Third Phase of the Central Asia Regional Links Program (CARs-3)

Project Information

The "Third Phase of the Central Asia Regional Links Program" financed by the World Bank includes several project components within the framework of the I. Abdraimov Aviation Institute, as well as a component for the development of tourism potential in the Issyk-Kul region. The executing agency for this project is the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The "Sustainable Tourism Development in the Issyk-Kul Region" component is implemented in cooperation with the Department of Tourism, which is the project beneficiary and the final recipient of the product.

This component includes activities aimed at supporting the sustainable development of the tourism sector in the Issyk-Kul region. The competitiveness of the tourism sector is closely linked to its sustainability, which is expressed through ensuring high-quality service conditions provided by tourism facilities and entities, as well as ensuring safety, high-quality tourism infrastructure, and the development and implementation of policies and the Program for Sustainable Tourism Development in the region.

This component aims to:

• Develop a Sustainable Tourism Development Program and a Master Plan, as well as two local development plans (a concept for creating geoparks) for the Tyup and Ak-Suu districts, including the preparation of a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA);
• Develop and pilot the use of Tourism Satellite Accounts for the Issyk-Kul region;
• Build five tourist service centers around Lake Issyk-Kul.

The Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment document was prepared by the consulting company "THR Tourism Industry Advisors/TBSC Consulting" with the assistance and support of the World Bank Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic as the Executing Agency.

Goals and Objectives

The purpose of the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment document is to identify the most important environmental and social issues in the tourism sector in the Issyk-Kul region of the Kyrgyz Republic and to prepare recommendations and proposals for their resolution.

The SESA document will enable the planning of future environmental and social priorities in the tourism sector and the development and adoption of effective strategic decisions at both the national and regional levels.

Before the approval of the "Sustainable Tourism Development Program in the Issyk-Kul Region," the basis for the SESA is the need to assess the potential impact of tourism on the environment and social sphere.

To address the identified issues that negatively impact the environment and social sphere due to tourism, it is necessary to implement mitigation measures and determine mechanisms to prevent further consequences.

The assessment approach is based on the available data in the field of environmental protection and social aspects of the tourism sector, taking into account field research, as well as the opinions and suggestions of representatives of local authorities in the Issyk-Kul region, local communities, tourism businesses, destinations, and other stakeholders during workshops/round tables, focus group discussions, and public consultations.

The main objectives of the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment in the tourism sector are:

• Identifying the level of impact of tourism on the environment and social sphere;
• Defining approaches to environmental and social assessment in tourism;
• Identifying problems in the field of environmental and social protection;
• Developing recommendations to address tourism-related issues in the environmental and social spheres;
• Determining the priorities of the relevant government agencies and structures of the Kyrgyz Republic, including regional services, in shaping and implementing policies and strategies for environmental and social protection in the tourism sector.