Postcard from Bishkek

When it comes to promoting Kyrgyzstan, whether as a tourist destination or a suitable place to invest and do business, it is generally agreed that we need some sort of brand or image.  However, it is not so easy to agree on one which embodies all aspects of the country and what it has to offer.

That’s not an easy task.

First of all, we have several different images that we want to project, representing the different segments of the tourism industry in the country.  For example, and this is not an exclusive list, the sun, sand, and sea, (well Lake), image of recreation on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul; the active Adventure of mountaineering, trekking, horse riding and so on; the cultural image involving history and traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture associated with Silk Road Tours; the opportunity for Winter Sports – skiing and snowboarding and so on.

We have tried several such brands, (Oasis on the Silk Road, Там где ты ещё не был, Land of Tourism, Land of Santa Clause, the Heart of Asia), and we have adopted several emblems; (the “flying tuunduk”, a multicoloured freehand sketch of sun, mountains and lake, and the Aigul flower), but with the possible exception of the flying tuunduk, these have failed to stand the test of time.

As a result, in the outside world there is no clear image of the country.

This was brought home to me some years ago when I was speaking with a tour operator from Britain, (who was thinking of offering a new itinerary in their catalogue which would involve Kyrgyzstan).  I well remember his comment: “Kyrgyzstan has lots of potential, it is very pleasant, the scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly … but it doesn’t really have anything really unique which we can promote.”

Of course, I tried to argue the point … “But there are lots of things about Kyrgyzstan which we can promote.”  “Yes,” he replied, “but there is nothing unique”.  As I thought about it, I had to admit that, even though I didn’t entirely agree with him, he did have a point.

In fact, there were two important words in his statement … “unique” and “promote”, but I wasn’t sure which was the most critical.

There are certainly things which are special to Kyrgyzstan, specific peaks, the Mezbacher Lakes, the epic of Manas, the Kalpak and Elechek, but to what extent are they “marketable”?  To what extent can we base a marketing campaign on them?

Now, there is only one Kyrgyzstan in the world … it is unique – but is it marketable?  Unlike Mongolia, Nepal and Tibet, (perhaps our biggest rivals as tourist destinations when it comes to the Western world), have far greater name recognition than Kyrgyzstan.

 

If we consider the word “unique” which means, “being the only one”.  Although it is true that there are things which are “unique” to Kyrgyzstan, in that they are found only in Kyrgyzstan, or are special to Kyrgyzstan, their significance and value in promoting the country as a tourist destination is not always obvious.

Take for example the landscape; the mountains, one of the things in which Kyrgystan takes great pride?  There is, for example, only one Khan Tengri, one Peak Pobeda and one Lenin Peak in all the world – so, technically, they are unique in the same way as the Syrney Opera House is unique – there is only one Sydney Opera House which is easily recognizable to people all over the world.  Well, yes, but there are lots of opera houses around the world of which the one in Sydney is just an example.  Likewise, there are mountains to be found throughout the world.  Although, for example, we don’t have such spectacular ranges such as the Tien Shan and Pamir in Britain, (a friend of mine from New Zealand once described the country as “flat”), there are the odd features which qualify as mountains.  What’s more – there are many, many mountain ranges within much easier reach to people from Great Britain than those in Kyrgyzstan.

To take another example, the Kyrgyz landmark which is visible from space: Lake Issyk Kul, the Pearl of the Tien Shan?  Well, of course there is only one Issyl Kul in the world, but there are many, many, lakes; many of them with beaches for sun bathing and many in easy reach of the mountains … and many of them within much easier reach of Britain than Lake Issyk Kul.  Son Kul and Sary Chelek are also magnificent lakes in their right and popular with the tourists who see them – in so many ways special and unique, but in other ways they are just reminiscent of lakes.  The mystery of the Mezbacher Lakes might seem a unique feature and although this may be the most famous of the “vanishing lakes” – there are, in fact other similar occurrences around the world: in Iceland , Switzerland and Greenland

Consider the historical connections. Although in Britain we have plenty of historical monuments, the history of Central Asia abounds with mystery and intrigue.  When it comes to the Silk Road, however, Kyrgyzstan is just one of twenty odd countries and some of them much more well endowed with historical monuments.  Given its location, Kyrgyzstan featured prominently during the age of empires, (such as those of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, and Babur), but these were massive and conquered lands far away, far away from Central Asia even, and Kyrgyzstan’s claim on their inheritance is shared with many others.  Even the more recent Soviet heritage is shared, not only with the other republics of the USSR but with many other Socialist states.

If we consider traditional nomadic Kyrgyz traditions and culture: the yurt is found throughout Central Asia from Mongolia to Anatolia; Kumys is drunk throughout the region, (and beyond); the Komuz is specific to the Kyrgyz but one of a family of similar musical instruments found throughout the region; the Kalpak and Elechek are probably unique … but how do we use them in marketing, promoting the country as a tourist destination?; horses and horsemanship are important features of many cultures around the world; almost every culture would claim to be “hospitable”; the epic of Manas is unique, in that it is specific to the Kyrgyz – although if the Chinese have applied to register it with UNESCO as example of World Heritage, and then, there are many such sagas and Manas is not particularly well known outside certain specialist circles.

The Bars, (Snow Leopard) and Argali, (Marco Polo Sheep), are associated with Kyrgyzstan in that it is one of the few places where these endangered animals are to be found, but they cannot be claimed to belong to the country.  The Aigul flower may be special to Kyrgyzstan and for a time it was pressed into service as an emblem for the country, but it is not well known outside our borders.

That’s actually quite an important point.  What seems like a powerful and useful image to those of us who know and live here in Kyrgyzstan may not appear so to the people whom we want to attract to visit Kyrgyzstan.

Take, for example, one of those images which is “uniquely” Kyrgyz: that of Manas.  To those of us in Kyrgyzstan, the name conjures up images of a dashing hero on horseback, daring deeds, faithful friends, battles and celebrations, (tois), evocative lithographs of Theodore Hetzen and white haired aksakals reciting episodes from the epic perhaps by firelight … to those in the outside world, however, (if it means anything at all), it is associated with an air base and the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Another example is that of the “flying tuunduk”, (created when Max Haberstroh was a consultant working for the development of tourism in Kyrgyzstan).  We in Kyrgyzstan look at it and recognize the representation and the symbolism that is associated with it, but to most people outside Central Asia is merely a geometric design; interesting but without specific significance.

There are other criticisms that can be levied at it, such as that it doesn’t represent all aspects of Kyrgyz Tourism, (for example, Recreational Tourism, (rest and relaxation on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul) or the various activities of Adventure tourism), but it is simple and stylish and it remains my favourite to date.

 

OK, so it is my favourite of the designs that we have had so far – which means that I like it, … so what?  We really have to ask ourselves not what we like but what will be an effective logo and speak to the people we are trying to attract to Kyrgyzstan; our potential clients.

That really means doing some market research … which, in turn, probably means having to spend some money on surveys and focus groups in our prospective markets … and that, in turn, means deciding in which markets we want to work.  Our resources are limited and we cannot afford to do everything, to work in every marketplace, so we will have to decide on our priorities.

 

 

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

Tags: Marketing, Tourism