Steps Forward For Recovery Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in the Kyrgyz Republic. According to the National Statistical Committee, it accounted for 5.2% of GDP or 358 million USD by the end of 2019. The sector also employs about 40,000 people, 2% of the total formal employment in the country. Untouched natural landscapes, mountains, more than 40,000 rivers and 750 lakes, historical and cultural heritage, mountain peaks, ski resorts, as well as the Lake Issyk-Kul, are attractions that make this country an ideal dream tourism destination. However, the tourism sector still faces numerous challenges, including the lack of supply chain and logistics facilities, poorly developed infrastructures, lack of resource efficiency and waste management, and low standard services for tourists. As a response to these challenges, the State has developed the State Program for the Development of the Tourism Sector for 2019-2023 and the National Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2018-2040, which indicate the sustainability path that Kyrgyzstan has chosen to take through a more careful use and management of its natural resources, development of regions, ensuring environmental sustainability and reproduction, as well as expanding the diversity of forms of cultural life. With the support of national and international partners, the government together with tourism institutions have implemented a number of initiatives aimed at promoting the country as a sustainable tourism destination in the global market. While the term “sustainable tourism” is still not widely known and used in the region, terms such as “nature tourism”, “responsible tourism”, and “green tourism” are increasingly being used, indicating the growing awareness of the need to switch to tourism models that will have less negative impacts on the environment, natural resources and local communities’ livelihoods. Launched in 2020, EU SWITCH-Asia GREEN TOUR Project intends to accelerate the transition of Kyrgyzstan to a green economy by increasing the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism as a key sector, thereby contributing to the objectives set by the Kyrgyz Government. This four-year project is implemented by Helvetas, together with the Stichting European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism – Netherlands (ECEAT), the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators (KATO) and the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association Hospitality Kyrgyzstan (KCBTA). Targeting Kyrgyz tour operators, accommodation facilities, local suppliers and manufacturers (guides, drivers, caterers, host families, service and transport providers), local communities, and consumers (foreign visitors), the activities designed under the GREEN TOUR project aim to strengthen the capacity of tourism associations to provide corporate social responsibility (CSR) advisory services; environmental services and products into the supply chain of tour operators; support MSMEs in accessing green finance; and integrate Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) principles into the policies of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. Since March 2020, in spite of the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions, a series of webinars have been organized and delivered, introducing CSR and SCP principles to tour operators, green recovery measures, and practical methods to reduce the amount of single-use plastics used in the travel and hospitality industry. More than forty representatives from tour operators, accommodation facilities, government agencies and experts in the community joined the webinars. Moreover, an online course on “Resilience to COVID-19” was also designed and developed to support enterprises with practical advice on how to operate during the current restrictive circumstances, and steps forward for recovery. This course was also featured on the Travelife platform. "Supporting those that depend on tourism and building responsible travel experiences that are safe for host communities and travellers are key to accelerating post-COVID recovery. The pandemic is also an opportunity to rethink how tourism impacts natural resources and to advance the transition towards a green and climate resilient economy," said Mr. Eduard Auer, Head of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan. In August 2020, the project supported the initiative of the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Kyrgyz Republic to collect and dispose of household waste on the territory of Lenin Peak, one of the main tourist attractions of the southern part of the country. As a result of cleaning, 6.8 tons of garbage, accumulated over 30 years, were removed. Professional climbers and more than 30 volunteers from the local community were recruited for this event. They also took a special course on waste management. GREEN TOUR and the waste collection and sorting Tazar App team signed a cooperation agreement to boost implementation of SCP practices among tourism businesses. Activities will include: functionality improvement, translation of the app into Kyrgyz, wide promotion among actors in the tourism sector. Following the easing of quarantine measures, the project held a series of sustainable management workshops for representatives of tour operators and accommodation facilities in three cities in Kyrgyzstan. Anula Galewska, an international