Deficiency of professional guides, extremely "soft" law and the lack of interaction between domestic travel agencies - this is an incomplete list of problems, which does not allow to develop the domestic tourist industry

Tourist reality of Kazakhstan

While Kazakhstani tourism industry detects its weak points, the guides from the neighboring countries actively earn on Kazakhstani attractions, according to the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs. Guides from Kyrgyzstan, which come together with the tourists from their countries, conduct tours around Kazakhstan and take profits back to their country, which are not subject to any taxes. However, there is no guarantee of quality or security. Moreover, foreign guides who do not have enough information about the history, nature, culture and archeology of the country, cause enormous damage to the image and reputation of Kazakhstan as well as the budget of the region, as depriving local entrepreneurs to sell their tourism products.

However, should we wonder why the foreign tour operators seize the business in Kazakhstan, while there are hardly any people, who can render  such services.

According to NCE RK "Atameken", currently, there are only a few companies that provide guide services, and they show only known objects without revealing tourist possibilities of the region in its entirety. Whether out of ignorance or because of the lack of interest.

Meanwhile, the law "On tourism activities" stipulates the provision on  the introduction of state electronic registers of travel agents, tour guides, interpreters, guides and instructors of tourism, who submitted a notification on the commencement of such activities and got accredited. And there is such a register at the Department of Tourism industry MID RK. At the beginning of 2016 there were 19 excursion guides and 12 guides. At the same time 17 excursion guides and 11 guides render live in Astana and 2 excursion guides and one guide live in Pavlodar.

In addition to the official state register, placed on the website of the Department of the tourism industry, there is a voluntary registry, which is maintained by the Kazakhstani Tourist Association. At the end of last year the registry included slightly more than 60 tour guides. And most of the accredited professionals are concentrated in Almaty – 34, there are 14 people in Akmola region, 6 in Taraz, 3 in Aktobe, 2 in Karaganda, 1 in Uralsk and 1 in Pavlodar and none in Astana.

According to one of the guides included in this register, the methodologist of the highest category Bakhyt Orazymbetova, who is also engaged in the training of specialists for the tourism industry, such a modest list indicates that the profession of the excursion guide becomes rare and not very prestigious.

Young people do not choose this occupation. And I even understand them. If previously in the Soviet times, we earned 200-300 rubles per season, the current guides barely earn 100 thousand tenge during high season. Currently, only those who know more than one language can earn more or less, and there are few of them. In Soviet times, during the winter we were sent for training to Samarkand, Bukhara, St. Petersburg, the state was engaged, and now they rarely remember about us and only when things really get bad. In old days a travel agency employeed 60 full-time tour guides and more than 300 part-time, and all of them were in demand, they even could earn extra during spare time. And now tour guides don’t have enough workload. The reason is lack of development of domestic tourism", - complains Bakhyt Orazymbetova.

But if professional staff is in short supply, there are more than enough non-professionals. And it is not about foreign "invaders." In Astana, for example, anyone who wishes works as a tour guide, regardless of qualification. According to the president of the Metropolitan Association of Tourism Rysty Karabaeva, the lack of order and development of the service market lies in undeveloped requirements and rules of the game for the guides, which is the task of Akimats, and the absence of a registry of local experts.

"Recently, two young native of South Kazakhstan region addressed to the Association, who do not speak foreign languages, but in spite of that, it appears that within the last 3-5 years, they rendered tour services to foreigners for 5000 tenge per hour. They walk with signs near Khan Shatyr, and their services are used, because of the lack of other offers. When asked what you tell them, they replied: "Basically, we show attraction sites". They wanted to buy at the association a certificate of completion of training, but I have refused them and suggested instead to undergo 3 months training. To what they replied that they had no time to study, as they need to earn money. Capital Tourism Association has repeatedly raised the issue on the regulation of excursion guides in Astana, but the city ignores this problem. For example, the expert council under Akimat refused to consider this issue in February", - she said.

