UNDP: Prospects of the Rural Tourism Development in Osh Oblast

This year, the celebration of this spring holiday in Osh oblast had an additional prospective – promotion of internal and external tourism in the southern region of the Kyrgyz Republic. Thus, the tourism Festivals took place in Uzgen city of Uzgen district on March 20 and in Sakhaba Park in Katta-Tal village of Nookat district on March 21, 2018. The festivals were aimed at the demonstration of new tourism routes and services, raising social awareness and interest to travel inside the country, development of business and cultural relations within the country’s tourism industry.

These events became a part of measures that are being implemented for the active positioning of the Osh region in the international tourism market, the development of attractive and competitive tourist products with a wide range of services and, the most important, the involvement of the rural population.

Over 1,000 people have attended tourism festivals including the local population, local authorities, tourists from Kyrgyzstan and other countries. The programme of the event included master classes on cooking meals of national cuisine, making souvenirs, excursions to historical and natural attractions, fairs, national games as well as a concert program of different ethnic groups living in the region. The main participants of the event were representatives of the leading travel agencies operating in the Kyrgyz Republic. After demonstrations of the tourism-oriented sites and the cultural flavor of the area, they shared their impressions and recommendations for the LSGs on improving the tourism potential in each community, exchanged their contacts and agreed on further cooperation.

According to the results of the social and economic situation assessment in the region, over 5 million KGS grant programme was launched in three municipalities with tourism potential. They are Kayin-Talaa village (Kara-Kulzha district), Zhany-Nookat village (Nookat district), and Uzgen city (Uzgen district). Thus, 13 small business projects were supported including 5 souvenir production sites, 2 guest houses, 3 toilets, 1 yurt town, 1 felt business and 1 ethnic cafe. The listed business plans will be implemented during 2017-2018 and are aimed at solving infrastructure problems related to electricity, water supply, poor hygiene in public places, etc. New jobs were created for 46 villagers including 31 for women.

"Since the beginning of the project, on 33 training events with the participation of 279 people, there were a number of business projects developed aimed at expanding tourism potential in the region by improving services for tourists, creating and offering new tourist routes that connect the ancient city of Uzgen and Osh with other villages rich in natural and cultural diversity. Entrepreneurs were trained to promote the national tourism product, and local authorities were offered measures to eliminate administrative barriers for businesses linked to tourism. " – says tourism development expert Azamat Akeleyev.

The complex of measures on the economic empowerment of the rural population to improve the tourist attractiveness of Osh oblast are being held in the framework of "Integrated development of Osh oblast", funded by the Russian Federation, and is implemented with an expert support of the consulting company "Promotank".