UN Tourism in Kazakhstan: Sustainability, education and innovation for tourism development

On an official visit, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololkiashvili met with the President of Kazakhstan, His Excellency, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to discuss avenues for closer collaboration around shared goals.

In the framework of his visit to Astana, the Secretary-General participated in a round table hosted by the President’s Affairs office which brought together country’s tourism stakeholders to discuss the current state of Kazakhstan’s tourism sector, its challenges and strategic priorities. A Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports sets out key areas for collaboration to develop tourism in an inclusive and sustainable way.

Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “UN Tourism is proud to work with the Republic of Kazakhstan to harness the unparalleled power of sustainable tourism to drive growth and support development. By working together to promote innovation and drive investments into the sector, we can create many new jobs, support businesses of all sizes and preserve and promote at the same time Kazakhstan’s rich heritage, environment and culture.”

Collaboration in innovation and investments
Alongside the meeting with President Tokayev, the UN Tourism delegation also held high-level talks with both the Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabossynov, and the Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, Zhaslan Madiyev. Discussions focused on the implementation of the MoU signed between the two parties, recognizing the importance of strengthening the tourism sector across the Republic.

Under the terms of the MoU, UN Tourism will cooperate with the Ministry in the following areas:

• Sustainable development of destinations: To support the sustainable development of various destinations across the Republic of Kazakhstan, including promotional efforts to attract international visitors and diversifying the social and economic benefits the sector delivers.
• Digitalization in Tourism: To develop and implement digital tools and platforms to enhance the tourist experience, to foster the use of innovative technologies, and to support smart travel development through joint efforts towards a first global hub for Digitalization in Tourism in Astana.
• Education and Training: To develop training programs and exchange programs and scholarships for students and professionals to gain international exposure, as well as supporting the creation of research centres, including the possibility of a new International Academy in the country.
• Innovation in tourism: To promote innovation in tourism by fostering creative solutions, and to develop and support a tourism innovation ecosystem that nurtures talent and entrepreneurs, driving growth and sustainability.
• Investment promotion in tourism: To share knowledge of the promotion of investment for the tourism sector, to foster collaboration, and to conduct joint research projects to gather data and insights on tourism trends, impacts, and investment opportunities in the Republic of Kazakhstan and its regions.

Celebrating nomad culture and tourism
On the occasion of the official visit to Kazakhstan, the UN Tourism leadership was invited to the opening of the 5th World Nomad Games. The international competition aims to uphold nomad traditions and serves as a tourist attraction but also a means of preserving unique cultural heritage. The World Nomad Games are included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

The article UN Tourism in Kazakhstan: Sustainability, education and innovation for tourism development first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.