KAZAKHSTAN’S TOURISM PRODUCT AND ITS POTENTIAL IN THE
CURRENT CONDITIONS
E.A.Bulda
Master
student, department of
"Tourism and Restaurant Business",
Karaganda Economic University
of Kazpotrebsoyuz
Tourism is a priority area in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main
purpose of the development of tourism in Kazakhstan is to create a modern,
highly effective and competitive tourist complex, which will provide all the
necessary conditions for the development of the industry as a sector of the
economy, integration into the global tourism market and development of further
international cooperation in the field of tourism, the inflow of investments
into the country.
Tourism as a
sector of the national economy produces the product, which has to correspond to
the market categories of demand and supply. In this regard, it is necessary to
distinguish between the international market, oriented to the foreign consumers
and domestic market, intended for citizens of Kazakhstan. [1]
International
tourism market today is a giant mechanism of multibillion dollars transactions and
fierce competitive struggle. Therefore, the priority goal is to determine the
tourism product that has unique features, peculiar only to Kazakhstan, but it
also have to be in demand. This will determine the segments of the market in which
Kazakhstan’s tourism product will have the best prospects.
Based on the
analysis with account of recommendations of the WTO and existing experience, there
are two basic components of Kazakhstan’s tourist product: Cultural Tourism on
the Silk Road (pilgrimages and traditional) and closely related to it - eco-adventure tourism (safari, rafting,
ornithological, tracking, mountaineering, hunting , fishing). Therefore, it’s
necessary to point out the regions provided with resources for eco-adventure
tourism, through which the Silk Road route passes: Almaty, Zhambyl, South
Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan and Akmola regions.
In addition, there
are state national natural parks (SNNP) which are characterized by a high
degree of attractiveness of landscapes, affordability, and development of area in
terms of tourism. The following state
national natural parks, existent and planned, should also be attributed to the
objects of the priority development: SNNP "Ile-Alatau", SNNP
"Altyn-Emel" (Almaty region), SNNP " Aksu Zhabagly" (South-Kazakhstan
region), SNNP "Bayan-Aul "(Pavlodar region), SNNP "Karkaraly"
(Karaganda region), SNNP "Burabay" and "Kokshetau" on the
base of Shchuchinsk-Borovsky resort, State
natural reserve "Korgalzhyn" (Akmola region).
It’s necessary to
consider the specific character of tourism in the Central Asian region. In the
segments of the Silk Road and adventure tourism, the main stream of foreign
tourists aims at constant moving within the whole specified region: Kazakhstan,
Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region of China (PRC), Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and
Turkmenistan. [2]
Thus,
Kazakhstan's tourism product can be effectively introduced in the market only
as part of integrated Central Asian tourism product, which suggests the
following:
- Institutional
elements of tourism products should be agreed at the intergovernmental level;
- Kazakhstan's
tourism product must not concede (at least in the price / quality ratio) to tourism
products of our neighbors in the region;
A distinctive
feature of the Kazakhstan’s tourist product is the seasonality of its
character, which requires the adoption of certain measures and the development
of alternative tourism in the off-season.
Infrastructure
that corresponds to the above mentioned segments has certain requirements. There
are should be simple, relatively inexpensive small scale (within 25-100 seats)
accommodation facilities (permanent and temporary), located on the tourist
routes in ecologically clean places designed to accommodate clients for 2-3
days.
Kazakhstan has
certain prospects in the segment of business tourism. These are in the first
instance the cities of Almaty, Astana and Atyrau. Geopolitical location and raw
material resources can expect the increase of a number of business travelers
coming to Kazakhstan on business issues and participation in international
conventions. The infrastructure of the above mentioned centers is largely in
line with international standards. Almaty city is the strategic (air, road,
rail) gate for the country and the main migration is undergoing precisely
through this city. Along with its buildings and hotels, convenient for the
various forums, the city has everything you need for recreation and
entertainment. In addition there are wonderful recreational areas within 500 km
nearby city. Astana is also a strategic area. Growing interest to this city, as
the young capital of our state, which has a modern look and infrastructure,
will lead to the rapid development of international and domestic tourism.
Transport is the
major component of tourism product. Air travel plays an important role as a
means of carrying tourists to Kazakhstan. Therefore, the development and
strengthening of market positions of the national carrier is an extremely
important issue. It is necessary to
neutralize the effect of the fall of the competitiveness of national airlines
by opening flights on the same routes.
Considering the
vastness of the territory of the country, reliable bus and rail transport is
also of great importance. Tourists-individuals, who make up a large part of
these market segments, prefer independent travel on buses and trains. [3]
Internal tourism
market in most of the developed countries brings 30 to 50 percent of total
income from tourism. In this regard, Kazakhstan has good prospects. At the same
time, it should be noted that today, domestic tourism is largely spontaneous
and unorganized. An exception is the activity of the few resorts, sanatoriums
and tourist centers. Due to the lack of proper attention to the development of
this type of tourism, the state budget receives less money than it could,
infrastructure continues to crumble, as well as serious damage is caused to the
ecological status of the natural, cultural and historical monuments.
