Trainees from Central Asia walking along the World Heritage Kumano Kodo with a storyteller.
Training Title: Subject-Specific Training “Regional Tourism Development Policies in Central Asia
Countries covered: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Acceptance period: September – November 2023
In the past, the Silk Road, a large-scale trade route connecting East and West, developed on the Eurasian continent, and each of its hub cities flourished for a long time as a key point of trade. In Central Asia, there remain ruins that remind us of those days, and they are registered as World Heritage sites, attracting many people with their majestic beauty.
Central Asian countries are actively developing their tourism industries, but there are still many challenges to overcome. Although Central Asian countries are blessed with tourism resources with high potential, such as cultural resources including world heritage sites, traditional performing arts, and food culture, as well as pristine natural beauty represented by mountains and lakes, they have yet to make effective use of these resources in a sustainable manner and strengthen their competitiveness. In addition, it is necessary to promote wide-area cooperation by taking advantage of the historical ties of the “Silk Road.
Under these circumstances, JICA, in cooperation with Wakayama University, has invited trainees from five Central Asian countries-Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan-and is cooperating in human resource development to promote sustainable tourism development based on interregional cooperation in the region. The program is designed to help develop human resources for the promotion of sustainable tourism development based on inter-regional cooperation. In this year’s training program, the participants visited Wakayama Prefecture on the Kii Peninsula, which used to be located at the end of the Silk Road, and observed the World Cultural Heritage Kumano Kodo Route, resource conservation and utilization in local cities, and efforts for interregional cooperation. Together with people active in Japan’s regional cities, which are moving toward regional development, the participants deepened their understanding of sustainable tourism development beyond national borders.
We are talking to three people who helped with the training and to the trainers.
Lecture at the Wakayama World Heritage Center.
Necessary perspectives for sustainable tourism promotion
Kazue Nakamoto, Director, International Exchange Division, Wakayama University
-What did you want to convey to the trainees when you planned this training?
For this training, we wanted the participants to learn three points in particular.
The first point is that in tourism development, I would like to see the importance of protecting tourism resources first. I wanted them to think about protecting their own tourism resources, and then strategically consider how to promote tourism in a sustainable and continuous manner, balancing conservation and commercial activities from a long-term perspective.
The second point is a perspective on how to involve the community. In particular, we wanted them to learn how to make sure that the local economy and livelihoods benefit and that local residents are proud of their community’s tourism resources. Because local people can be proud of the “town” in which they live, hospitality toward visitors will also be fostered. We wanted them to learn that educational measures are also important for this purpose.
Third, I wanted the meeting to be a place where everyone could discuss issues and solutions for promoting wide-area cooperation in the midst of the demand for tourism promotion in the five Central Asian countries as a whole.
-How were the trainees?
Although the trainees had a strong sense of individualism, they gradually understood the importance of collaboration and seemed to develop connections among the trainees. Some trainees commented that they were able to develop family-like ties through the training. The participants also showed their support for each other’s booths when they visited the joint exhibition booth** of the five Central Asian countries. This training was a small step, but we hope that the participants will gradually develop the mindset necessary for future cooperation and the creation of a system.
During their practical training time, the students had many opportunities to visit iconic Japanese cultural sites such as ryokans, hot springs, and izakaya (Japanese style pubs) and meet local people. It was very impressive to see how impressed and surprised they were by the high quality of Japanese service and the friendliness of the Japanese people. We hope that through this training program, the participants will gain a perspective that they can use to develop local human resources by coming into contact with Japanese people and Japanese culture.
Mr. Nakamoto of Wakayama University planned and coordinated this training and accompanied the trainees for a month to teach them about sustainable tourism development.
Working with the community and tourists to connect local culture and activities to the next generation
Hirotaka Kuki, Chief Priest of Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine
-The Kii mountain range has been considered a sacred and special area since ancient times, and the cultural landscape of the Kumano Sanzan (three mountains), including Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, and its pilgrimage route, Kumano Kodo, were registered as a World Heritage Site in 2004 as “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. We visited them during this training program to learn about the concept of preservation and utilization of cultural resources.
