Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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The mandates of entities involved. In management terms, NTOs are responsible for the
management of inbound tourism. The scope of Kazakh Tourism goes beyond just promotion,
as it’s the main body for implementation of the state tourism program, and Kazakh Tourism is
also coordinating the efforts of different entities involved in tourism development, such as the
Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Parks, etc. 443
Reopened in 2013, the UNWTO Silk Road TourismOffice in Samarkand, which provides support
services and member engagement, is now working independently under the supervision of the
National PR Centre of Uzbekistan, which is part of the foremost institution responsible for
tourism development - the Committee of Tourism Development of Uzbekistan. The Ministry of
Culture, which plays a vital role in tourism development, closely collaborates with
GosComTourism, and they share several common projects. The purpose of the Ministry of
Culture is not to bring tourists but to protect the monuments, which are the main attraction for
tourists visiting Uzbekistan. They also provide some cultural festivals, and their star project is
a big international music festival called “Sharq Taronalari,” which takes place every two years
in Samarkand.444
The role of GosComTourism is to be a coordinator between tourism businesses, hotels,
associations, ministries, and communities. Every ministry and big state company, such as
Uzbekistan Airways or Uzbekistan Railways, contains a tourism department, and
GosComTourism is working with all of them. For instance, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
receives some tourism-related tasks and encounters challenges, they work with
GosComTourism through their tourism department, to settle the issue.445
Destination sustainability. Several of the world’s most impressive heritage sites are located
along the ancient Silk Road, and the UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting 2013 was dedicated
to the key issue of effective heritage management, which is necessary for sustainable tourism
development. It focused on how Silk Road countries can work together to enhance their
tourism profile while preserving the historical heritage and living culture to ensure future
generations can enjoy them. To ensure sustainable development, the collaboration between
member states needs to be conducted within the framework of the UNWTO Silk Road
Programme, focusing on marketing and promotion, destination management and capacity
building, and travel facilitation.
Resource preservation. Growing numbers of tourists visiting World Heritage Sites require
more effective tourism development and visitor management, as well as a cooperative
commitment between all stakeholders in the heritage and tourism sectors. 446
More than 7400 historical monuments are located in Uzbekistan, a destination where the main
tourism product is history and culture. Most of these are linked to the Silk Road. The historical
towns of Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva are located directly on the main Silk Road route. Over
the years, these monuments have deteriorated as a result of time, weather, and human activity.
The Ministry of Culture is responsible for the protection of all these items of heritage. But
reconstruction has to be done according to the particular requirements of UNESCO, which are,
in many cases, much different from local authority understanding of reconstruction standards
and approaches. It is the sphere of the Ministry of Culture to make UNESCO requirements a
443 Interview with Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Tourism
444 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
445 Interview with Head of the Department of Scientific Research and Work with Educational Institutions of GosComTourism
446 "World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism."