UNDP, Kazakh Association of Agro and Rural Tourism Conduct Training Seminars on Cultivating Tourism in the Regions
AKMOLA REGION – As interest in rural or agricultural tourism grows, the Kazakhstan Association of Agro and Rural Tourism (KAART) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a series of training seminars in rural areas to educate farmers about the advantages of sustainable agro and rural tourism.
The Kazakh countryside with its breathtaking vast steppes, forests, lakes, and pristine pastures may provide an ideal travel destination for adventure travelers who like to go off the beaten track. Photo credit: Adobe Stock.
More than 100 farmers participated in the seminars followed by an informational tour on Dec. 2.
The Kazakh countryside with its breathtaking vast steppes, forests, lakes, and pristine pastures may provide an ideal travel destination for adventure travelers who like to go off the beaten track. The next step is to teach rural residents agrotourism skills, which would increase the region’s tourism potential and help to make additional income for farmers.
According to Khalida Tulegenova, KAART president, agrotourism highlights rural communities’ potential by showcasing their natural and historical features, customs, way of life, gastronomy, crafts, and creativity.
“It is expected that in the near future more and more urban residents will prefer these tours. Our task is to prepare the villagers for the proper organization and approach in this industry, which in turn is an additional source of income and development of rural areas,” said Tulegenova.
The informational tour along villages in the Akmola Region offered the villagers an opportunity to showcase their local cuisine, the historical sights, and the nature that surrounded them.
The Sokolov family craft cheese factory
The first destination is “Sokolov’s cheese” family craft cheese factory in Katarkol village which is nearly 250 kilometers or a three-hour ride away from the capital Astana.
When Sokolov speaks of cheese looking down at the 31-month-old Montasio…
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