Four tourist destinations across the Kyrgyz Republic will receive assistance from the USAID Business Growth Initiative (BGI). In February 2015, BGI invited teams of tourism service providers, local administrations, and other interested parties from all over the country to submit applications with tourism development strategies for their location. Proposals included activities such as tourism product and service development, improvement of light infrastructure and signage, marketing and promotion campaigns.
The winners are:
Karakol Riverpark Consortium, Issyk-Kul Oblast – Program will improve the riverfront property, organize and promote cultural festivals and market and promote river centered activities;
- Burana Consortium, CSR Central Asia, Chui Oblast – Improve signage, sanitation and overall experience for visitors to this important 9th century religious monument;
- Osh Silk Road Consortium, Osh Travel, Osh Oblast – Develop signage and improve product and service delivery of accommodations along this segment of the Silk Road;
- Jyrgalan Consortium, Issyk-Kul Oblast – Conduct promotional activities and upgrade light infrastructure and guesthouses surrounding a nascent winter sports area, 50 kilometers from Karakol.
BGI selected these proposals through a competitive process from more than 50 applications representing every region of the Kyrgyz Republic. The activities outlined in the proposals are expected to generate greater income for local destinations as well as contribute to the development of the Kyrgyz tourism sector overall.
Due to the large number of high quality proposals, BGI will work to provide small grants to an additional group of destinations that were not selected for the full program. Applicants that have not been selected for the destination management program will be eligible to apply for other BGI development assistance in the future.
BGI is a four-year $20 million project that strengthens the competitiveness of Kyrgyz businesses to promote job creation and economic development. To learn more about the USAID BGI Project please visit: http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/fact-sheets/business-growth-initiative.
