The 15th meeting of the Tourism Council of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in Kyrgyzstan
The 15th meeting of the Tourism Council of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in Kyrgyzstan
The 15th meeting of the Council for Tourism of the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was held in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan).
The meeting was attended by representatives of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus and Armenia, as well as officials of the CIS Business Council and the Secretariat of the Tourism Council.
At the meeting, where the possibilities and potential of cooperation in the field of tourism between the countries under consideration were discussed, the growing need to create a common tourist space based on the existing cultural, historical and economic ties between Russia and Belarus with other CIS countries under the influence of sanctions was noted.
In his speech at the opening of the meeting, Head of the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Economy and Trade of Kyrgyzstan Maksat Usubaliyev said that tourism plays an important role in the development of the country's economy and said: "I would like to state that tourism in Kyrgyzstan is currently on the right path of development."
He stressed that in addition to the necessary legal framework, favorable conditions have been created in the country for the work of organizations and enterprises in the tourism industry.
Recalling that Kyrgyzstan has introduced a simplified visa regime for citizens of 80 countries, Usubaliyev stated that last year 8 million 557 thousand 136 tourists visited Kyrgyzstan, 5 million 274 tourists from Uzbekistan, 2 million 352 thousand from Kazakhstan, 826 thousand 898 from the Russian Federation, 48 thousand from Turkey and from China – 38 thousand.
Usubaliyev said that in 2021, 142 million 400 thousand dollars were received from foreign guests, in 2022 - 696 million 400 thousand dollars, and in 2023 - 994 million 400 thousand dollars.
Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurtas Karipbayev said in a statement that tourism is an important tool for cultural exchange and explained that the issue of joint tours was discussed at the meeting.
Karipbayev said that in 2023, about 9 million 200 thousand foreign guests will come to Kazakhstan, and tour operators are paid $ 33 for each foreign tourist.
Advisor to the chairman of the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Tourism Farkhod Fayzillayev said that 7 million foreign tourists visited his country in 2023 and 10 million tourists are expected this year.
During the meeting, the traditions of the Kyrgyz people and the tourism potential of Uzbekistan and Belarus were presented.