NCE RK "Atameken" also believe that the lack of approved qualification requirements to guides and excursion guides in Kazakhstan, as well as control mechanisms for compliance with statutory requirements in the provision of these services makes this market chaotic.

In addition, the Chamber considers the lack of legal status of guides, guides-interpreters, tourist instructors and excursion guides to be a huge problem. According to experts, the law "About tourist activity" in Kazakhstan has almost identical definition without explaining the functions, rights and responsibilities of these professionals: "A guide – is a professionally trained individual who is qualified to provide tours and information, organizational services to tourists, to acquaint with tourist resources at the country (place) of temporary stay. A guide (guide-interpreters) – is a professionally trained individual, providing excursion and informational, organizational services to tourists, to acquaint with tourist resources at the country (place) of temporary stay".

International experience

Unlike in Kazakhstan, it is quite difficult for guides abroad to obtain permission to conduct tours, even in another region of the country. For example, there is the concept of a "national guide" in France, Italy and other Western European countries – it is a person who has such a level of knowledge and expertise about their country and can work in any of its region, and has a special professional card, which is issued to the holders of a diploma of a national guide-interpreter, as well as a diploma in the field of art, culture, archeology and architecture, who successfully passed the examination at the Ministry of tourism.

In Israel, for example, to be licensed guide it is required to pass a two-year high priced course with a rich program that includes archeology, history of religions, the study of the flora and fauna of Israel, and then undergo training, pass the state exams and undergo periodic refresher course for confirmation of the obtained license. In Japan, from 1^st of October 2007 was also introduced a ban on unlicensed guides. And in Hong Kong since 2010 was introduced a system of "penalty points" for the tour guides. If the guide is gaining 30 penalty points for 2 years, his license shall be automatically suspended.

In the countries of the Customs Union, the issue of the excursion services is also very seriously treated. For example, in neighboring Russia there is an Association of guides -interpreters, excursion guides and tour managers, which organizes a full-fledged training and retraining of specialists. And in Uzbekistan with a strong school of guides and interpreters, for a guide from one city to obtain the right to conduct tours in another city, it is required to pass a very serious examination on the knowledge of all the monuments and the history of each city. The work of tour guides in Uzbekistan is governed by such legal acts, as the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers "On approval of the Regulation on licensing of tourist activity" and "Order of certification of tourist services".

The department of the service sector of NCE RK "Atameken" believes that it's high time for Kazakhstan to follow the example of foreign colleagues, and to take into account the strategic importance of literacy training of tour guides in the country, as well as to monitor the quality of provided services. In particular, prior to the international exhibition EXPO-2017, it is necessary to regulate the activity of tour guides through compulsory licensing or certification training and exams, as well as proficiency every three years, to form the qualifications and responsibilities for guides to obtain an accreditation card according to the approved pattern.

Among the main requirements for the guides, according to experts of the Chamber should be: confirmation of language knowledge through international tests like TOEFL, IELTS, DAAD, Kaztest, mandatory practical training in the form of passage of at least two excursions routes as a member and at least two routes as a test guide. By the way, similar requirements are applied to the guides in London, Vienna, Paris, and Moscow.

Set clear rules of the game

NCE RK "Atameken" offers to make changes and additions to the existing Code of Administrative Offences. To prohbit excursion services out of the territory, permitted by the certificate, and to introduce administrative penalties up to expulsion from the country for the provision of excursion services by foreign persons. Today, the provision of the law "On tourism activities", authorizing only Kazakhstani residents  to engage in excursion activities, does not work. And as one of the measures of administrative penalty for the Kazakhstani guides, it is proposed to suspend or to terminate the certificate in the case of violation of the rules of rendering excursion services. For example, in such cases as: transfer of accreditation cards to others; illegally obtained accreditation; reasonable complaints from travel agencies, display objects and museums, and tourists themselves.

Clear rules by which will live Kazakhstani tourist industry would have a positive economic impact on the regions, SMEs, and the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation between Kazakhstan tour operators could be foundation for the development of domestic tourism.