Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
122
motels, but most of these projects are now underway, such as the Almaty-Bishkek Corridor,
whose master plan was just completed with the help of the ADB. 414
There are negotiations taking place between the governments of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
concerning the launch of a direct train and bus service from Tashkent to Turkestan. This
connection will streamline how a tourist visits both countries and historical towns in just one
trip while increasing the number of tourists visiting both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with at
least one or two days spent in the latter. For example, Turkish visitors who are mostly visiting
Uzbekistan for religious purposes. There is a pilgrimage site in the country: Ahmad Yassaviy
Mouselem in Turkestan city in Kazakhstan. However, due to transport and border issues, it is a
complicated journey, and Turkish visitors only travel around Uzbekistan. This is an excellent
opportunity for Kazakhstan to use Uzbekistan’s tourist traffic for its own benefit (and profit).415
High-speed trains in Uzbekistan are also a perfect example of current tourism-oriented
projects. Uzbekistan Railways’ speed rail consists of 600 km of track and services, and utilizes
Spanish Talgo 250 trains, branded Afrosiyob.416
Kazakhstan maintains a leading role in attracting international hotel chains. Since 2013, 140
new hotels were built for Expo2017 in Astana alone. In Almaty and Astana, chain hotels are
widely represented: Novotel, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Park Inn, Windham, Hampton Court,
Hilton Garden, Marriott, Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, Rixos, and Radisson Blu.417 In Tashkent, only the
Hyatt Regency, Radisson Blu, Ramada, and Windham represent international brands. In
Bishkek, it is the Hyatt Regency, Sheraton, and Ramada.
There is a necessity for medical and rescue facilities to cater to growing tourism demands and
to deal with the difficulties that may naturally occur concerning the health and well-being of
visitors. The provision of adequate medical facilities is imperative. There are some
international clinics within the capital cities, but for those traveling to other areas, especially
in the countryside and mountainous regions, there is a higher level of risk, and efficient rescue
and medical facilities in the event of accidents or illness are lacking. Crime is another important
aspect of tourist safety. Tourists require an emergency call center, police patrols, and a rapid
response facility to tackle crime in the main centers where tourists congregate. Some actions
have already been incorporated into the tourism plans of certain countries (the government of
Kyrgyzstan plans to create a police pilot project for resorts and in the historical cities of
Uzbekistan, special English-speaking police patrol sites).418
The Internet and the new opportunities it provides are becoming more accessible and diverse,
and its penetration increases every year in Central Asia countries. Kazakhstan is 61st in the
world in terms of internet speed (31.86 megabits per second), Kyrgyzstan is currently 92nd
(20.52 Mbps), and Uzbekistan is 131st (11.31 Mbps).419
414 Interview with Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Tourism
415 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
416 Ibid.
417 Interview with Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Tourism
418 "Promoting Regional Tourism Cooperation under CAREC 2030, a Scoping Study," Asian Development Bank, last modified
March, 2019,
study.pdf.
419 Maria Levina, "Internet Becoming More Accessible in Central Asia Countries," Times Of Central Asia, last modified March
10, 2019,
central-asia-countries.