KHOROG, April 8, 2014, Asia-Plus — Tourism business should become a main source of income for many Pamiris, a new head of the Board of Directors of the Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) Kishvar Abdulalishoyev noted.
According to him, PECTA is the only tourism organization in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) that is able to unite local residents around the idea of development of the tourism sector in the region.
“However, because of many objective and subjective reasons the organization has not taken serious steps over the past six years to precisely outline its social, legal and economic strategies, promote development of eco and cultural tourism in the region, develop tourist agencies, and create adequate financial and economic conditions for members of the Association” Mr. Abdulalishoyev noted.
PECTA now groups 12 registered tour operators, 24 hotels, three health resorts, 53 homestays and several public catering facilities.
According to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, the GBAO tour operators received only 1,000 foreign tourists last year.
Meanwhile, local experts say that natural conditions of Gorno Badakhshan as well as cultural and historical sites of the region could attract much more tourists.
Mr. Matthias Poeschel, Advisor for Tourism and Sustainable Development, who studies tourism opportunities of the region, considers that the Pamir Mountains attract foreign tourists. “Development of tourism in the region will contribute to strengthening of national and regional identity if it is promoted by local residents,” Mr. Poeschel noted.
With approval of new amendments to the country’s law on tourism and intensification of activities of the Consultative Council for Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of Tajikistan regarding development of tourism in the country, a favorable moment has arrived for promoting tourism in all regions of the country, he added.
PECTA CEO in Khorog, Mr. Asadasho Zoolshoyev, has noted that the organization will pay a special attention to use of local opportunities by means of mobilization of communities for development of international tourism.
The Pamirs are an area of outstanding natural beauty in Tajikistan, boasting some of the most mountainous landscapes anywhere in the world. But against this remote backdrop most people live in poverty and development of tourism in the area could improve the livelihoods of the local community.
Established in April 2008 with support from the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP), the Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) is a non-commercial organization aiming to create modern highly-developed and competitive tourism market in Gorno Badakhshan. PECTA is member of the GBAO Coordination Council for Tourism.
