ECOTOURISM IN CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN:
CONSERVATION OF THE PA NATURAL RESOURCES AND CREATION OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RURAL AREAS

"ECOTOURISM IN KAZAKHSTAN"
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE,
KARAGANDA, 26-27 AUGUST, 2010

On 26-27 August 2010 the International conference on "Ecotourism in Kazakhstan" was held in Karaganda city.

The present event was organized in the framework of two projects: the European commission's project "Ecological tourism and public awareness in Central Kazakhstan" (ETPACK), implemented by Karaganda Regional Ecological museum in cooperation with German Nature and Biodiversity conservation union (NABU), as well as The GEF/UNDP Small Grants Programme project "Ecotourism in Central Kazakhstan: conservation of the PA Natural Resources and Creation of Economic Opportunities in the Rural Areas", implemented by Avalon Public Foundation, with active assistance of the Department of tourism and sports of Karaganda oblast.

Representatives of 7 countries of the world took part in the conference, among them employees of the competent public bodies, specially protected natural areas, non-governmental organizations, projects in ecotourism development, higher education institutions, and tourist agencies.

The conference began with the welcoming speeches of the head of the Department of tourism infrastructure and investment projects development  of the Committee of tourism industry of the Ministry of tourism and sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan  Tugelbai Bekbergenov, head of the Department of tourism, physical culture and sports of Karaganda oblast Yerden Khalilin, first secretary of  the US embassy in Kazakhstan Bruce Hudspeth, DHM of the Netherlands Maurits ter Kuile, as well as director of the programmes of Middle Asia of the German nature and biodiversity conservation union (NABU) Boris Tikhomirov.

In the framework of section "International experience of ecological tourism and community-based tourism" different conceptions of ecological and responsible tourism were discussed, examples, based on experience of ecotourism development in such countries as New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus etc. were given. The internationally known and proven methods of development were suggested to be used in Kazakhstan.

In the framework of section "The Kazakhstani experience in the sphere of ecological and community-based tourism" reports, dedicated to existing experience in ecotourism development were presented (including Shal Akyn district, Saty village, three ecosites of Central Kazakhstan, namely Kyzylarai, Ulytau and Kent). Reports, concerned with promotion of Kazakhstan as a tourism destination, particularly with the help of contemporary Internet technologies, were also considered.

In the framework of section "Ecotourism  and nature conservation (biodiversity and protected natural areas)" reports of the representatives of the specially protected natural areas of Kazakhstan and non-governmental organizations, dealing with general basis of policy for ecotourism development on specially protected natural areas, were considered. Practical examples of the West-Altai and Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserves, as well as the Katon-Karagai and Ile-Alatau national parks were given.

The reports presentation in the sections was followed by the panel discussion, dedicated to ecological tourism development in Kazakhstan. Main specialist of the Department of tourism and sports of Karaganda oblast Botagoz Kudenova, consultant of the Kazakhstan Tourist Association and Information resource centre of ecotourism Dagmar Schreiber, project manager of "Asian American partnership" public fund Aliya Tonkobayeva, chief of the Information Resource center of ecotourism (the Kazakhstan Tourist Association) Aigul Issagulova, assistant professor of the Kazakstan institute of management, economics and strategic research (KIMEP) Vladimir Garkavenko took part in the discussion. A journalist from Karaganda city Ruslan Telegin became a moderator of the discussion.

During the press-conference questions by the mass media representatives were answered by the head of the Department of tourism infrastructure and investment projects development of the Committee of tourism industry of the Ministry of tourism and sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan  Tugelbai Bekbergenov, director of the national historico-cultural and nature reserve-museum "Ulytau" Bakhtiyar Kozhakhmetov, specialist in tourism, advisor in green routes of "Vacations in village" public association (Belarus) Mariya Barinova, head of the Kyrgyz Association of community-based tourism "Hospitality Kyrgyzstan" Asylbek Razhiyev and international leader of the ETPACK project Til Dieterich.

Resolution was adopted by the participants of the conference in the capacity of final document. You can familiarize yourself with the text of resolution here.

Conference information package with reports in Kazakh, Russian and English languages can be downloaded here.