On April 7, 2023, at 3:00 PM, Nazarbayev University hosted the exhibition and book presentation of Together We Have It All: Women Entrepreneurs in the Community-Based Tourism Sector of Kyrgyzstan. The book, released in early 2023 under the academic supervision of Associate Professor Shumaila Yousafzai from the Graduate School of Business at Nazarbayev University, is part of a research grant program at Nazarbayev University (Grant No. 11022021FD2913).
Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is a type of organized eco-tourism where local residents of a village unite to offer tourism services, set common service standards, and welcome eco-tourists. This sustainable tourism model improves the livelihoods of rural communities, reduces unemployment, and enhances regional well-being. Over the last two decades, CBT has developed into a tool for promoting stable, socially inclusive tourism in developing and transition economies, including Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz model of CBT effectively generates income, reduces poverty in rural areas, protects the local environment and nomadic culture, and provides alternative livelihoods for local communities.
The book features 18 stories showcasing how CBT empowers women, preserves cultural heritage, fosters social responsibility, and improves living standards. "The labor-intensive process of making shyrdaks (traditional felt rugs) symbolizes female solidarity and community unity, passing down knowledge from generation to generation. These 18 stories reflect how community-based tourism brings women together, empowering them, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring economic well-being," Professor Shumaila Yousafzai shared.
Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is a type of organized eco-tourism where local residents of a village unite to offer tourism services, set common service standards, and welcome eco-tourists. This sustainable tourism model improves the livelihoods of rural communities, reduces unemployment, and enhances regional well-being. Over the last two decades, CBT has developed into a tool for promoting stable, socially inclusive tourism in developing and transition economies, including Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz model of CBT effectively generates income, reduces poverty in rural areas, protects the local environment and nomadic culture, and provides alternative livelihoods for local communities.
The book features 18 stories showcasing how CBT empowers women, preserves cultural heritage, fosters social responsibility, and improves living standards. "The labor-intensive process of making shyrdaks (traditional felt rugs) symbolizes female solidarity and community unity, passing down knowledge from generation to generation. These 18 stories reflect how community-based tourism brings women together, empowering them, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring economic well-being," Professor Shumaila Yousafzai shared.