tourism consultant, was invited to speak. During the workshops, over 150 participants had the opportunity not only to learn about sustainable tourism and management, but also to share their experience and knowledge, and network with potential partners. In addition, all participants received institutional and practical assistance on how to register in the Travelife programme. Seven companies were able to move to the second of the three stages of the programme, a proof of their commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. Change Happens on the Ground, Leading by Example Regina Gataulina, International Guide for Central Asia, UNWTO and WFTGA accredited The sustainable tourism concept is a must to follow. The key mission in my daily operations is to minimize negative impact on the community and environment, preserve cultural and natural heritage and maximize positive impact on the local economy. We stopped using single-use plastics and animals in our tours long before. We have adjusted our tours to cover regions in need and promote local handicrafts. The sustainability management course has helped me become even more responsible and make decisions that have a positive effect on the community. I am happy to see that the tourists have become more conscious and responsible in choosing the service providers committed to sustainability. Abdirasul Akmatov, Eco House Osh Guest House owner/Chairman of Destination Osh Public Union We started with a 4-room guest house in 2009, and today we have 12 rooms. This is a family business. In 2019 we began thinking about green technologies. The GREEN TOUR trainings on sustainability management greatly helped me understand that sustainability is not a costly investment. We can start taking small steps towards setting up a sustainable business. After the course, we became more aware of waste management operations. In 2021 we began sorting waste into: paper, glass, plastic and construction waste. Food waste is taken by our neighbors. The municipal waste collection service is pleased to pick-up the sorted waste. Since 2019 we are also building a new hotel high in the mountains of Alai raion (www.pamiralpinehotel.com). The area has no electricity but we have installed solar panels. The hotel will be an eco-hotel with a proper waste management system. The knowledge gained in the sustainability management course has been extremely valuable in planning this new hotel. Sergey Gluhoverov, Travel Experts, Tour Operator Sergey has attended GREEN TOUR’s sustainability management courses and started implementing sustainability principles in his tours. Watch his video!
On March 19, 2021, a solemn presentation of Travelife Partner certificates to 7 Kyrgyz tour operators took place in Bishkek: · Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators (КАТО) · Kyrgyz Guides · Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA) · Travel Experts · Visit Kyrgyzstan · Eco Nomad · NoviNomad The ceremony took place during the event following the results of the first year of implementation of the Greentour: Sustainable Tourism in Kyrgyzstan Project. The certificates were presented by the representative of the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms Anna Soltysik-Pawlic, the Regional Director of Helvetas Central Asia, Ms Anja de Beer, and the international expert on sustainable tourism, Ms Anula Galewska. There are three stages of Travelife certification: 1) Participation in Travelife; 2) Partnership in Travelife; 3) Travelife certification. Earlier, as part of the project, a number of workshops on sustainable tourism were organized in the cities of Bishkek, Osh and Karakol, in which about 200 representatives of tour operators and accommodation facilities received institutional assistance in obtaining international Travelife certificates, as a result of which they became participants in the program. However, the above 7 tour operators did not stop there and did a great job to move to the second stage. “The Travelife Partner level is a proof of their commitment to sustainability in tourism through sustainable approaches and responsible travel. Participation in the certification program is paid, but the Greentour Project supports local tour operators and accommodation facilities not only in increasing their potential, but also in their free participation in the Travelife program. This became possible thanks to our partner in the implementation of the project - the European Center for Ecological and Agricultural tourism (ECEAT),” said Manager of the Greentour Project Nargiza Kudaiberdieva. * For reference: The Greentour project is funded by the European Union’s SWITCH-Asia program and implemented by the Helvetas Intercooperation GGMBH in cooperation with the European Center for Ecological and Agricultural tourism - Stichting Netherlands (ECEAT), the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators (KATO) and the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA). The Travelife Sustainability System was created in 2007. It is an initiative dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of tourism and the tourism industry. Travelife management requirements are in line with ISO 14001 and EMAS. The technical requirements include the full set of ISO 26000 and OECD corporate social responsibility principles, which include working conditions, human rights, environmental issues, biodiversity and fair business practices.
