|                                                                                                                                                             |  | KYRGYZSTAN ASPIRES TO WELCOME MORE VISITORS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |  | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|**BISNISHome PageSearchBISNISEmbassyReportsCountryReportsIndustryReportsPublicationsSourcesof FinanceLeadsand EventsExchangeRatesState ExportsOtherSources** |  | May 1999by Ellen S. HouseAs the world discovers Kyrgyzstan, dubbed the Switzerland of Central Asia, the country is
betting that its natural beauty and friendly atmosphere will attract increasing numbers of visitors.
Despite the distinction of having become the first (and only) NIS country to accede to the World
Trade Organization (WTO), Kyrgyzstan is struggling to survive and prosper amid the various
world financial crises and intense competition for global resources. Promotion of tourism is seen
as way to attract attention, investment, and goodwill toward this remote, relatively unknown
country. A new government focus on the privatization and   improvement of tourism
infrastructure aims to bring in foreign investment and attract travelers to Kyrgyzstan's dramatic
mountains, lakes and rivers, and Silk Road routes.Kyrgyzstan's pristine natural beauty including steppes, mountains, desert, glaciers, river
valleys, lakes, and forests offers spectacularly varied terrain. Opportunities for adventure and
sport run the gamut from mountaineering, mountain biking, and heli-skiing to spelunking,
whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and birding. The country boasts two major mountain
ranges, the Tien Shan and Ala-Too, and some of the highest peaks in the world Pik Pobeda
(7,439 m), Lenin Peak (7,134 m), and the legendary white-and-pink marble pyramid of Khan
Tengry (6,995 m). Issyk-Kul in the northeast is the world's second largest alpine lake (after
South America's Lake Titicaca). Its shores offer sanatoria, spas, and resorts, which were
frequented by the elite in Soviet times.The resurgence of interest in the old Silk Road trading route, three branches of which passed
through Kyrgyzstan linking China with various parts of Central Asia, attracts travelers seeking
culture and history. Osh, a stop along the Silk Road route, offers "Suleiman's Mountain," one of
the oldest places of worship in Central Asia, along with a stunning bazaar that sells everything
from Turkish leather jackets to traditional horse quirts and bridles. A blink of the eyes and the
visitor is transported back to an earlier century.U.S. Tourists Discover Krygyzstan
  Adventure travelers from the United States and Europe have begun to discover
Kyrgyzstan's potential for adventure holidays and nature tourism, although European visitors
outnumber Americans by more than three to one. U.S. tour companies often promote Kyrgyzstan
as a unique, exotic experience an untried destination, particularly for seasoned travelers who
have exhausted more obvious travel possibilities. These operators say that Kyrgyzstan gets high
marks for its charm and natural beauty, as well as for the friendliness and openness of its people.
Angela Halonen-Webb, who arranges individual travel to Central Asia for MIR Corporation of
Seattle, said that she has heard "raves about the hospitality" from people she has sent to
Kyrgyzstan and considers it "the easiest place to travel in Central Asia."Several U.S. adventure and eco-tour companies send small group tours to Kyrgyzstan on its own
or as part of broader Central Asian experience. Companies such as MIR, REI in Sumner, WA,
and Mountain Travel Sobek in El Cerrito, CA, offer itineraries for some 10-15 people that focus
on nature, trekking, and Silk Road sights and include camping. These trips are led by tour guides
with long experience in the region with the help of local partners or personnel.U.S. tour companies say they prefer to arrange group rather than individual travel to Central Asia
because of some obstacles to travel in the region. Specifically, travelers can encounter difficulties
with bureaucracy, for instance at border crossings or dealings with the government, that are more
easily overcome by a group with an organization and local assistance behind it than by an
individual. A more basic drawback to travel in Central Asia is insufficient
infrastructure namely, hotels, restaurants, and hospitality services but also including a lack of
reliable public transport and communications. One U.S. company representative noted that as the
baby boomers take over the U.S. travel market, the importance of tourism infrastructure at a
destination has grown, particularly reasonably priced, comfortable hotels and good service.Kyrgyzstan currently has no Western-class hotel in its capital, Bishkek, although a Hyatt is due
to
open in September. In addition, the Kyrgyz Government has privatized or plans to sell off a
number of existing Soviet-style hotels with the intention of encouraging renovations.Krygyz Efforts to Promote Tourism
  In general, the Kyrgyz Government has targeted the tourism sector, including the
upgrading of tourist infrastructure, as a top priority. The government's new program of economic
stabilization for 1999 2001 includes a plan to stimulate foreign and domestic tourism and attract
foreign investment to the sector by offering tax and customs privileges, granting state guarantees,
and providing other means of governmental support. The program also calls for the acceleration
of plans to privatize enterprises in the resort and recreation sector. In addition, the government
plans to simplify all visa and customs procedures for tourists.Meanwhile, private sector initiatives in the Kyrgyz tourism sector are also growing along
with the number of visitors to the country. Foreign visitors to Kyrgyzstan increased by some 13
percent in 1998 over 1997, and new tour companies have been popping up to assist travelers and
work with foreign travel firms. The Kyrgyzstan Association of Tour Operators has grown from
18 member companies with 117 employees in 1996 to 356 employees in 1998. In the last few
years, the association has increased its participation in international tourism fairs, and its
members have augmented their facilities and services.Kyrgyzstan, eager to attract foreign investment and visitors, has put new emphasis on the
development of its tourism sector and the infrastructure to support it. Given its unspoiled beauty
and the welcoming hospitality of its people, tourism is a natural fit for Kyrgyzstan's future.For a list of contacts for Kyrgyzstan tourism, visit BISNIS Online at
www.mac.doc.gov/bisnis/country/cntasia.htm#Kyrgyzstan.Ellen S. House covers Kyrgyzstan for BISNIS in Washington., D.C.This report is provided courtesy of the Business Information Service for the Newly
Independent States (BISNIS)