Tourism in Tajikistan As Seen by Tour Operators Acknowledgments
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Tourism in as Seen by Tour Operators Public Disclosure Authorized Tajikistan Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized DISCLAIMER CONTENTS This work is a product of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......................................................................i The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other INTRODUCTION....................................................................................2 information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. TOURISM TRENDS IN TAJIKISTAN............................................................5 RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS TOURISM SERVICES IN TAJIKISTAN.......................................................27 © 2019 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank TOURISM IN KHATLON REGION AND 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: +1 (202) 522-2422; email: [email protected]. GORNO-BADAKHSHAN AUTONOMOUS OBLAST (GBAO)...................45 The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and li- censes, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the Office of the Publisher, The World Bank, PROFILE AND LIST OF RESPONDENTS................................................57 Cover page images: 1. Hulbuk Fortress, near Kulob, Khatlon Region 2. Tajik girl holding symbol of Navruz Holiday 3. Chakan embroidery in Kulob, Khatlon Region 4. Kalai Varma, near Khorog, GBAO 5. Fresco from Penjikent, National Museum of Antiquities, Dushanbe 6. Iskandarkul Lake, Sughd Region This page: En route from Bokhtar to Dangara, Khatlon Region Tourism in Tajikistan as Seen by Tour Operators ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work has been prepared by a World Bank Group team led by Andrea Dall’Olio (Lead Financial Sector Economist). Anne Ong Lopez (Consultant) performed the data analysis and Raha Shahidsaless (Senior Private Sector Specialist) wrote the text, with contributions from Yunfan Gu (Young Professional). Kathy Dragon (Senior Tourism Consultant) and Shanyue Yan (Consultant) contributed to the questionnaire. Madalina Pruna (Private Sector Specialist), and Deqa Aden (Consultant) were responsible for the rollout of the survey, together with Tatiana Segal (Senior Operations Officer), who was also responsible for the Russian editions of the questionnaire and report. Farrukh Umarov (Consultant), Alisher Isaev (Consultant), and Navruza Aliqulova (Program Assistant) followed up with individual respondents. Tolib Alimatov (Graphic Designer) provided the design and Sophie Ibbotson (Consultant) and Amanda Green (Consultant) contributed to the editing and finalization of the document. The work was produced during the preparation of the World Bank Rural Economy Development Project (REDP) for Tajikistan and has also benefited from the financial support of the Program for Asia Trade and Connectivity (PACT), a trust fund between the World Bank and the United Kingdom Department of International Development (DFID) that provides support for the deve- lopment of cross-border tourism between Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Selected images were provided by Surat Toimasov (Pamir Adventure). The team appreciates the useful feedback provided by Milena Nikolova (Adventure Travel Trade Association, or ATTA), as well as World Bank Group staff including Jan-Peter Olters (Country Manager), Barbara Weber (Senior Operations Officer), John Perrottet (Senior Private Sector Specialist), Kiran Afzal (Senior Private Sector Specialist) and Madina Nurmatova (Se- nior Private Sector Specialist). The team is also grateful for the support received from the ATTA in disseminating the survey to their tour operator members. Palace of Nations, Dushanbe i Tourism in Tajikistan as Seen by Tour Operators Fedchenko Glacier, GBAO (Surat Toimasov) INTRODUCTION A World Bank Group (WBG) team from the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice rolled out Tour operators not offering Tajikistan itineraries were asked separate questions to assess constraints and potential demand. a survey to obtain information on the experiences of visitors to Tajikistan. Data on tourism in Tajikistan are scarce: quantitative information is limited to mostly aggregate arrival data, while qualitative information is almost absent. To address this limitation, as part of the preparation of the Rural Economy Development Project (REDP), the WBG team rolled out a small-scale, The survey covered Tajikistan as a whole, but gave particular focus to the two regions targeted by the REDP: Khatlon independent survey. The objective of the survey was to complement quantitative data about tourism arrivals and spending and and Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). Khatlon is a mainly agricultural area that is rich in historical and to collect information that could inform the design of REDP interventions. cultural assets. GBAO is a remote region that is already a popular destination for foreign tourists in Tajikistan. Respondents included 31 operators (21 domestic and 10 international) A survey of tour operators was conducted to collect data about target groups of tourists in Tajikistan. In the absence The survey was completed by a total of 45 operators. of more granular sources of information, such as a tourism satisfaction survey, the team developed and implemented a survey who offered tours in Tajikistan (referred throughout this report as ‘incumbent operators’) and 14 operators who did not offer tours of tour operators, who could provide first-hand quantitative information and indirectly reflect the opinions of their customers. The in Tajikistan. Of those respondents who did not offer tours in Tajikistan, nine indicated that they would be interested in doing so survey therefore focuses on the experience of tourists who visit Tajikistan with tour operators. The average numbers reported in if certain improvements were made ('potential operators') and five were not interested in launching tours in the country. the survey are weighted by the number of tourists the operators bring to Tajikistan to better reflect the views of tourists. The survey allowed the team to draw conclusions about constraints and opportunities in developing the tourism The results of the survey confirmed and complemented some of the information collected by the team The survey was sent to incumbent tour operators who were already organizing tours in Tajikistan (to better understand sector in Tajikistan. during focus group meetings with stakeholders, as well as discussions with individual tour operators in Tajikistan and abroad. their customers’ experiences), and to operators who did not yet offer Tajikistan as a product (to analyze potential latent This exercise provided a snapshot of the country’s tourism offerings, as well as the behavior and interests of tourists who arrive demand). An online questionnaire comprising 58 questions was circulated among local and foreign tour operators, between August and September 2018. Follow-up interviews were organized with some respondents to verify data and clarify qualitative in Tajikistan through tour operators. Quotes from tourists and other tourism-related sources are utilized throughout this document answers. Of the questions, 47 were for tour operators who have organized Tajikistan tours in the past five years. These questions to support and enrich the quantitative observations, and to provide context to the findings. Tourism satisfaction surveys will be focused on their customer profile, volume of tourists, pricing strategies, and a qualitative assessment of various tourism offerings. implemented under the REDP, and the findings are expected to validate and strengthen the present analysis. 2 3 Tourism in Tajikistan as Seen by Tour Operators TOURISM TRENDS IN TAJIKISTAN Rudaki Monument, Dushanbe 4 5 Tourism in Tajikistan as Seen by Tour Operators A village on Afghan Darvaz, GBAO (Surat Toimasov) A man making traditional knife in Istravshan (Surat Toimasov) CURRENT AND POTENTIAL DEMAND HOW TO CAPTURE MORE SPENDING Tajikistan is already catering to adventure tourists from Tajikistan can capture more tourism spending. Tourists visi- high-income countries, who are predominantly interested ting Tajikistan as part of a multicountry tour stay for an average in nature-based and cultural activities, and to visitors from of six days and spend $800. Those visiting only Tajikistan stay for countries with large volumes of outbound tourism. Based on 12 days and spend $1,400. This includes an average of $200 in survey findings, tour operators offer Tajikistan itineraries mostly to out-of-pocket spending, but excludes air travel. This expenditu- older, more experienced tourists from Europe, North America, and re is significantly below the global average. The United Nations Australia. Tajikistan also attracts visitors from the high-potential World Tourism Organization reports that adventure tourists spend Chinese market (Table