DUSHANBE, March 11, Asia-Plus  -- A two-day working meeting of participants in the community based tourism development support projects is concluding n Dushanbe today.    

Bakhtiyor Hamdamov, the deputy head of the Committee for Youth, Sports, and Tourism Affairs in charge of the tourism industry, told Asia-Plus that Kyrgyzstan, which had resolved this issue ten years ago already, is Central Asia’s leader in development of the community based tourism.  “Development of the community based tourism has played a considerable role in reduction of poverty in that country,” the deputy head said. 

Community based tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and economically marginalized) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation.  The residents earn income as land managers, entrepreneurs, service and produce providers, and employees.  At least part of the tourist income is set aside for projects which provide benefits to the community as a whole.

Community based tourism enables the tourist to discover local habitats and wildlife, and celebrates and respects traditional cultures, rituals and wisdom. The community will be aware of the commercial and social value placed on their natural and cultural heritage through tourism, and this will foster community based conservation of these resources.

According to the meeting participants, this type of tourism is suitable for conditions and realities of Tajikistan, which is dominated by mountains (some 93% of the land surface lies above 1,500 meters) and where 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas. 

The community based tourism development support project, supported by the Tajik Branch of Open Society Institute/ Assistance Foundation (OSI/AF) and coordinated by the Tourism Development Center, has worked in Tajikistan since 2005

“Opening of consular offices in border areas, particular in Gorno Badakhshan and Zarafshon Valley could facilitate attracting tourists and reducing cases of illegal tourism,” Hamdamov said.     

 He added that infrastructure of the community based tourism has not been used sufficiently so far.  “Therefore, we have supported establishment of Craftsmen’s Association in Sughd’s Istaravshan district in order that they could offer their products to foreign tourists,” Hamdamov said.  

He noted that the government has taken efforts to support development of tourism in the country.  37 tourism companies registered in Tajikistan last year brought the total number of tour operators in the country to 112, Hamdamov said.   “The price of license for tourism activity now is only some 200 somonis, while earlier it had cost more than $1,000,” he noted.   

As it had been reported earlier, in 2007, tourism revenues in the national budget rose 69 percent from the previous year to 1.3 million somonis (equivalent to $386,600). 

Tajik tour operators last year rendered services for a total amount of 16.9047 million somonis, which was 2.6 times more than in 2006.  The number of foreign tourists visiting Tajikistan through local tourism companies rose 70 percent in the year to January 31, 2007, reaching 9,600 people.  In 2006, 5,636 foreign tourists visited the country.