Location: Alai and Chon-Alai districts. Assignment periods: March 29 to December 10, 2021. Objects: Provision of outsourcing services for two cooperatives "Alai Too Aseli" and "Chon-Alai Baly", in order to ensure the sustainable operation of cooperatives for the production of quality honey and increase production volumes. The main result of the assignment - Cooperatives "Alai Too Aseli" and "Chon-Alai Baly" are conducting sustainable activities, effectively implemented their operational plans for 2021, increased the production of high-quality honey by 30% compared to the previous year as a result of high-quality management and marketing. General tasks Provide a detailed action plan for the provision of services, taking into account the tasks set, for discussion and approval by the project team; Provide descriptive reports: - submit the first descriptive report no later than June 15, 2021; - submit the second descriptive report no later than September 15, 2021; - submit the third final descriptive report no later than November 30, 2021. Application Procedure Candidates should send the following documents to the following e-mail: Nurgul.Tashtanova@helvetas.org, no later than March 17, 2021. List of application documents · Certificate of registration of a legal entity; · Letter of interest describing the experience of conducting similar tasks; · CVs of key performers with experience performing similar tasks; · Plan of activities, implementation schedule, a detailed budget on 2021. Basic requirements for a potential consultant or potential organization: - Knowledge of market quality requirements for honey and basic food safety requirements, including HACCP principles and technical regulations; - Knowledge and experience in accounting, taxation of cooperative activities; - Knowledge and experience of building and conducting effective marketing in the beekeeping sector; - Experience of at least 3 years in the field of beekeeping and working with beekeepers and cooperatives is an advantage; - Experience in working with local non-governmental organizations, international organizations (at least 3 years); - Registration of a legal entity (LLC or PF)
On March 2-5, 2021, a four-day workshop on sustainable tourism was held in Bishkek within the framework of the Greentour Project. The workshop program was divided into 2 parts: March 2-3 for tour operators and March 4-5 for accommodation facilities. In total, the event was attended by over 60 representatives of large and small tour operators of inbound and outbound tourism, independent guides and tour organizers, representatives of guest houses, hotels, resorts and ski resorts, as well as government bodies. During the event, participants were able to gain valuable new information on various issues, including: • Concept of sustainability in tourism. • Development of sustainable tourism products • Effective communication with clients and partners about achievements in the field of sustainable development • Working with communities; • Responsibility in dealing with tourists with special needs; • Sustainable marketing and sales • Conservation of water and energy • Waste management In addition, issues such as the responsible use of animals and birds during tours, the peculiarities of working with tourists of a special category (children, the elderly, PWDs), as well as possible ways of cooperation and the implementation of joint projects were discussed. It is worth noting that the workshop was held in an interactive format, thanks to which the participants were given the opportunity to share their experience, vision and development plans. In turn, the participants of the workshop noted the importance of such events, as well as the high professionalism of the lecturer of the workshop, Ms. Anula Galewska, who is an international consultant on sustainable tourism. “The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world, we need to adapt to new realities and, accordingly, we need to pay special attention to the development of domestic tourism. But this requires knowledge and skills, and the information that we received during the workshop - certification in hotels, work with staff, communication with guests, is of great value. I hope there will be more such events as this will help us significantly accelerate the development of the sustainable and responsible tourism sector in our country,” said one of the participants, Stella Bondareva, who has been working in the field of tourism for over 15 years. After completing the training, participants received support through the Travelife sustainable tourism platform in using and implementing the knowledge, methods and tools gained during the training. Interested companies have also received all the support they need to apply and obtain the Travelife Partner sustainability certification. “Previously, we worked without thinking about internal reports, planning, communications, thanks to the information received during the workshop, as well as Travelife, we understood how we can make our work as effective as possible, I am very glad that I was able to take a part at this workshop and I hope that in the future I will be able to participate in other similar events,” said Nargiza Askarbekova, a representative of the Son-Kol yurt camp. The Greentour Project is implemented by the representative office of Helvetas Intercooperation GmbH in the Kyrgyz Republic in partnership with KATO, KCBT and ECEAT. The project is funded by the European Union’s SWITCH-Asia Program.
