stamps were all there and in the right place … but for some reason the Notary who completed the form swapped pens when they turned it over – and nobody spotted the fact until a bright eyed traffic policeman on a routine document check.

Some problems have considerable implications.  Take the example of a flight details … Flights are crucial to any itinerary – they are fixed points around which everything else in the itinerary revolves.  It is really frustrating when the airline decides to move a flight up or back an hour or two, so that arrangements have to be amended … or even when they cancel a flight and you arrive at the airport to find that there is no plane … that you are stranded and have an extra day, or two, until the next available flight and you need to rearrange you subsequent itinerary.  Usually there is a good reason for the delay or cancellation, but not always.  Worse, sometimes the client has misread and told us the wrong flight time … and on one occasion, even, the wrong date. Usually we are able to spot the mistake when planning the itinerary, or when we are making arrangements or going through the process of checking and double checking everything … but , unfortunately, it sometimes happens that the mistake gets through without being spotted … not often, but it is not unheard of, either.

Perhaps more problematical are problems over visas.  One group had duly got their visas only to discover that the agent had made a mistake with one of them and got the wrong entry date for one of the visas … not only did they not match the itinerary, they didn’t overlap, so there was one day when they didn’t have a visa for any Central Asian country.  It took a certain amount of hard work, canceling one set of visas and applying for new ones.

Kyrgyz visas give start and end dates for a visa … Chinese visas, on the other hand are valid for use within three months from the date of issue and valid for ninety days once the traveler has entered the country.  To make matters worse, they often have to apply in their home country.  This is a problem for many travelers who are traveling the Silk Road and maybe on the road, away from home, for more than three months.  We’ve had three cases where the traveler was refused entry because their visa had already expired.

That’s nothing, however, to the problems incurred with lost passports.  One tourist was quite distraught and not so happy with the fact that we were so calm about the situation, especially as we were giving her the bad news about what it meant – the complications and delays, the fact that she wouldn’t be able to travel until she was able to get a temporary travel document from her consul … in Moscow!.  My reply was to ask her how often she had lost her passport – “Just the once,” she said, “I am not in the habit of losing my passport, you know.”  “Of course not,” I said, “but, unfortunately, you are not the first of our clients to lose their passport … and we from know from those unfortunate experiences what sort of complications you are likely to encounter and the procedures we have to go through as a result.”  I know that wasn’t a particularly sympathetic response, but it was accurate.  As it happens, her passport was found for her and she was able to leave, just one day late … but still in time to get to work when she got home, albeit straight of the plane and a little tired.

To be frank, she was lucky … it could have taken up to a week … or even more.

One pair of Brits, not really our clients, but they dropped into the office to ask for advice, had had their passports stolen in Uzbekistan and were traveling on photocopies.  How they managed to cross the border, not once, but several times, on the basis of photocopies I have no idea … but they did … or, at least, that is until they got to Kazakhstan.  The border guards looked at the photocopies and asked, “Is this a joke?” and sent them packing back to Kyrgyzstan and Bishkek.  That’s how they ended up in my office … asked what could they do next.  It didn’t help that it was the height of the season and all the flights out of Bishkek were fully booked … for several weeks … with the help of the local honorary consul and a rather expensive and convoluted route they managed to make it home, albeit a little late for work.

So, what happens if you do experience a problem like one of these?  What advice can I as someonoe working in the “travel industry” offer?:  …

• First of all … avoid the problem if at all problem:
  • Check, double check … and then check again, … all the details of your itinerary … dates, times, terminals and stations, addresses, telephone numbers … anything and everything;
  • Make copies of all you vital documents: passports, visas, OVIR registration stamps (wherever they are necessary), itinerary, reservations, tickets, credit cards, prescriptions, emergency contact numbers, etc., etc., etc.  Anything and everything.  Make several copies: pack one in your bag, (in each bag), and carry one with you … oh, yes, and leave at least one at home with someone you can contact in case of an emergency;
  • Keep you wits about you at all times … remember that you are in a strange country, you may not know the language, customs may be different, and any difficulties are likely to be more problematical than at home, so try to avoid “tricky” situations ;
• If you do have a problem then
  • seek help as soon as possible … that might well mean informing your consul and getting advice about local conditions …; and
  • Be calm, and flexible … face it, your plans are going to have to change … and even if it means that you are not going to be able to fulfill your heart’s desire, you have to make the best out of a bad situation – so look upon it as an opportunity rather than a problem …

This time it’s for an article to appear in a new journal which is being planned to be published here in Bishkek by a European publishing house.  It will be in Russian,  so it is for the local population which means that the articles will need to be analytical rather than marketing.  It’s surprising how many local people don’t understand that point.  Even journalists!

