Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
136
At the same time, the same DMO proposes that NTOs unite and organize (with the support of
the UNWTO Silk Road Programme) a Silk Road stand in the main international travel fairs. The
design of the stand must express the nature of the Silk Road, and the client should find every
country along the Silk Road inside the stand. 493
Distribution channels used. GosComTourism considers tourism companies participating in
travel fairs and bloggers as the main distribution channels. They also work closely with the
Uzbekistan embassies abroad and Uzbek diasporas in different countries. The relationship with
diasporas in terms of tourism is a new strategy of the Uzbek NTO, and they have a special
department that is responsible for connection with NGOs and diasporas.494
For DMOs still, the number-one distribution channel is travel fairs, and these bring them
business. Many have online channels, but primary business volume still depends on travel fairs,
except for the select number of full-online DOMs like and .495
The content created by brands is perceived as less authentic than content generated by users.496
Nevertheless, social media is mostly used for destination awareness and image, but it is not a
distribution or direct sales channel yet.
Pricing determination. Within the last two years, there have been many changes in
Uzbekistan’s legislation, especially in the tax policy. Stakeholders may feel the resultant
positive influence within 1-2 years. However, pricing culture in Uzbekistan is still at a low level,
and this negatively impacts tourism. Suppliers always want to wait until the last moment and
earn the biggest profit from their sales instead of providing the correct price and experiencing
a comfortable sales period after they announce the price. It is rooted in the unstable exchange
rate that has always been a big problem for suppliers (and this represented a business reality
in Uzbekistan from the end of the 90s until September 2017). During the last two years,
financial liberalization was carried out, and now the country has a fairly stable exchange rate,
but pricing culture is still a weak point for Uzbekistan hoteliers, restaurateurs, or
transportation suppliers. Many of them still don’t understand that the DMO should provide the
price to the client, maybe even one year before the tour’s starting date, and in this case, the
DMO takes all financial risks if prices go up. 497
Findings from the Uzbekistan International Visitor Economy Survey indicated that the majority
of respondents preferred to stay in locally owned accommodation and use local restaurants, as
they provided a more authentic experience and ensured that the money they spent supported
the local community.498
More budget airlines are coming to Kazakhstan, with some flying from Budapest and Paris.
China Southern mid-level airline flies to many popular destinations in Kazakhstan. The
midscale Polish Airline and Indian IndiJet are also about to enter the market. This increases
connectivity because the national air carrier AirAstana is positioned as a higher-end airline and
does not offer low-cost options. For domestic flights, there are local airlines like Kazak Air, Bek
Air, Scat Airlines, FlyArystan, which are considered to be affordable options. One of the
493 Ibid.
494 Interview with Head of the Department of Scientific Research and Work with Educational Institutions of GosComTourism
495 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
496 "Inspiring Silk Road - Using the Power of Social Commerce to Promote Travel Along the Silk Road, Jens Thraenhart,"
UNWTO, accessed October 13, 2019,
497 Interview with Director of Silk Road Destinations DMO
498 Ibid.