The main goal of the training is to train women candidates in leadership skills and participation in electoral processes in two project (Jalal-Abad and Issyk-Kul) regions and thus contribute to increasing the participation and representation of women in local council elections. The training was attended by 29 female candidates from 11 project municipalities of the Issyk-Kul region selected on the basis of competition. During three days of the intensive training women were acquainted with the most important topics and extensive information on leadership and effective communication skills with population, as well as information about the legal framework of the Kyrgyz Republic regulating the basis and system of local self-government bodies. Having been introduced to the strategies of development and implementation of pre-election programs and following campaigning on the third day, the participants independently developed and presented their pre-election programs and plans for their implementation. The participants were also informed about the 30% quota for women in local councils and the rules of registration and campaigning in accordance with the requirements of the CEC (Central Election Commission) and the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On the election of deputies of local councils”. Most participants stated that they were facing many obstacles in expressing their willingness to run the elections. Some of the participants mentioned the embedded stereotypes about “no place for women in politics”, while others mentioned the regular criticism regarding their age: young women are excluded under the pretext of the lack of experience and knowledge, whereas the elder women are asked to give way to the youth and stay home with grandchildren. In some cases, even if they are supported and asked to nominate their candidacy, they still have doubts in their abilities and knowledge. But the knowledge gained during the three-day training, as spotlighted by women, helped them to increase their confidence and determination in running campaign in the local elections. One of the participants pointed out that rural women in many cases were deprived of access to information, did not possess knowledge about local budget or financial literacy. Due to these reasons they experience the difficulty of taking part in respective processes at the local level. Another participant highlighted that it was the poor level of living conditions of the village residents that pushed her to run the elections and become a deputy. In her speech about the Leadership School she said: “I work as a professor at the К. Tynystanov University in Karakol town. Despite my work in the town, I lived all my life in a village. I decided to run the elections to the local council based on my observations on how the life of the population in the village has been deteriorating, especially for women. Because I believe that women are more responsible and always complete the initiated activities. They look at any problem as through a magnifying glass and see the finest complexities and try to solve them. Therefore, they must participate in decision-making processes at the local level" - Asanalieva Kiyal, the October AA. On the last day of the training, participants shared their feedback on the Leadership School for Local Councils’ Women Candidates and noted that the content of the School program exceeded their expectations. Among the participants there were several members of local councils who, in turn, also acknowledged that they had had a dearth of knowledge about the mentioned topics, despite their work as in the local councils. Ainura Omurkanova, a deputy in the “October” local council, expressed her gratitude to the organizers of the training and noted the following: “I am the only woman among 21 deputies in the local council of the “October” municipality. When I became a deputy first time, no one taught us, and we assumed office without any knowledge about the activities of deputies or the system of local self-government bodies. We had to learn as we work and study the laws on our own. For me, the lack of such knowledge was also a kind of barrier impeding my successful work. But today, after a three-day training, I can say with confidence that I gained knowledge about effective communications with the population, the rules for running an election campaign (without violating the Law), and the most important topics for me were the process of forming local budget, functions and duties of deputies as people`s representatives.” The project representatives and trainers believe that at the moment it is important to assist women candidates in their preparations for the elections in local councils regardless of their age. Thus, the main task of the Project is to support women throughout the entire process by providing consultations following the completion of the Leadership School. Next week, from 25 to 27 February, the Leadership School for Local Councils’ Women Candidates will be held in the project municipalities of the Jalal-Abad region. As a result of the competition, 41 women were selected for the participation in the School.
Through an integrated business-led approach, the Greentour project mobilizes and mentors Kyrgyz tour operators and their suppliers to adapt and promote sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices throughout their supply chains and business processes. This includes using local suppliers, purchasing environmentally friendly products, plastic reduction, conserving natural resources and applying socially responsible ways of interacting with local communities. Furthermore, the capacity of travel associations to provide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advisory services will be improved to spread the sustainable tourism practices. Food waste is one of the sustainability issues. In line with other activities on improving waste management in the tourism and hospitality sector, Greentour will work with the HORECA segment on minimizing waste and integration of the sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices by the actors in the tourism value chain. Greentour Project requests proposals from the qualified consultants to conduct a review of the situation with food waste in the hospitality sector. The review should cover: - An overview of the existing standards related to food waste; - An overview of the food waste practices applied by the hospitality businesses of various categories (to be agreed with the project); - An overview of the recent studies and initiatives implemented in Kyrgyzstan in these area and the recommendations developed. Based on the collected data and analyzed materials, the consultant is expected to develop recommendations that businesses may gradually introduce or integrate into the existing practices to improve the food waste management at their properties. As a final deliverable, the food waste standard expert is expected to produce a report with the collected data, findings, sources/materials and a set of recommendations. Attachments shall include the transcripts of conducted interviews; links to the conducted online surveys; copies of questionnaires (if surveys will be conducted offline); photos of working group discussions. The food waste standard expert is expected to use the following tools in performing the task: - Desk review of the available resources (national and international); - Review of the relevant standards currently in force; - Visits to the selected enterprises; - Survey of the relevant stakeholders (HORECA segment businesses, tourism associations, relevant regulatory bodies and other); - Interviews with the relevant stakeholders; - Analysis of collected data; - Report preparation. DOWNLOAD TOR