Anyway, I have gotten used to this sort of scenario … and they look for a good topic to serve as a theme for the first issue.  Something that is attractive with the possibility for many different stories on different aspects, and lots of good photo opportunities.  Tourism in the republic is a good choice because it’s meant to be a priority are of government strategy, with great potential for growth and improving the earning potential amongst all sections of the population, including the poorest. there are many different stories to be told, lots of people willing and eager to have their say and provide a good quote.  There are many, many photo opportunities.

Anyway, yes, of course I agreed to give an interview.

We began with some background about the planned publication, circulation, no of pages, planned targeted readership, etc.  Then we launched into the questions … she told me that she had three questions and it would take about half an hour … Not bad, I thought to myself.

As usual, however, Robert Burns got it right when he commented about how “the best laid plans of mice and men … ” often go awry.

You see, she asked her first and ninety minutes later I said, “What about your second question?” … well, we decided to give that a miss … I think her Dictaphone had run out of storage space, or battery, or something … or maybe she was just tired … I know that I was.

We took it for granted that the development of tourism in the republic was a good thing, that it would bring benefits and that we should pursue it.

The trouble was that her first question was basically about what needs to be done to develop tourism … and then she went on: “I suppose something needs to be done about the level of service …”.

Well, talk about a leading question … Sorry, but I don’t agree … let’s start at the beginning … don’t worry, we’ll get to the question of service, but it’s not necessarily where we need to start.

I explained that, as I saw it, there were four main areas that we had to concentrate on:

The first was … Before the potential client decided where to go on holiday – it’s a question of marketing.

We have to tell them about Kyrgyzstan and persuade them that it is really is a place they ought to visit.  If we didn’t do that, then everything else was irrelevant.  Sorry but just building a hotel doesn’t mean that guests “will come”, (as in “Field of Dreams”), they won’t automatically beat a path to the door and start banging on the door demanding to let them in. Without clients … there’s no business.

Once again, I am often amazed how many people don’t seem to understand this basic point.

In fact, it shouldn’t be too difficult … if we can get over the “whereizstan”? syndrome … then it should be possible to explain that Kyrgyzstan basically has something for everyone … well, except, perhaps a volcano, (but then if someone is specifically looking for a volcano, then there’s probably nothing we can say to persuade them …).

One of the most influential forms of advertising is personal recommendations, accounts, comments and photographs of those who have already been to and enjoyed their visit to Kyrgyzstan.  Every satisfied client will recount their experiences and impressions to members of their family, their friends, their colleagues at work and their acquaintances, and some will be intrigued and may “catch the bug” and have their interest in the country aroused.  Unfortunately, if they have they have a bad experience they will tell all of their family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances … and the “dirt will stick”.   Bad news travels fast and it is very difficult to combat is, so our reputation is very important.

One issue that may attract people, or put them off, is the question of price.  In recent times there has been a lot of discussion about pricing policies.  In some respects, Kyrgyzstan is a cheap destination, but in others it is expensive, especially when compared to other destinations … and when comparisons are made about the level of facilities and service which the tourist receives.  Those of us in the industry have come under pressure to reduce prices.  I understand that everyone wants to pay as little as possible to obtain goods and services, to save money … no-one wants to feel that they have been “fleeced” … and that prices should be commensurate with the goods and services the client receives.   However, there is also an obligation on those setting the prices to cover their costs, pay their taxes – and make a profit.  It does nobody any good if the company goes bankrupt because they have reduced their prices so much that they cannot cover their costs, or they don’t make enough profit to enable future development, renovation, etc.   It’s a balancing act.

The second is … When they have decided to come here, then we have to do everything to make it easy for them to actually do so.

Unfortunately, it’s not all that easy to get here … some of the difficulties are grounded in the fact that we so distant from our markets – whether it be from places like Europe, America and Australasia, or even from the population  centers of Kazakhstan and Russian, which provide the vast majority of tourists to visit the country,

It’s not just the distance, though … the connections, (where by road, rail or air), are so limited.  There are only something like eight border crossing points that are open to foreigners.  There are basically two train lines into the country, and only one of those actually goes any real distance inside the country … up to Issyk Kul … and the journey from Moscow, for example,  can take several days. Likewise a bus journey from the population centers in Siberia.  Try getting to and from Australia … there are no direct flights and with at least one change over, sometimes a lay over, and often two … and the journey can take take twenty six hours or several days … if there are seats.  Most of the planes on the popular route, through Tashkent, are flight shares and fully booked well in advance … or they use small planes and can carry a limited number of passengers.   One client from Australia actually found it easier to book a seat via London, than fly via Tashkent … three quarters of the way round the world!

Then we come to the thorny questions of Visas …

Let’s be frank about this ….  visas are important.  They are an important tool in the fight against crime and terrorism.   However, although people do understand this and are prepared to obtain visas where necessary, this requirement does present a barrier to the visitor.  The requirement to obtain a visa says to the visitor, we don’t trust you – we need to check you before we will let you into our country.  That’s hardly a welcoming message to send, especially for those for whom there is no real or perceived threat to Kyrgyzstan.

Now, to be fair, Kyrgyzstan has a fairly liberal visa regime in many respects.  It is one of the most liberal in the whole of the region, in the whole of the former Soviet Union, but it could, of course, be made easier.   There are some countries whose citizens enjoy a visa free regime … they can simply visit the country without needing to obtain permission from the authorities.  Others need to obtain a visa, but can obtain one by simply applying for one at a Kyrgyz consular office … If they can find one, that is … there aren’t that many of them around the world.  It’s possible to apply for a visa at a Kazakh embassy in countries where there is no official Kyrgyz diplomatic representation, (for example in France, Italy or Spain), but this involves additional formalities, time and expense.  It is also possible for them to obtain a visa on arrival at Manas Airport in Bishkek, but not everyone uses Manas as a gateway to the country.  Everyone else who wishes to visit Kyrgyzstan has to be invited, and have that invitation approved by the authorities, which involves additional cost and time, (in the worst case of which I am aware, it took seventy days to obtain approval), and the tourist cannot be sure that approval will be given.  They wait for seventy days, planning a trip, and all their plans, hopes and expectations can be overturned because authorization is refused.  That’s hardly an encouraging or welcoming message to send.

What’s more, for the visitor to obtain a visa costs them time and money.  If a family is travelling then the time taken to obtain a visa is probably the same as if just one person was travelling, but the cost in terms of visa fees, the cost increases proportionally.   If the tourist is planning to visit several countries – then they need several visas – involving additional expense, additional time.  It would help if there was only one visa necessary to visit several countries, like the Schengen visa in Europe, or as in Southern Africa.  That would require international agreements which will take time to conclude, and our experience with the Republic of Kazakhstan on the limited, mutual recognotion of tourist visas, does not set a very good precedent, as it basically doesn’t work.

It would be good if we could simplify the visa system … just the announcement that we were doing so would send a positive message around the world.

That brought us to the third … Once the visitor has finally arrived, we need to do everything that we can to ensure that they have a good time and a memorable experience … with good memories that is.  At long last we have arrived at the question of “Service” … where she wanted to start the interview …

There’s a lot said about the quality of service … and it is an important issue.  We are a “service industry” … and we have to provide value for money

When they do eventually manage to arrive, what do visitors face … a smiling face with a cheerful “how are you?”, no chance … passport control and immigration with unsmiling, unwelcoming officers sitting in booths, often not looking at even them apart from a suspicious scowl as they slowly and deliberately compare the photograph with the original standing before them.  Not all of the cabins are occupied … not all are working, so it can take well over an hour to clear the last passenger off the plane.

Off-hand Customs officials who, even if they don’t ask any questions, can  “make even a sainted grandmother feel uneasy and guilty” (… that’s actually a quote from a former client).  When they arrive at the airport, every bag has to go through scrutiny … as if they hadn’t been checked before allowed onto the plane in the first place.  That’s every bag … not just a spot check, or suspicious baggage, every bag!

