The Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic has submitted a draft government resolution for public discussion that could change the rules of the tourism market. The department proposes introducing compulsory civil liability insurance for tour operators. In fact, tour operators will be required to insure tourists. Without such a contract, companies will not be able to operate legally in the market. By the end of 2025, inbound tourist flow to Kyrgyzstan reached a historic maximum. The industry’s contribution to the country’s economy approached 74.3 billion soms. However, the growth in popularity has a downside — more accidents, especially in extreme tourism. Currently, expenses for search and rescue operations and evacuation of victims, including MChS helicopters, often fall on the state budget. The new rules should shift part of these financial risks to insurance companies. According to the draft, the obligation to conclude an insurance contract will be fully placed on tour operators. The policy can be issued in paper or electronic form. Developers propose setting different liability limits for insurance companies depending on the complexity of routes: 3 million soms — for traditional tourism: cultural-educational, beach and health trips; 5 million soms — for extreme tourism: mountaineering, rafting, skiing and trekking in hard-to-reach areas. According to preliminary calculations by the Ministry of Economy, insurance for one tourist will cost about 400–500 soms per day, or from 3 thousand to 10 thousand soms for the entire tour. The authors of the initiative believe that this will increase the total cost of the tour by no more than 1–2%. For extreme tourism enthusiasts, the compulsory insurance contract must cover search and rescue expenses for at least 3 days. Compulsory insurance is to become a mandatory condition for inclusion of companies in the Unified State Register of Tour Operators. Operating without an insurance contract will threaten exclusion from the register and a ban on legal activities.
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