Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
139
Future Development of the Silk Road TC
An existing or future tourism corridor cannot continuously create activities in a vacuum. It can
only channel and maximize deep-rooted tourism and economic potential.509 The Silk Road can
grow as a tourism destination, can be a valuable brand, and tour operators can easily sell their
destinations under its umbrella. It is generally much more useful for emerging destinations to
sell themselves when they position themselves as a part of the Silk Road.510
Basic Infra-Structural and Super-Structural Requirements. The inter-country speed train
connection between Almaty and Bishkek, Bishkek and Tashkent, and budget airports in small
tourism spots could play roles as tourism drivers, being a good air connection between Bishkek
and Tashkent. Frequent and comfortable air-connectivity between the capitals of neighboring
countries is also crucial for tourism development.
The hospitality industry in Kyrgyzstan still hasn’t developed enough to generate demand, but
is improving every year. A wealth of small hotels and guesthouses should be complemented
with branded hotel chains. Not just in Bishkek (which has Hyatt, Sheraton, Novotel, Ramada)
but in smaller cities as well.511
Policy-wise, a single tour guide accreditation system would allow guides to work across
borders. Today’s licensing restricts tour guides from Kyrgyzstan to just working in Kazakhstan
(as in Uzbekistan where guide certification is obligatory), but still, many guides come from
Kyrgyzstan. This restriction is inefficient and difficult to manage for tour operators in
Kazakhstan, and it has led to complaints. To move away from this situation, it is better to open
up borders for professionals so both tour operators and tour guides can work across borders.
This would also foster competition and increase the need for build capacity to stay competitive.
In terms of infrastructure, Central Asian countries should first solve this perennial issue and
make transborder passage easier. Infrastructure projects, such as the development of a stable
wireless network, rest stops on the major roads and bus routes, should also be part of an
infrastructural development plan.512
Evaluation of the Silk Road Corridor
What was done well. The key success is creating a collaborative platform and spirit for so
many and for such diverse destinations along the Silk Road (35 member states), as well as
working with both the governments and private sector together. So far, Technical Cooperation
and Silk Road (formerly the UNWTO Silk Road Programme) is the only existing platform of this
kind for the Silk Road. In each of the three key areas of activities, there have been concrete
achievements:
1. Expanding the work on the Silk Road from Classic (traditionally including China and Central
Asia) to Western and Maritime Silk Road is groundbreaking.
2. Raising awareness of Silk Road tourism globally through building partnerships with
international travel fairs (i.e., the UNWTO Silk Road Programme at ITB) and working with high
profile media channels like the Discovery Channel and with the British comedian, novelist and
509 "Operationalizing Economic Corridors in Central Asia. A Case Study of the Almaty–Bishkek Corridor," Asian Development
Bank, last modified 2014,
510 Interview with Deputy Director of Sun House Team DMO
511 Ibid.
512 Interview with Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Tourism