Published
02/04/2026, 16:36Today, 4 February, Erdenet Kasymov, Director of the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, spoke at an industry panel session on tourism as part of the B5+1 Central Asia-US Business Forum.
Erdenet Kasymov stated that regional integration in Central Asia could yield rapid and tangible results, particularly in the tourism sector.
"For tourists from distant markets, Central Asia is perceived as a single space, and this is an opportunity that is important to exploit jointly. President Sadyr Zhaparov at the Central Asia-US Summit (C5+1) held on 6 November in Washington, as well as in the context of regional intergovernmental events in Central Asian countries, consistently highlights tourism as one of the key areas, emphasising its role as a powerful tool for bringing peoples closer together and putting forward the idea of creating a single regional tourism space", — Kasymov said.
He noted that the Kyrgyz Republic supports the concept of promoting Central Asia as a single tourist destination in the markets of the United States, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia.
‘In these markets, tourists do not choose one country — they choose a unique experience. It is the Silk Road routes, mountain and cultural tours combining 3-5 countries that are of greatest interest to international tour operators’, — explained the head of the tourism department.
As specific measures, he noted the need to transition to joint tourism products, including routes combining Kyrgyzstan's mountain and adventure tourism with the historical cities of neighbouring countries, as well as tours that reveal the region's common nomadic heritage.
‘Kyrgyzstan views the regional brand, including the Open Central Asia concept, not as a replacement for national brands, but as an add-on that strengthens each country. A practical step is the coordinated participation of Central Asian countries in key international tourism exhibitions and the synchronisation of priority promotion markets,’ he noted.
Speaking about the quality of service in the industry, Erdenet Kasymov emphasised that tourists evaluate the entire route, and a decline in the level of service in one section affects the perception of the region as a whole.
He also noted the importance of unifying basic quality standards, developing human resources and joint educational initiatives, as well as scaling up the experience of community-based tourism (CBT).
Separately, the head of the tourism department emphasised the importance of simplifying border procedures and developing transport infrastructure.
‘Even the strongest marketing does not work if tourists face logistical barriers. To develop regional routes, it is critical to ensure seamless movement within the region. The Kyrgyz Republic consistently supports the simplification and digitisation of visa and border procedures’, — Kasymov concluded.