The development
of tourism, subsidized from extra-budgetary sources has a great economic
potential. Its goal is to create the conditions for traveling for students,
youth, seniors, the disabled, veterans of war and labor, and other citizens,
which are provided with the social support from the state, public and private
foundations, other charitable organizations and funds as the least wealthy of
the population using their right to rest.
However, people
with disabilities and the elderly, as an increasingly large group of consumers
of travel and other recreational activities in the world, as well as families
with children, who are also part of the growing market of the tourism industry,
do not have physical access to the majority of hotels, vehicles and tourist
attractions. Thus, the availability of tourist resources is an increasingly
important factor in the development of tourism. Despite the increase in the
number of tourists, which would improve access to tourism resources and
services, many tour operators have not yet realized the importance of taking
actions in this regard. Therefore it is necessary to develop a clear policy and
strategy to facilitate the accessibility of tourist resources, improve the
level of training of such personnel in the tourism industry, to raise public awareness
on the needs of travelers with disabilities and the importance of tourism in
socio-economic-development [4].
State and local
governments should continue to support small businesses, including those
working in the field of tourism. Charity, patronage and sponsorship of social
tourism should be encouraged.
Development of social
tourism, including regional, sports, amateur, recreational, cultural,
educational, environmental tourism, family travel, tourism for the elderly and
the disabled and youth tourism has great educational and patriotic
significance.
Institutional
elements of the formation of tourist product acquire significant role in
addressing all of these issues. [5]
Promotion of
tourist product with the trade name "Kazakhstan" requires not only a
clear definition of all its components and the location in a particular market
segment, but implies the search for the most effective distribution channels as
well as selection of target markets (eg, markets, Britain, Germany, Japan,
etc.).
Organization of information tours for foreign tour operators and media has
been implemented. Participants of so-called info-tours carry information about
Kazakhstan and appear to be real promoters of tourism potential abroad.
It is
necessary to publish and actively distribute high-quality printing and
audiovisual advertising materials about Kazakhstan abroad. Local history
publications, advertising and publishing, including tourist agencies and hotels
will promote attraction of tourists to Kazakhstan. Particular attention should
be paid to the use of advanced information technologies, including the creation
of WEB-sites of Kazakhstan’s tourist companies on the Internet.
Tourism is a global phenomenon, which according to its potential has its
main social goal as increasing the length and quality of life. The phenomenon
of modern tourism is manifested in the fact that the more opportunities for the
virtual knowledge of the world person receives, the more willing he has to go
for a real tourist trip. [6]
Most of the travel companies of Kazakhstan are agents of foreign
companies, that is why the outbound tourism dominates the inbound. This, in
turn, causes significant damage to the country's economy and makes it
impossible to fully solve urgent social problems.
The modern role of tourism in the long run, depends on the efficiency of
impact on lifetime and quality of people’s life. Economic effectiveness of the tourism industry consists in
renewability of resources and relative independence from other industries of
economics.
That is why elaboration of concepts for the development of tourism in
the world has a global nature and should be based on projections of long-term
human development.
First of
all, it is necessary to consider the ecological and demographic forecasts. Developing
the theory of international trade (which includes international tourism)
requires an analysis of the theory and practice of absolute and comparative advantage,
the ratio of the factors, the theory and practice of the life cycle of tourist
product. The main reason for the low level of investment in the tourism
industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the fact that most of the Kazakh
tourist agencies work on the export of capital from the country. Thus, the
increase in the number of tour operators firms in Kazakhstan will create the
conditions for stable income investments in the tourism industry of the country.
Modern economic tourism in the Republic of Kazakhstan has three trends:
a) commercial travel of citizens of Kazakhstan abroad, b) recreational and
educational citizens’ trips abroad c) tours of foreign citizens in Kazakhstan
and neighboring states.
Reforms in the social and economic life within the Republic have not
fully affected tourism and its infrastructure. Because of the weak material
base of tourism Kazakhstan loses millions of dollars each year, making it
necessary to attract investments in the tourist sector, as well as funds of
domestic and foreign investors.
For the development of the tourism infrastructure of the country,
capable of sustainable tourist arrivals considering the specifics of the
national tourism product, the following factors are necessary: development
of transport and road infrastructure for the use of the public and meeting the
needs of tourism; development of related infrastructure; creation of tourist
complexes, ethnographic museums and recreation areas; development of projects
and construction of tourist facilities.
References:
1. Æóðíàë «Òóðèçì» 2012ã.
2. Æóðíàë «Ìèðîâîé òóðèçì» 2009ã.,ñ 316-318
3. Æóðíàë «Ñòðàíà è ìèð» 2011-2012ãã.
4. Èëüèíà Å.Í. Òóðîïåðåéòèíã: ïðîäâèæåíèå òóðïðîäóêòà. Ó÷åáíèê – Ì.:
Ôèíàíñû è ñòàòèñòèêà. 2008. – ñ. 176.
5. Èëüèíà
Å.Í.Òóðîïåðåéòèíã: ñòðàòåãèÿ îáñëóæèâàíèÿ: ó÷åáíèê. –Ì.: Ôèíàíñû è ñòàòèñòèêà,
2008, -29