Study-tour to Netherlands and Germany, April, 1-10, 2017

One of the highly promising type of eco-tourism in the Kazakh Altai, according to the research we conducted, is bird-watching. We selected three beneficiaries - small tourism entrepreneur with excellent conditions for bird-watching near his guest house, and deputy director of science of Western Altai nature reserve and organised for them a study-tour to the Netherlands and Germany in order they can experience and learn from the best EU practices in this field. We oganised the tour in April - during migration period when birds are easier to observe. Participants visited national parks Niedersachsen Wattenmeer, Lauwesmeer, Alde Feanen and nature reserve Dollard.

The programme of the study tour included following topics:

·         organization of birds-watching and water tourism for different target groups of visitors;

·         equipment of eco-trails, routes, game areals and visit-centers of national parks (including for people with disabilities);

·         organization of environmental educational work with different groups of visitors;

·     cooperation of PAs with local communities and entrepreneurs to sustainable tourism development  and preserve the cultural landscape

Thanks study-tour,  the strong team for development of birds-watching tourism in 2 districts increased capacity , formed common vision and better understood their importance for regional development.  The tour was start-up point for develop this innovation form of eco-tourism in cooperation network  PA #entrepreneur #NGO. Outline plan for  bird-watching tourism development was formulated, first tours developed and one tour already organised in August, 2017 in the buffer zone of Western Altai nature reserve: http://www.goldenaltay.kz/ru/section/turbazy_39/posele-chernaya-uba