The Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the East Kazakhstan region actively contributes to the development of regional tourism. Today, the results of the East Kazakhstan region are indicative of other regional Chambers. Zhelyakova Oksana, deputy director of the regional chamber of the East Kazakhstan region, told about the work done in the sphere of tourism.

Establishment of a regional association in the field of tourism

In order to fulfill the assignment of the Chairman of the Presidium of NCE RK "Atameken" T. Kulibayev on consolidation of the tourist market of the region, the Chamber of the East Kazakhstan region realized the idea of ​​reviving the activities of the Tourist Association of East Kazakhstan. Today, about 50 companies are members of the regional association. These are such subjects as suburban recreation centers and roadside cafes, places of accommodation and food, travel agents and tour operators, educational institutions, artisans, as well as guides and others. Other potential members with are actively showing interest with which we also actively work on attraction in the Association.

"Through joint efforts with business the Chamber carried out the procedure of re-election of the Chairman, appointment of the Executive Director of the Association, as well as approval of a new membership of the founders of 5 companies. With our coordination, the drafts of the Work Plan, the Media Plan, and the Tasks for 2017 were prepared", - Oksana Zhelyakova shared.

Currently, the Chamber and the Association hold systematic meetings of representatives of the tourist industry, both in Ust-Kamenogorsk and outreach regions. On 17th of May 17 this year the first working meeting was held in the regional center, and on 25th of May - in Semey for presentation of the Association and attracting new members.

According to the Deputy Director of the Chamber, during the period from 9 to 15 June 2017, representatives of the RCE in the composition of the Working Group carried out work on the survey of houses and recreation centers in the Alakol resort area. During the past period, 163 bases and rest homes were inspected. Of these, 32 facilities met the requirements of the memorandum, signed with the Akimat of the region to improve the state of recreation centers. Preparatory work is being on for more than 60 objects.

During the period of active work of the Association, the work was carried out to develop proposals in the Concept for the Development of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2023, and draft national standards in the field of tourism. Also, assistance was provided in the participation of the subjects of the tourist industry of the region in the competition for the selection of territorial clusters in conjunction with the KIRI.

Promotion of the tourist potential of the region.

The visiting card of the region was developed in the East Kazakhstan region, which includes all information about the region: historical and cultural monuments, attractions, all kinds of tourist sites, sports facilities and entertainment places, places of food and others.

"At the moment, work is under way on collection of legends about the region's terrain. Already, more than 20 stories have been selected about the main places of interest for tourists - For example, "The giant trying to block the Irtysh River", "The Legend of Kabanbai Batyr", "The Legend of the Origin of the Name of the City of Urzhar", "The Legend of the Sacred Cave "Konyr Aulie", "Legend of Ablaykite", "The first legend about Lake Markakol", - Oksana Zhelyakova emphasized.

To attract the tourist flow to the region, a list of interesting facts about EKR (25 reasons to visit East Kazakhstan) was developed, which reflects the most interesting materials about the region. "Did you know that the Bukhtarma Reservoir is one of the five largest artificial reservoirs in the world? Or is the fact that the EKR produces the biggest amount of milk in the republic? And our region is a monopolist in the production of honey and pant products! It should also be noted that it is in Ust-Kamenogorsk on the mountain "Kazakhstan", as the locals call it, is the highest point where the state symbols of Kazakhstan are established", - Oksana says with enthusiasm. Moreover, at present, within the framework of the republican project, the tourist community is working on developing a map of the sacred places of the region for organizing complex tourist routes. Now there are 16 such places for attracting tourists: Konyr Aulieh cave, Shiliktinsky mound, Belukha mountain, Kiin Kerish valley, Berel reserve, Ablaykit burial mounds, etc.

"Did you know that the Bukhtarma Reservoir is one of the five largest artificial reservoirs in the world? Or is the fact that the EKR produces the biggest amount of milk in the republic? And our region is a monopolist in the production of honey and pant products! It should also be noted that it is in Ust-Kamenogorsk on the mountain "Kazakhstan", as the locals call it, is the highest point where the state symbols of Kazakhstan are established", - Oksana Anatolevna says with enthusiasm.

