Travel Reference
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its desired positioning, personality and subsequent relationships, all of
which are later presented to reflect the stakeholders' actual and aspiration-
al self-images” (Konecnik and Go, 2008, p. 179). In line with Govers and
Go (2004) for whom the destination image needs to be projected by the
destination management organization, this topic chapter discusses various
concepts and definitions of authenticity applied to ecocultural tourism de-
velopment in the country. Conclusions will be made on how Kazakhstan
can incorporate the notion of authenticity to develop its tourism destina-
tion' brand identity as well as enhance the sustainability of its ecocultural
tourism products and services.
AUTHENTICITY AND SUSTAINABLE ECOCULTURAL TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT IN KAZAKHSTAN
ECOCULTURAL TOURISM DURING THE SOVIET ERA
According to the voluntary Society for Proletarian Tourism that emerged
in the late 1920s, “a tourist was a traveler who embarked on a purpose-
ful journey, a circuit using the traveler's own physical powers, by foot,
boat, bicycle, or horseback” (Gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Rossiiskoi feder-
atsii (GARF), 1930). “Beginning in 1939, Soviet citizens could earn the
badge 'Turist SSSR' by completing a six-day trip and demonstrating skills
in pitching a tent, lighting a fire, and orienteering using a compass” (Na
sushe i na more, 1935). Koenker (2003, pp. 658-659) details that during
Soviet Union time, “travelers in search of pleasure could take excursions;
and tourism was meant to involve work, the enhancement of one's in-
tellectual and physical capital, but not leisure […]. Travelling was syn-
onymous to escape from collective norms and patterns, to discover new
territories, new experiences, to be the first to encounter a mountain peak,
a waterfall, a hidden lake, or an unknown ethnic group.” Koenker (2003,
p. 661) further informs when referring to various periodicals during the
Soviet era that the nation-building of tourism and travel was also created
from “patriotic tours of civil war and world war battle-fields, excursions to
the house-museums of famous revolutionary leaders and cultural figures,
as well as visits to exemplary industrial and agricultural sights.”
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