An updated master plan for tourism in the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor (ABEC) was presented in Bishkek. The document was prepared with the support of the Asian Development Bank, emphasising sustainable development and ‘green’ tourism. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Economy.
According to them, the master plan covers the territories of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and aims to develop tourist clusters, transport connectivity, and investment projects along the corridor.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Department of Tourism, relevant departments, administrations of Chui and Issyk-Kul regions, business, and international organisations.
As noted, the original version of the document was approved in 2019. The update takes into account changes in the tourism market after the pandemic and includes new sustainability elements.
Among the key directions:
Ms. Aisha Mambetalieva, director of Kyrgyz Tourism LLC, president of the Kyrgyz Association of Tourism Organizations participated in the event and discussed key points on regional cooperation. Group discussions on the flagship project and green initiatives were prioritised and shared among the participants.
Roundtable participants discussed priority initiatives and possible flagship projects. It is expected that the implementation of the master plan will attract investments from international financial institutions, states, and the private sector.
The Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor is seen as one of the key projects for regional integration and tourism development in Central Asia.
https://www.almaty-bishkek.org/what-is-abec
