Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
develop metal working and to exploit the mineral and energy resources
there. The Soviets also developed the hydro-electric potential of the re-
gion by using the fast-flowing rivers of the country (Anderson, 1999). De-
spite these changes, the Kyrgyz mostly continued to live in rural areas,
preserving their traditional values. Even during the Soviet era, “harshly
imposed social reforms” (Öraz, 2006) could eradicate this structure. As
such, one of the most visible characteristics of the Kyrgyz people would
be kinship-based solidarity mechanisms in which “respect to the elders” is
“one of the most fundamental principles of intergenerational interaction”
(Beyer, 2010). These solidarity mechanisms would then be enlarged into
clan-based or tribal loyalties and have a deep impact on the post-Soviet
political processes and rivalries as well (Abdibaitova, 2009; Juraev, 2010).
In the post-Soviet era, all of these geographical and historical condi-
tions influenced the development of tourism in the country. The next part
will focus on the opportunities of Kyrgyzstan to have a vibrant and pro-
gressing tourism sector.
OPPORTUNITIES OF KYRGYZSTAN FOR DEVELOPING ITS
TOURISM SECTOR
The tourism sector, being “the world's largest industry” according to some
accounts (Kennedy and D'Arcy, 2009) is considered to have great poten-
tial for the economies of developing countries in a competitive and global-
ized world (Özdil and Yılmaz, 2008). According the W.T.O. (World Trade
Organization), “tourism has every reason to become a major economic
alternative for Central Asian countries.” 5 This seems to be especially the
case for Kyrgyzstan in which tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors
(Boz, 2008). As indicated by Oktay (2011) “As a tourist destination, Kyr-
gyzstan can truly lay claim to the title of Pearl of Central Asia.” Likewise,
being a country of rare natural beauty, Kyrgyzstan has been referred as
“the Switzerland of Asia” (Gleason, 2003). The country has an unspoiled
and undiscovered nature (Capisani, 2000) with a clean air and relatively
5 “According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Tourism has Every Reason to Become a
Major Economic Alternative for Central Asian Countries,” Newspaper Source Plus , M2PressWIRE,
February 7, 2006, http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?sid=c745fb73-aa04-45ba-afac-58f1333fd7fa
%40sessionmgr12&vid=5&hid=116&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwJnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3
d#db=n5h&AN=16PU52217872 (accessed December 9, 2011).
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