Moreover, at present, within the framework of the republican project, the tourist community is working on developing a map of the sacred places of the region for organization of complex tourist routes. Now there are 16 such places for attracting tourists: Konyr Aulieh cave, Shiliktinsky mound, Belukha mountain, Kiin Kerish valley, Berel reserve, Ablaykit burial mounds, etc.

Infrastructure issues

In 2016, by the order of the Chairman of the Presidium of NCE RK "Atameken" T. Kulibayev, the Road Map for the development of the tourist industry of the region was developed in the region. To implement it, it is necessary about 150 billion tenge of funds from the regional budget to implement activities related to the road, communication, aviation infrastructure of tourist places.

"With the support of the regional akim Daniyal Kenzhetaevich, the roads were repaired, running to the main tourist attractions of the region: the Sibinskie lakes, the Alakol lake, the ski center “Nurtau”, as well as the roads the Kurchum-Kalzhyr (Kiin Kerish canyon), Ust-Kamenogorsk-Targin- Samara (Lake Shybyndykol and Tayynty), access to Serebryansk (Bukhtarma reservoir). Also major overhaul of 2 objects is being completed: the highway Bolshenarym-Kurchum in Katon-Karagai district and the highway Barlik Arasan-lake Alakol" in Urdzhar district", - Oksana Zhelyakova added.

Moreover, 50 million tenge were allocated in the region for the development of the Sibi Lakes and about 500 million tenge for the improvement of the Alakol Coast.

In matters of roadside service, the Chamber actively cooperates with the branch office of JSC "NC" KazAvtoZhol ".

"At our site, we systematically hold meetings to discuss the implementation of projects related to roadside service facilities on highways of national importance. The main issues among entrepreneurs are methods of financial support from the state, as well as provision of objects of engineering and communication infrastructure", - the speaker said.

Personnel training for the tourism industry

According to the representative of RCE, the Chamber conducted an inventory of the region's medium-special institutions that train specialists in the tourism industry. So, according to the results, 3 non-core colleges (KASU, K.Nurgaliyev College, Ust-Kamenogorsk College of Service) were identified.

To improve the quality of training of tourism specialists, 8 enterprises of the tourist industry and organization of the hotel business were involved in the project of dual training of personnel (College KASU - in the specialties "Tourism", "Management", College named after K. Nurgaliyev - specialty "Organization of hotel business").

With the support of RCE, together with the teaching staff, a program of training courses on the qualification "Guided Tours", "Manager-Administrator" was developed.

It is separately noted that within the framework of the meetings of the Tourist Association of the East Kazakhstan region, the cooperation of representatives of colleges is developing on the Chamber's site. Together, the work was organized to conduct trainings for trainers in tourism companies to improve skills and training opportunities for existing mechanisms of the work of the sphere.

Medical tourism

According to the deputy director of the regional chamber, the East Kazakhstan region has a great potential for the development of medical tourism. There are more than 20 sanatorium-and-spa institutions, including 14 pantheleic hospitals. This type of tourism, which accounts for a significant part of the share of tourist products in the region, is very popular among tourists.

For the further development of medical tourism, the Chamber raises issues of allocating funds from the local budget and the provision of tourist certificates for the socially vulnerable segments of the population, as well as representatives of budget organizations. This practice, according to the speaker, will increase the occupancy of domestic facilities, especially in the off-season.

Moreover, the regional chamber has initiated the development of a joint program of the Rehabilitation Center and sanatoriums with the support of the central executive body, to consolidate the results of treatment, taking into account the disease profile. For stage-by-stage restoration, after passing the procedures in the Rehabilitation Center, it is proposed to provide vouchers to health-improving complexes and pantophylums for further recovery of the patient's health. In the future, it will be possible to organize reception of people for the second stage of rehabilitation from other areas.

As a pilot product, the Chamber suggested to consider the possibility of organizing an exchange of health-improving tourists with other areas. For example, the speaker suggests between the East Kazakhstan region and the Mangistau region to conclude a Memorandum to send vacationers from budget organizations through the provision of tourist certificates, to organize a charter flight. In turn, the subjects of the tourism industry, together with the treatment, can provide a program for acquaintance with the region. In addition, it is required to organize additional regional studies to identify the resource potential in the construction of rehabilitation facilities.

"The Chamber will continue work on the development of regional tourism. We hope that the existing experience of the Chamber will be useful for the development of domestic tourism", - Oksana Zhelyakova summed up.