Resumen de Authenticity and eco-cultural tourism development in Kazakhstan: a country branding approach
Guillaume Tiberghien, Vladimir Garkavenko, M. Ashirbekova
The country of Kazakhstan is not a well known tourism destination, either globally or within Central Asia. Although the number of inbound tourists is relatively small, the country possesses numerous eco-cultural tourism attractions based on its past Soviet times, nomadic culture and a variety of unique landscapes. As heritage is inherently a contested phenomenon, especially when communities are comprised of multiple ethnic groups, belief systems, cultures and social norms, the concept of authenticity applied to cultural heritage in Kazakhstan has become particularly relevant to the specialists of cultural and sustainable tourism in the country. Whereas the tourism industry tends to provide its own definitions of the traditional or typical, the question of authenticity in eco-cultural tourism practices becomes crucial as they tend to be negotiated through what is locally perceived as authentic and what tourists and developers view as key travel experiences. The proposed exploratory study aims at recording and reviewing through semi-structured in depth interviews the perception of authenticity of community members, policy makers and tourism developers of eco-cultural tours in Central Kazakhstan. In particular, the research relates to how the concept of authenticity can contribute to position Kazakhstan as a tourism destination and develop its brand equity on the international tourism market. Recommendations will be made to the different stakeholders involved in the development of Kazakhstani eco-cultural tourism practices through a better incorporation of the notion of authenticity when attracting new visitors in the country
