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Kazakhstan keen to tap Indian market to enhance
bilateral tourism ties
 NEW DELHI, Aug 6: Taking strong exception to a recent news report that Central Asian countries Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are fast becoming preferred sex tourism hubs, pushing Thai capital Bangkok into the background, the Embassy of Kazakhstan said the country has maintained progress in anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, and prohibits trafficking of persons for both labor and sexual exploitation.
In an interview, Timur Nogaibayev, First Secretary at the Embassy of Kazakhstan, said tourism is one of the important areas that present immense possibilities between Kazakhstan and India.
"Tourism is among the priorities of Kazakhstan's State Programme of Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development. The government's new concept for the development of the tourism industry through 2020, plus ongoing work to promote and improve Kazakhstan's image and tourist infrastructure, is intended to give a big boost to this important, yet underdeveloped sector," he said.
 Referring specifically to Kazakhstan-India tourism ties, Nogaibayev said: "We have daily flights between Almaty and New Delhi and several more connecting the two countries are pending. India has a rich and enterprising middle class, estimated in the range of 50 to 300 million people. These people are prosperous and want to travel to other countries and experience different cultures and cuisines."
He added: "Kazakhstan presents an excellent location in the neighborhood of the country, which in addition to its unique steppes, lakes and hills, also offers snow clad mountains and ski slopes. And of course, the challenge to attract as much visitors to the EXPO-2017 by definition cannot exclude potential Indian participants and tourists from the equation."
Nogaibayev further stated, "There are a lot of complementarities between India and Kazakhstan. When snow and cold would not allow it in Kazakhstan, it is warm and sunny in India, and when it is too hot in India, it is pleasant weather in Kazakhstan."
"It is worthwhile to mention that Kazakhstan is part of a very exclusive list of selected countries, whose citizens will be able to get an Indian visa at the airport upon arrival," the embassy official said.
And it is only natural for Kazakhstan, a growing country posing no threat in terms of emigration flows, to expect reciprocity, he stated.
"We have a society, where personal freedom is being respected," Nogaibayev said.
When asked specifically to respond to the report that quoted a former representative of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) as saying that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are emerging as sex tourism hotspots on the lines of Bangkok, Nogaibayev referred to the July 30 conference of the Kazakh State Juridical University in Astana, which thoroughly discussed the issue of human trafficking and slavery, and the conclusion that steps would be taken to combat both effectively and efficiently.
He said the Astana event was held to mark the first UN World Day against Trafficking in Persons, and included the participation of ambassadors; representatives of non-governmental organizations and the United Nations.
"Kazakhstan has maintained progress in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts and prohibits trafficking in persons for both labor and sexual exploitation. It has passed amendments to its anti-trafficking legislation in 2013, that increased penalties for trafficking in persons and aligned its definition of human trafficking with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime," Nogaibayev said.
He maintained that Kazakhstan's tourism industry is entering a new phase of development.
"Citizens of ten countries who have either invested the most, or have the potential to invest the most in Kazakhstan, have been granted visa-free travel to the country," said Nogaibayev
He said that this step should be widely seen as part of a series of measures designed to maintain the Kazakh economy's competitive edge in a globalising world.
"It is the right move, and, despite the obvious questions it raises about potential challenges to national security or the loss of visa-generated revenue, the visa-free regime should and probably will get extended and expanded after its one-year trial," he said.
The change, which came into force for travel from July 15, 2014, means citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan can enter, exit and transit through Kazakhstan without a visa for visits of up to 15 calendar days at a time. There are no limits on the number of such visits per year.
"We would like to see India becoming a part of this new initiative," he added.
"Simplification of visa procedures, the build-up of the hospitality industry, and many other issues are on the agenda. The bilateral inter-governmental agreement on simplifying the issuance of visas for some categories of citizens is under the consideration by the relevant authorities of two countries," he added.
"The visa-free programme, which will initially run for one year, may be expanded in 2015 to include more countries. It follows several other measures in easing the hassle for foreign visitors as well as a simplified visa-issuing regime for citizens of almost 50 countries," he said.
"We are looking to develop further the country's tourism potential as part of its Kazakhstan 2020 development programme, which defines comprehensive measures for the creation of five national tourist clusters," Nogaibayev said.
As an example, he referred to the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort area, which is becoming a centre of large-scale tourism and cultural and recreational trips for both Kazakhstan and foreign nationals, is one of the most dynamic points of growth in Astana's tourism industry.
In recent years, 100,000 to 300,000 local and foreign tourists have arrived at the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort during the summer.
In recent years, revenue from tourism in Kazakhstan has grown. In 2008, the state earned about 66 billion Tenge (1 US dollar = 182 tenge) in tourism revenues. In 2009, this figure had reached 82 billion Tenge.