Finally, they emerge from the customs hall into a noisy melee of expectant taxi drivers who seem to take it as a matter of professional pride to make sure there is never more than a meter of free space outside the door.  It’s probably in the early hours of the morning after a long night time flight when it has been barely possible to catch some sleep, so they are likely to be tired and irritable after their long journey.  They often find the airport cool, (if not cold) and poorly lit … now, most Soviet buildings are really quite spacious and well lit, so why is it that the airport isn’t?

If the clients have read the travel warnings issued by foreign governments, then they know to be wary of taxi drivers.  Most of them are actually quite reasonable, helpful and don’t overcharge as a matter of course … but, unfortunately there is always the exception.  It’s bad enough, stressful enough being in a strange country, in a poorly lit airport hallway without having to cope with the language problem … although those who have booked a tour are likely, at least, to be met by a guide who will speak their language … but even they have to “run the taxi gauntlet” in order to find them.

However, it’s not all bad news.  Things are improving.  They have improved a lot since I first came here for a short visit in 1994.  People who work in the industry do now think about this and in most places it is no longer a case of “take it or leave it.”

There have been initiatives to improve the quality of service in the industry …  work has gone on to define standards for professional qualifications, specialist training courses have been started which employers and training institutions cooperating together.  Most employers undertake special training for their staff … and, most importantly, many of the staff working in the industry do understand the importance of the quality of service.

In many respects, the question of service is a question of psychology: empathy with the client and motivation.  When it comes to it … the question of the quality of service really boils down to the person “on the front line” … the receptionist, the waiter, the cleaner … they have to understand what’s involved and why it is important.  All the official standards, training and procedures will have little effect if they don’t understand.

For example, one problem which has hindered the achievement of improvements in the quality of service is that so few of the local population who work in the industry have ever been “clients” themselves.  A waiter, who has never eaten a meal in a restaurant, may well have studied hard and have a certificate to show that he has successfully completed a training course, but if he also has experience of having been a diner then he will have a better idea of what the client is looking for when it comes to service.

One exception to this, however, concerns mealtimes.  Often the meals provided are “Table d’hôte”, a set menu at a set time … and there is no choice offered about what to eat, or when to eat.  I understand that running a resort on Lake Issyk Kul is a difficult task … the logistics and economics of feeding hundreds of people are complex enough, and the constraints that impose means that offering choices will only make the whole issue more difficult.  We faced similar problems in our hotels … I think we have solved the issue in Bishkek, although we still have problems in guesthouse in Naryn where we still operate a set menu, but with flexible times.  The guests are paying and deserve the effort that is required to try and overcome these logistical problems.

But it’s simply a question of service.  For tourists to enjoy a pleasant and memorable visit to Kyrgyzstan, it also requires developing the infrastructure.

As it happens, there has been good news here as well.  On Lake Issyk Kul, for example, there has been a lot of new development and renovation to bring hotels and resorts up to modern standards which tourists have become used to enjoying around the world.  It’s true that not every establishment, everywhere, has undergone such renovation, but it’s a “work in progress”.

The number, variety and quality of places to eat has grown tremendously in recent years – to the benefit of everyone, not just the visitor.

Other examples of infrastructure development important to tourists are also showing signs of improvement – telephone services, internet access, banking services, for example.  Some of the roads still need improvement, particularly bridges on some of the minor roads, and this should benefit the local population as much as the tourist.  Generally, however, although it is always possible to do better, the main roads are not too bad …

We probably need to improve things like the provision of medical services but, once again, that is something that should benefit the population as a whole and not just the tourist.

Another thing we should pay attention to is signage.  Information boards, preferably in different languages, would be a boon to the visitor, who may or may not understand Russian, but who probably won’t understand Kyrgyz.  In some places around the country, road signs and place names are displayed in both Cyrillic and Latin scripts and it would be good if this could be extended …  informative signs, (giving a few basic facts about things like historical events, geographical features, wildlife), and not just “Rules and Regulations” would be helpful.  Museums, could have signs about their exhibits in different languages … it helps the guest feel welcome and creates a positive impression.

