Tourism — a Great Business

There are grounds for such a statement. Everyone knows how profitable, for example, the automotive industry is. But let's take France. In this country, tourism has far surpassed not only the automotive industry in terms of income but also many other modern sectors of material production and services. In general, it is hard to name a developed country where tourism does not occupy a leading position in the economy and does not contribute significantly to national income. It is also no secret that some small states manage to exist almost entirely in today's "technological" world thanks to income from tourism.

Learning from Neighbors

History sometimes holds amazing facts that are perceived with a condescending smile by subsequent generations. The field of scientific discoveries and inventions is particularly full of such cases. Here is one of those stories that seems instructive to us.

For over 150 years, Europe rode on four-wheeled bicycles when a serf craftsman named Artemov invented "his" bicycle — a two-wheeled one with square wheels covered with tin, which could be ridden by pushing off the ground with one's feet, because it lacked steering and "normal" wheels. Later, German craftsmen added a handlebar and pedals to the design, but the shape of the wheel remained in the improved model. In Germany, this marvel of engineering was literally named "bone-shaker."

It seems that the state of tourism in the republic resembles such a bone-shaker: it's painful to ride, the speed is low, but you can't just throw it away. However, there is another way: to see what "vehicles" the neighbors use. Sociological research data will help us with this.

Hunting tourism has always been popular. It is currently developing most intensively in Africa and Europe. The tiny state of Uganda in Africa, which few people may even know about, receives up to 74,000 hunters a year, bringing in a net income of about 15 million dollars. The state of Botswana has allocated 15% of its entire territory for national parks used for safaris for foreigners. An interesting point is that foreign hunters kill animals 8 times less than locals, but pay 36 times more just for licenses. And there are no problems with "selling tours."

In Europe, hunting tourism is developed by Hungary, which earns an annual profit of five and a half million dollars, Spain, which receives an income of one billion pesetas, and Yugoslavia.

Even such a brief overview allows us to note priority areas in the development of tourism worldwide. So, is it worth "inventing your own bone-shaker"?

What else do they do in the West to develop tourism, and thus to generate income? It's very simple. They expand the range of services, provide tax benefits, cheap loans, and exempt from local taxes. They develop new types of tourism for various age groups. They foster cooperation between countries in creating tourist products. Particularly noticeable is the sharp increase in various services such as the use of recreational transport: donkeys, camels, yaks, carriages, troikas, etc. It's so simple that it's wise.

In the West, even a factor that seems to limit tourist demand for recreation is taken into account. This is the income level per family member. Residents of Europe and the USA travel only when they have high incomes. In this case, it is natural that the share of long-distance travel and expensive services increases. However, income level is not always decisive when certain national traditions come into play. For Japan, for example, a paradoxical phenomenon has been noted. The Japanese even enjoy having to pay a lot. Thus, in the eyes of the owner of an expensive pleasure, their own prestige increases, and in this case, a Japanese person usually does not think about money. Of course, if they have it. But this concerns those who are not deterred by price. For us, the layers with average and even low income levels are interesting. They are characterized by a desire to spend less but see as much as possible. They will be satisfied with cheaper rooms and a sufficient, but not necessarily high, level of comfort. Moreover, for such clients, the cost of the tour decreases due to discounts on group services.

It is also noteworthy that many foreign tourist firms build their marketing strategy on attracting tourists with low prices and comprehensive services, but after arrival, they engage them with a diverse range of additional services purchased for cash. In several European countries, tourists spend 60-70% of all expenses on additional services.

It is also striking that international tourism strives for the integration of service complexes. Hotel businesses, trade, aviation, television, and advertising enterprises are concentrated in one hand, allowing for more flexible maneuvering, adapting elements of the complex to market conditions as needed.

It is not coincidental, but rather a logical consequence, that the governments of developed capitalist countries pay attention to the tourism industry. It is no coincidence that there are scientific research centers in all Western European countries, the USA, Canada, and several other countries that deal with tourism development issues. So let's take advantage of their findings and recommendations. A change in the behavior stereotypes of tourists has been noted. What are they? Firstly, there is a shift from passive information perception to acquiring direct personal experience through active participation in events and activities. Secondly, there is a rejection of "lying" on the beach in favor of active outdoor recreation combined with physical culture, sports, preventive treatment, and communication with nature.

It is time to exclaim: "Eureka!" By its nature, Kyrgyzstan is unique. Indeed, when describing the republic, words like relict, unique, one of a kind, inimitable, rare, extraordinary, and exotic are often encountered. This is not a whim of the writers. Here, it is possible to use the path of tourism development that has long been tested in the West, particularly in France.