Tourism is expected to play a key part of a series of initiatives, including tax incentives, to encourage foreign investment and tourism in achieving this ambition.
Kazakhstan, the world's ninth largest country, contains a wide variety of national parks and stunning landscapes from high mountains to deserts.
The Borovoye zone accounts for the bulk of Kazakhstan's visitors. Their action plan entails the development of three main leisure zones for travelers on the shores of Lake Schyuchye, Borovoye, Big Chebachye and Small Chebachye.
Burabai National Park is unique not only for its blue lakes, which reflect nearby ridges and picturesque rocks, but also for its rich fauna.
The park has a very dedicated and sophisticated staff devoted to breeding and maintaining herds of spotted, red and roe deer and families of wild boar, marmots and other animals.
In North Kazakhstan particular attention is being paid to the development of medical tourism .
Kazakhstan's southern border high in the Tien Shan Mountains is home to the rarely seen petroglyphs, the majestic ibex, brown bears and a myriad of wildflowers.
The Aksu Zhabagly National Nature Preserve is the oldest in Central Asia, having been established in 1926 it is one of Kazakhstan's hidden touristic gems.
Kerala Tourism, UNESCO sign MoU to retrace
Spice Route
 KOCHI, Aug 2: Kerala Tourism has signed an agreement with UNESCO to begin a historic cooperation between the state and the world's foremost cultural organisation in promoting and protecting the ancient Spice Route heritage.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Kerala Tourism Secretary, Suman Billa, and UNESCO Director and Representative to India, Shigeru Aoyagi, in the presence of State Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar and K M Chandrasekhar, Vice Chairman, Kerala State Planning Board.
The MoU signed on Friday seeks to formalise a framework of cooperation in the areas of cultural heritage protection and promotion in the state.
"The Spice Route project is a new milestone in the growth of tourism in Kerala. It is a revival of the ancient spice route that connected 31 countries," Anil Kumar said.
"For the project to be successful, it needs the support from all the 31 countries. That is why we have sought the cooperation of UNESCO," he said.
Under the agreement, the Spice Route Initiative of the state government will form the bedrock of the cooperation and partnership between the two sides along with protection of promotion of historical areas of Kerala.
Several historical areas of Kerala linked with the ancient Spice Route, including urban areas, will be developed under the agreement to promote the aim of heritage building.
Violence against women affecting India’s image,
tourism report says
NEW DELHI: An independent travel report has said recent cases of violence against women have tarnished the country's image and recommended strong steps to tackle the problem. The World Travel and Tourism Council India Initiative comes even as the country is agog with the gruesome gang rape and murder of two cousins in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh.
The WTTCII report — that was submitted to the tourism ministry on Tuesday — said, "India tourism is facing immense negative publicity from the international media on reoccurring incidents of incidents of rape/molestation cases against women foreign tourists."
The report has suggested a two pronged strategy to counter safety and security threats and negative publicity to be implemented by both government of India and by tourism ministry. "The strategy should be developed by the tourism ministry in conjunction with the ministries of home affairs, external affairs and I&B. This includes ensuring speedy trials, sensitization of stakeholders especially state government and law and order apparatus and evolving a strategy to tackle the negative publicity," it said.
According to UNWTO, India ranks 41st in international tourist arrivals, 16th in world tourism receipts and seventh in Asia Pacific region for tourism receipts during 2012. India is ranked 65th out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum Travel and tourism competiveness report 2013.
WTTCII chairman Dipak Deva said, "As India seeks to stimulate sustainable economic growth based on employment generation, the opportunities offered by travel and tourism are clear and prominent. What is needed is a clear, focused plan to get the basics right and a sustained effort in delivering the 'Incredible India' promise to both domestic and international tourists."
The report suggests focus on creating adequate accommodation. The WTTCII HVS Report on the Indian hospitality sector said by 2020, India will need 180,000 additional rooms, $25.5 billion for constructing these rooms and about 211,000 people to operate them. It also underlined the need for provision for electronic visas. Improvements in the visa regime could mean an increase of 6 million international visitors for India resulting in $8 million more spend and creating 1.8 million jobs over three years.
The WTTC annual economic impact report 2014 for India shows travel and tourism's economic contribution is expected to grow by 7.3 per cent this year, outperforming the general economy by 2.5 percentage points. Revenues gained from domestic tourism rose by 5.1 per cent in 2013 and is expected to increase by 8.2 per cent in 2014 the amount that international visitors spent in India rose by 6.2 per cent in 2013 but is forecast to slow to a 2.9 per cent growth rate in 2014.
WTTC research shows in India, $1 million in travel and tourism spending (consumption) generates $1.3 million in GDP. This is roughly the same impact as the mining and communications sector. |