Can you tell us what kind of place Kumano Hongu Taisha is and what it means for Kumano Hongu Taisha to have tourists visit?
Kumano Sanzan is a special place where many people, from emperors to common people, have walked the long road from Kyoto to compose songs and offer prayers since ancient times. As you know, the Kii mountain range is surrounded by great nature, and the walk to the shrines is a place where you can reflect on yourself and prepare your mind by feeling the scenery, climate, and air, and eating the local food along the way.
There is nothing but nature around us but mountains, rivers, and the sea, so there are many spiritual people who want to check themselves in nature, and recently there are also many people from overseas. I believe that people from overseas are good at enjoying their time. They enjoy the space within reach of the long Kumano Kodo path. In Japan, too, people probably used to live in close proximity to satoyama and satoumi, but nowadays, I think it is more like people from overseas are teaching us how to do the same. I am learning from visitors from overseas the importance of preserving nature and leaving behind for future generations the local activities nurtured in nature.
-This year marks the 20th anniversary of the registration of Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine and the Kumano Kodo Trail as a World Heritage site. What do you hope to convey to the next generation?
As we live in this day and age, we are witnessing various worldly affairs and conflicts that are causing people heartache. Each of the Buddhas enshrined in Kumano Sanzan is thought to be able to receive salvation in the previous life, benefits in this life, and blessings in the next life, and Kumano has been enshrined as a sacred place for Yomigaeri. We would like to continue to express to visitors how Kumano should be as a place where they can experience how the mind rises in reincarnation, and as a place where people can feel and be close to their feelings. We believe that by conveying the true nature of Kumano in line with the times, people will come to know Kumano and learn about Wakayama.
In the town of Motomiya, where our company is located, we were the initiator of the “Kumano Motomiya Revival Committee” in 2020. The committee was temporarily dissolved due to the Corona disaster, but in July of last year, the “Kumano Hongu Future Creation Executive Committee” was established. In addition to our company, the committee has been working with tourism associations and associations of commerce and industry as advisors to study, make proposals, and provide information on how to promote regional development, such as pilgrimages and tourism. We would like to make the local people aware of Kumano and local culture first, then let others know about it, and then work on new events in line with the Kumano Sanzan, and pass them on to the next generation.
Hirotaka Kuki, chief priest of the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, speaks about the shrine to the trainees.
Importance of cooperation learned through training
Daniel Serzanury, trainee from Kazakhstan
-What did you learn from this training?
Through this training, we gained an understanding of tourism development in Japan, from government policies to local government initiatives, and gained practical insights into managing sustainable tourism. Visiting tourist destinations and DMO offices to explore tourism development strategies was a very thought-provoking and excellent way to conduct the training.
-How do you intend to use the results of the training in your home country?
Upon returning to Kazakhstan, I would like to pursue a balanced approach to tourism promotion, inspired by Japan, that benefits each of the tourism destinations, communities, and tourism-related businesses. In Kazakhstan, we are not only focused on increasing tourism. We are also focusing on measures that emphasize the quality of tourism, including length of stay, spending, and positive impacts on local economies and communities. Having witnessed the success of Community Based Tourism (CBT) in Japan, we would like to actively implement and develop CBT initiatives in Kazakhstan.
-How does the training program contribute to the Central Asian partnership?
The Central Asian countries share a rich history and a common cultural heritage that provides a strong foundation for inter-regional collaboration. In line with these policies, the five countries need to unite and promote their common world heritage. Inspired by global examples such as the collaboration among the five countries to preserve and promote Mayan culture in the Mundo Maya, we learned the importance and potential of working under such a collective initiative.
We believe that the Silk Road, which runs from the eastern tip of Japan through the heart of Central Asia to Europe, is historically significant and worthy of global appeal. Through this training program, we strengthened the unity among the trainees and used the knowledge gained from the training to design a common vision for the regional development of the Silk Road and a program for sustainable tourism in Central Asia. Since returning to Kazakhstan, we have continued to implement the DMO system and create joint tours of the Silk Road, and are using the lessons learned from the training to make meaningful contributions to our vision.
Kazakhstan trainee Daniel giving a presentation. He strongly felt the importance of cooperation through the training.
