Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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The role of other stakeholders. Hotels, from small and mid-sized ones (such as the Silk Road
Lodge and Bishkek) to international chains (formerly Dedeman Silk Road Hotel, Tashkent), are
participating in Silk Road brand development, contributing to its increased visibility. 407
In Kyrgyzstan, where mountaineering is an essential tourism product, a rescue helicopter for
climbers and tourists exploring mountainous areas was unavailable this year. It was Aksay
Travel DMO, which purchased a rescue helicopter on credit last year. This is a public-private
partnership achievement for the destination, as previously it was Kazakhstan as well as the
Ministry of Emergencies of Kyrgyzstan, who assisted in such cases. The acquisition of a rescue
helicopter is a significant step in the growth of tourism in the mountain destination. 408
All the Central Asian governments try to use the Silk Road brand for their tourism development
initiatives. This is because these countries are linked to the history of the Silk Road, and the Silk
Road is an organic brand that fosters recognition and awareness for these new tourist
destinations. 409
In Kyrgyzstan, the following governmental agencies are directly engaged in tourism:
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• State Agency for Environmental Protection and Forestry
• Ministry of the Interior (which is in charge of the tourist police)
• State Committee for National Security
• State Registration Service
• Border and Customs Services
• Local governments
• National Statistical Committee410
407 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
408 Interview with Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of
Kyrgyzstan
409 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
410 Interview with Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of
Kyrgyzstan