Perhaps the biggest improvement we could make to the infrastructure, however … the one that would have the best effect … would be to improve the state of toilet facilities throughout the country.  Roadside toilets always present a problem, as the provision of water supply and sewerage facilities can be costly and impractical, where ever possible, however, clean and presentable toilet facilities will make a big difference to peoples impressions and memories about Kyrgyzstan.

… and Finally … When the tour is over and the tourist leaves Kyrgyzstan, we shouldn’t just waive goodbye, turn around and forget about them.

We should show that we value them by, at least, asking them for feedback about their experiences … what went well?, what did they particularly enjoy?, what could we do better?, how can we improve?.  This information will help us to improve our services in the future.

Hopefully their memories and souvenirs are good … and will encourage them to speak positively about Kyrgyzstan, to recommend us as a holiday destination to their family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances.  We should do all we can to help encourage them … where possible we should to keep in touch with them and give them news, … and listen to theirs.

It often surprises me how many people forget the importance of of “aftercare”.

Of course, the development of tourism so that it achieves its full potential, but not at the cost of the natural environment or social wellbeing and cultural heritage that help to make Kyrgyzstan what it is, is actually quite a complex task.

These four stages are sequential in terms of what the tourist experiences, but we can’t treat them sequentially … it would be a total waste of time to concentrate on marketing the country if the rest of the package is not ready.  Just as it would be wrong to concentrate on “service”, alone.  In the words of the old song, “you can’t have one without the other”.

Now, the old song coupled together “love and marriage” and “horse and carriage” and it’s not necessarily true, however, that you can’t have one without the other.  Although they compliment and enhance each other, they can exist separately, whether we like it or not.  I think a better coupling, on the other hand, would be “mountains and valleys”, as the relationship is stronger … although you can have valleys without mountains, (they could separate hills, or hillocks), the existence of a mountain necessitates the existence of valleys.

Basically, however, all this boils down to two things … to develop tourism in the republic, we need to work on, at least, two fronts simultaneously … with clients and with the front line staff who deliver the services to them.  It’s two ends of the same pole, two sides of a coin.

Of course, here I’ve condensed ninety minutes of conversation, (and it was a conversation, not a monologue, – although I may have done most of the talking), into a small space to fit onto a webpage.  I peppered the points I was making with examples, quotes from clients, and so forth.  She came back with questions, anecdotes and comments of her own.  That’s probably why it took so long.  I know that not everything we discussed will get into the final article … but I hope it gave her food for thought … and, maybe, some ideas for some follow up material.

There are other advantages, for example: the atmosphere is less formal than in Bishkek; during the four hour journey each way, (and during the evenings) I get the chance to read – which is an opportunity I don’t have in my usual day-to-day routine where something always seems to crop up to rob of the time I would have like to have devoted to this; the food is good; and I sometimes get the opportunity to explore parts of the country I have not visited before.

One of the interesting things about the journey is that the road takes us along the banks of the Chui River, which forms the border between Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring Kazakhstan.  Bridges cross the river flanked on either side with customs posts which seem to have a large amount of traffic crossing from one country to another.

One reason for this is that many local people take advantage of the price differentials in the markets of each the countries.  In particular petrol and diesel fuel is considerably cheaper in Kazakhstan than in the Kyrgyz Republic.  Many of the vehicles each day fill up with fuel.  In fact, there are garages in “no-mans” land between the two border posts and so it is not even necessary to enter Kazakhstan to fill up your tank – even if you leave Kyrgyzstan.

The road was built in the days of the Soviet Union, when it was all one country, one system.  The two republics had different administrations – but the border was a local authority boundary, not an international one.  It is only since independent that the border posts and customs checkpoints appeared and assumed their current important status.

One of the quirks resulting from this situation is that, at one point, the road crosses a meander in the river.  Driving from Bishkek, we are in Kyrgyzstan, cross a bridge over the river and we land on Kazakh territory, then about a hundred meters later, cross another bridge over the river and we are back in Kyrgyzstan.  In a fraction of a minute we have crossed from one country into another and then back again.  There are no border posts, no customs posts, no passport checks, no stamps in passports and no visa is necessary.

Of course, on this small stretch of road there are petrol stations – one on the right serving traffic to Issyk Kul and another on the left for traffic returning to Bishkek.  As they are technically in Kazakhstan, they charge Kazakh prices.  They do a lot of business.

