Transcripts
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland at the closing press conference for the Eurasia Foundation's Ecotourism Project
InterContinental Hotel, Astana
September 30, 2009
Thank you very much! Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I am very delighted to take part in this event so that we can show what is really happening behind the scenes for growth and development in Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan Ecotourism Development Initiative, implemented by the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia, is a good example of public-private partnership. It involved the United States government, Kazakhstani non-governmental organizations, the U.S. corporation, ExxonMobil, the Kazakhstani Ministry of Sport and Tourism, local communities, and travel companies, all working together.
The U.S. Government, through USAID, has provided more than $125,000 in funding for this initiative. But an even greater amount of $300,000 was provided by the U.S. corporation, ExxonMobil Kazakhstan, Incorporated, and we very much appreciate that contribution.
Ecotourism is an excellent example of sustainable economic development. It provides quality jobs in rural communities, it creates incentives for environmental stewardship, it educates Kazakhstanis about the environment, and it keeps tourist dollars in Kazakhstan.
Since 2004, this initiative has helped create 11 eco-sites in Kazakhstan, and five more are to be opened very soon. During the last five years, community-based tourism groups have provided services to more than 15,000 tourists and generated more than 60 million tenge of income. Part of this profit is reinvested to support the local environment.
Additionally, in 2005, the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia helped open the Ecotourism Information and Resource Center under the Kazakhstan Tourism Association in Almaty. This information resource center provides marketing and consulting services to eco-sites and promotes inbound tourism into Kazakhstan.
In cooperation with the University of Florida in the United States, the Eurasia Foundation introduced a university program in ecotourism management and executive training courses for tourism managers at the Turan Astana University. These educational programs will ensure that the tourism industry has a continuous supply of qualified professionals and is able to grow more.
I am very pleased that this partnership between our two countries has generated sustainable jobs and tourism opportunities for Kazakhstan, even while helping to protect the environment. This is a real achievement and I congratulate everyone who has been involved in this.
Thank you.