Kazakhstan trainee Danielle interacting with Hirotaka Kuki, the chief priest of the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, after paying a visit to the shrine.
Toward the Future of JICA’s Support for Tourism Development in Central Asia
JICA Tourism Promotion Advisor Service for Uzbekistan, Specialist Yumi Mizumori
-Mizumori was also involved in the planning of this training program and accompanied the participants. What was your intention behind conducting this training in the Kii Peninsula together with Wakayama University?
The five countries of Central Asia have built their own unique cultures as the crossroads of East and West, have various ethnic groups living together, and are home to spectacular natural heritage. JICA has been dispatching tourism promotion advisors to Central Asia since May 2021. Recognizing the importance of cooperation and collaboration among countries in order to further capitalize on Central Asia’s attractions, we felt it necessary to provide opportunities to discuss cooperation and specific initiatives to representatives of government agencies and the tourism industry in each country. Although Japan is an island nation, there are many regions that are promoting interregional cooperation and development through tourism. Among them, Wakayama Prefecture, which we visited as a training site this time, has the Kumano Kodo, which is the pride of the Kansai region of Mie, Nara, and Osaka prefectures. We thought that the strategy and concept of attracting tourism by “lines,” or roads, could also be used in tourism development focusing on the Silk Road in Central Asia, and therefore, in cooperation with Wakayama University, this We conducted this training program in cooperation with Wakayama University.
-How did the trainees do over the three weeks of training?
I am sure that the participants felt a sense of anticipation for the training, but also a sense of anxiety and stress in an unfamiliar place. They deepened their understanding of the utilization and conservation of tourism resources, the concept of tourism destination management, methods of public-private partnerships, and sustainable tourism business. They also exchanged opinions about possible initiatives that could be utilized in Central Asia after returning to their home countries, as well as about the possibility of cooperation and collaboration among the five countries.
The participants commented on the effectiveness of wide-area cooperation and the contribution to the development of tourism development in the five Central Asian countries as a whole, saying that “the tourism resources that can be covered by wide-area cooperation will be expanded and the characteristics of the Silk Road will be maximized to attract more tourists,” and “new bonds were formed with colleagues through the training, and the ability to make decisions as a unified group was born. We feel that the cooperation and ties among the regions, which was one of the main objectives of the training program, are strengthening.
-What are your expectations for the future of tourism development in Central Asia and regional development in Japan?
This is the first training program targeting Central Asia to promote tourism development through interregional cooperation. We hope that the trainees were able to experience the policies, concepts, and good practices adapted to each country. Tourism development requires a comprehensive approach involving a wide range of industries. This training is not a major change, but rather the beginning of the process. In the future, it will be necessary for each region and country to take the leadership in developing activities with the cooperation of all parties involved. I sincerely hope that the trainees this time will become leaders in promoting tourism in their own countries and Central Asia by involving their peers in their own countries, while connecting their ties and bonds with their peers in the five countries and key persons in Japan.
We also believe that this training program will benefit Japan as well. Through this training program, we were able to create two-way exchanges between the trainees and local residents, leading to international mutual understanding, and we were able to catch a glimpse of how the local residents reaffirmed and took pride in their local culture and regional values through the lectures they gave. We felt that tourism development can create awareness among the local people and play a role in preserving and passing on the local culture and traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. We hope that JICA training programs like this one will continue to be good for both sides so that the people of Japan will want to see the trainees again next year, the year after that, and even further into the future, so that they will want to tell them about the good things about their region.
Expert Mizumori, Uzbekistan “Tourism Promotion Advisor,” received the Distinguished Service Award for his work in supporting tourism development in Uzbekistan over a two-year period.
JICA will continue to build co-creation relationships with stakeholders in the five Central Asian countries and in Japan to contribute to human resource development for promoting collaboration and sustainable tourism development in the five Central Asian countries, as well as to the formation of human flows between Central Asia and Japan and regional development in Japan.
Commemorative photo in front of the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine with Wakayama University lecturers, Central Asia trainees, and Miyashiro Kuki.
Above.
© Source JICA
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