I have often wondered what would happen if the vehicle was stopped whilst we are on this section … and the passports were checked.  Technically, it is only legal to enter and leave the country at recognized border crossing points and, as I say, there isn’t one; also, to enter Kazakhstan, I need a visa …

It seems odd to me that such an anomaly exists … as both the Kyrgyz and the Kazakhs seem to be sticklers for enforcing legalistic and regulatory minutiae, but I have grown used to the confusing state of affairs where such a situation can exist alongside a refusal by the border services to allow guides and drivers to accompany groups of tourists through no-man’s land (just to the border – not into the other country) at other order crossings.

Thinking about this one day led to other thoughts about anomalies in the current visa and registration regimes operated in the Kyrgyz Republic.

We should remember that before Independence, the whole question of visas and policy decisions relating to them were settled in Moscow, and the newly independent country inherited a system from the USSR which slowly began to be adapted piecemeal, (as it was in other former Soviet countries).  The result seems to be a jigsaw in which the pieces don’t seem to fit together very well.

The country also inherited a registration system – commonly known as OVIR registration.  In theory everyone needs to be registered with the local authorities in the locality where they reside.  If they move, (even temporarily – say for six months) they need to re-register in the new locality.  Visitors also need to be registered – usually within 5 days of arrival.

Without going into the details about the laws, regulations and history – here are some of the anomalies:

• A Japanese citizen doesn’t need a visa – but does need to register with OVIR
• A Turkish citizen doesn’t need a visa if they are staying for less than three months (but do if they are staying for longer), and do need to register with OVIR
• A Kazakh citizen doesn’t need a visa, and doesn’t need to register with OVIR if they are staying in the country for less than 60 days
• A Russian citizen doesn’t need a visa, and doesn’t need to register with OVIR if they are staying in the country for less than 90 days
• An Uzbek citizen does need a visa – or a “putyevka” (voucher from a sanatoria on Lake Issyk Kul) and does need to register with OVIR
• Citizens of 28 countries (for example: the several – but not all – member states of the European Union, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) do need a visa – but can obtain one valid for up to one month, from an Kyrgyz embassy or consulate without an invitation (… if they want to stay for more than one month, or to apply at a Kazakh embassy, then they do need one), but they are exempt from registering with OVIR,
• Citizens of most countries (for example: a Brazilian citizen) need a visa, and an invitation – and must register with OVIR.  The registration of the invitation usually takes about a week.
• Citizens of some countries (for example: India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, …) need a visa, and an invitation – and must register with OVIR.  The registration of the invitation takes a minimum of two weeks – as special procedures apply – but often takes longer, and applications are often rejected … and this is despite the fact that the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic enjoys good diplomatic relations with most of these countries.
• Citizens of some countries (but not all) traveling on Diplomatic passports o not need visas

There are some other special cases – regarding, for example, Heads of States or visiting Parliamentary delegations – but these examples are more than enough to demonstrate the labyrinth of rules and regulations which someone like myself, (running a tour company) has to navigate.

To make matters worse, there are still many travelers who rely on old guidebooks and think that the “72 hour rule” still applies – which allowed a traveler 3 days to transit one country if they had visas for two of the neighbouring states.  It doesn’t, and it hasn’t operated for many years.

The question of visas often vexes me when trying to explain the situation to a potential client.  It is true that the Kyrgyz Republic has one of the most liberal regimes in Central Asia, if not the whole of the former Soviet Union, but the situation is still problematic for many potential visitors.

One reason is because there are so few places where it is possible to obtain one for Kyrgyzstan.  There are very few Kyrgyz embassies or Consulates around the world.  It is true that the number is increasing – but slowly.  It is true that there is Consular Office in Manas Airport in Bishkek, offering the possibility to obtain the visa on arrival – but not at other entry points.

It is also true that it is possible to apply for a visa to visit the Kyrgyz Republic at a Kazakh embassy or consulate in countries where there is no Kyrgyz diplomatic representation – but although there are a few more of these around the world … their number and distribution is still limited.

It also needs to be recognized that Kyrgyz consular officials around the world tend to have a good reputation for being friendly, efficient and helpful.  If they can accommodate the travelers’ request, they will.

There are other problems/issues … the time taken to issue a visa, and the cost varies from place to place.  Time scales for issuing a visa can vary from three days to a week … or they can be issued in a single day – but sometimes in return for an additional fee.  Different embassies seem to charge different fees – and although there is a scale of fees for services provided within Kyrgyzstan – it is not exactly transparent … there is an additional “consular fee” to be considered.  It is true that visa fees are an important source of income for Kyrgyz embassies abroad, and now that the visa takes the form of a numbered sticker physically stuck on a page inside the passport, and not just a stamp, there will be greater control over these revenues than in the past.  However, no-one seems to know how much the Kyrgyz Republic receives in the form of visa fees – nor how much it costs to administer the system.

Those of us working in the Tourism Industry have been trying to persuade the government to implement a more liberal visa and OVIR registration regime … but, so far, we’ve been unsuccessful.  We have suggested:

• Return to a situation where travelers can transit the country for a period of, say, 5 days on the basis of visas for neighbouring countries and proof of onward travel
• Increase the list of countries (currently 28 countries) for which citizens can receive a visa for one month without an invitation for a period of upto one month without an invitation, to include at least all the countries of the enlarged European Union
• Create a special “visa free regime” for the countries where are invitation is not required – limited to the summer season (May to September) and for a stay of upto, say one month
• To simplify the system of scrutinizing visa applications from the “countries of risk” so that the time taken is shorter and the process more predictable
• Increase the number of places on the border where it would be possible to obtain a visa on arrival – this shouldn’t require opening consular offices because it could be just an administrative process if visa support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been obtained.
• Simplify the process of registration so that temporary registration, for say one month, is granted when entering the country, the details recorded and the passport is stamped
• Extend the list of countries for which registration is not required for a temporary, (say, one month), stay in the country
• Examine the current systems and explore the possibility of rationalizing them.

This last point is perhaps the most important.

Perhaps it is would help to “go back to basics” and examine the rationale behind the visa and the requirement to register.  As I said above, the current situation in Kyrgyzstan is based on one inherited from the Soviet Union and has been amended piecemeal – hence the confusing labyrinth that we have today.  Re-examining the rationale might help to create a greater understanding and

A visa is permission to enter the country. The policy for agreeing to issue, or withhold, such permission is the sole responsibility of each country.  For example: it is up to the US, to Canada, to the United Kingdom, and so on … to decide who will be allowed to cross the border and enter their countries.  Likewise, it is for the Kyrgyz Republic to decide who it will let into its territory, when and on what conditions.

As such, the visa represents a powerful and important instrument of control.  It allows the country to refuse entry to people who might be considered as undesirable, or likely to create problems for the domestic authorities.  The requirement for a visa implies that the receiving country considers the nationals of another country might present a potential problem for them – especially when nationals of other countries are exempt.  As such it provides a barrier – which can be a psychological barrier … “Kyrgyzstan obviously doesn’t want visitors because they make difficulties for them” … and even if the potential tourist, businessmen, or whatever is not discouraged by the very existence of the visa – the administrative difficulties, can, sometimes, be very difficult, and costly, to overcome, that they are put off and decide not to bother.

It also needs to be remembered that the visa is only one tool available to the authorities in monitoring and controlling foreign nationals on their territory.  For example, there are immigration procedures, the question of registration and the need for work permits.

Consider immigration procedures.  Currently it is illegal to enter the country at any point other than a recognized border crossing point.  Here the passport, and other documentation is examined and registered.  A visa simply represents permission to enter the country under certain conditions, for a given period – it is not, however, a guarantee.  The decision as to whether to allow a visitor to actually cross the border depends on the immigration officer at the point of entry, who has the discretion to refuse … although I am not aware of any case where this has happened in Kyrgyzstan, it is technically possible.)

Then there is registration.  It seems reasonable that the state needs to be aware who is in the country – for reasons of safety and security, if nothing else.  Also, statistics of the number of visitors can be important for planning purposes.

But, it is not just a question for foreigners … even Kyrgyz citizens have to register with the local authorities and if they move from one district to another have to re-register.  They can obtain a temporary registration, but if they move for more than six months they have to remove themselves from one “account” and re-register in their new location.  It seems very odd, therefore, that some foreign nationals are exempt from registration.

For those that do need to register – the fact that there are three deadlines (5, days for most, 60 for Kazakh citizens and 90 days for Russians) seems strange – and although I suppose it could be justified, I haven’t come across any explanation for the differences.

When foreign visitors cross the border, the fact is registered.  It seems to me that if they are in the country for a limited period – this should be sufficient. In fact visitors who do need to register are currently granted five days in which to register – and so this fact is already conceded.  It seems to me that for “short term” visitors, say upto one month, the registration at the point of entry should be all that is required.

Perhaps, for those staying longer, like me, it makes sense that they should inform the local authorities that they are present in the country and where they live.

In some countries it is necessary to register everywhere where the visitor spends a night … perhaps at their hotel – but in Kyrgyzstan, even though hotels are required by law to register foreign guests – but not necessarily local citizens, foreign nationals have to be registered at the local “passport Office”.

For foreigners taking up employment there is also the need to acquire a “work permit”.  There are quotas imposed for the number of foreign nationals that can be employed in the republic, divided according to oblast.  Although I am not sure that I understand the rationale behind this, I do understand the need for “work permits” – permission to obtain employment.  The employer has to show the reasons why they want to employ a foreign national – and obtain permission.  Then the individual has to be separately approved.  It seems to me that this provides an ample form of monitoring, supervision, regulation management and control.

All in all, it seems to me that Kyrgyzstan can only gain from reviewing its visa regime and will make the country more attractive to potential tourists, investors and businessmen if the system was rationalized and simplified.

I want to finish with some actual case studies … they represent real incidents with which we have come across … they are only examples, unfortunately there are more:

• An Indian citizen married to a Dutch citizen wanted to visit the country as part of a Silk Road tour which they were undertaking independently, (not part of an organized group) … using the services of different agencies in each country.  They gave us copies of both passports, the marriage certificate, and the certificate granting right of residence in the Netherlands.  We submitted all of these and asked for visa support for both – even though it was not necessary for the Dutch citizen, who could obtain a visa for himself without an invitation.  The scrutiny process took longer than the two weeks it was supposed to, and was eventually rejected – with no reasons given.  Naturally the clients were displeased and asked for proof that we had indeed done as we had been asked.  Then, whilst en route, they visited a Kyrgyz embassy and explained the situation.  The consular official granted the visa on the spot – no problem.
• An Indian citizen wanted to attend a seminar we were organizing on behalf of an American University.  The other participants were Americans and Europeans who could obtain a visa without an invitation – and did so.  When we tried to register the invitation for this participant, we supplied the necessary passport details and details of the seminar.  The scrutiny process took longer than the two weeks it was supposed to, and was eventually rejected – with no reasons given.  He was not able to attend the seminar.
• A German citizen obtained a visa in Berlin – a six month, multiple entry, tourist visa.  No such visa exists – according to the regulations a tourist visa can be valid for only one month.   Fortunately, he had no problems whilst in the country.
• A Canadian citizen undertaking a “round the world” cycle trip obtained a two month, multiple entry, tourist visa with no problems at a Kyrgyz embassy whilst en-route.  No such visa exists – according to the regulations a tourist visa can be valid for only one month.  He had no problem entering the country – or leaving it again to pass through Kazakh territory.  On trying to re-enter Kyrgyzstan again, the border officials refused to recognize the visa … (strictly speaking, I think they were probably correct).
• A Chinese citizen (with a Taiwanese passport) wanted to accompany her American boyfriend as part of a Silk Road tour which they were undertaking independently, (not part of an organized group) … using the services of different agencies in each country.  The American could obtain a visa without a visa.  The scrutiny of her application took considerably longer than the two weeks it was supposed to – and was refused – with no reasons given.  They traveled from China to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan lost two potential “goodwill ambassadors”.
• An Argentinean citizen entered the country from Uzbekistan at the Dostuk post, near Osh.  He went to register in the local OVIR office but was told he didn’t need to as Argentineans were exempt from registration in a newly issued regulation.  Not convinced, when he arrived in Bishkek, he tried again, and was turned away again, with the same story.  When we tried to obtain a copy – we were told there was no such regulation … by this time he had already left the country.