VZCZCXRO6182
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0774/01 1630726
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110726Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0643
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0181
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0152
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0121

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000774 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/PPD JKAMP AND IIP LSCHWARTZ, BDURANT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON KPAO CVIS CASC TI
SUBJECT: TOURISM IN TAJIKISTAN: COME EXPERIENCE OUR BEAUTIFUL 
MOUNTAINS, FRIENDLY PEOPLE, DIFFICULT BUREAUCRACY 
 
Ref: A) Dushanbe 458, B) Dushanbe 748 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified - Not for Internet Distribution. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary. Tajikistan has the essential attributes to compete 
for international tourism, but an unfriendly visa policy and lack of 
international air connections shut out foreign visitors and their 
ready cash, according to tourism expert Thomas Tait.  During his 
visit May 26-30, Tait recommended the government establish an 
official website for tourists, ease visa requirements for friendly 
countries, and establish an inter-agency council to formulate 
tourism policy.  Tajikistan's tourism committee has drafted an 
action plan to stimulate tourism, but it remains to be seen if the 
government is willing to take the crucial first steps toward 
recognizing that promoting tourism is a way to diversify and revive 
a struggling economy.  End summary. 
 
Economic Opportunity Thwarted by Visa Restrictions 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3. (U) Tajikistan has the essential attributes to compete for 
international tourism -- a rich cultural and historical heritage, 
spectacular scenery, mountain sports, and genuinely warm and 
welcoming people.  The country could reap a seven fold economic 
impact from each somoni a tourist spends here, but the government's 
unfriendly visa policy and lack of international air connections 
ensures that only the most determined travelers ever manage to 
visit.  Thus Thomas Tait, Nevada's tourism commissioner for 13 years 
and the current president of the Nevada Tourism Alliance, assessed 
Tajikistan's tourism potential in meetings with private tourism 
operators, international donors, and government officials during his 
IIP-sponsored visit May 26-30. 
 
¶4. (U) Tait previously met Tajik tourism experts and government 
representatives who traveled to Reno on Community Connections and 
Open World exchange programs regarding tourism in 2006 and 2007 
respectively.  Having served as tourism commissioner in a state that 
derives $35 billion a year from tourism, he knows the business and 
is well qualified to offer candid advice on how to stimulate this 
industry. 
 
¶5. (U) In meetings and press appearances alike, Tait warmly praised 
the open hearted Tajik people and reproached the government for its 
"unfriendly" attitude toward visitors reflected in the visa regime 
and its failure to provide essential travel information to potential 
visitors.  An official in the Foreign Ministry's consular department 
noted in a meeting with Tait that Tajikistan could not extend the 
period of validity or offer multiple entry visas until the ministry 
had the funds to implement machine readable visas.  This obstacle 
could put visa reform out of reach for the foreseeable future. 
 
An Expert's Practical Advice . . . 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Tait said that tourism is the fastest way to move an economy 
forward, since infrastructure improvements made to attract visitors 
provide jobs and leave lasting benefits to local residents and 
businesses.  He advised the government to take the following 
immediate and longer term steps to stimulate tourism and begin 
accruing the economic benefits. 
 
-- Create an official website with visa, travel, and hotel 
information, since 94% of the traveling public uses the Internet, 
78% use it to book their travel, and 50% use it to book their 
hotels. 
 
-- Ease visa restrictions for visitors from "friendly" nations, 
Q-- Ease visa restrictions for visitors from "friendly" nations, 
using the U.S. Visa Waiver Program as a model. 
 
 
-- Carve a separate tourism ministry from the current Committee on 
Youth, Sport, and Tourism. 
 
-- Establish a tourism council with representatives from the 
ministries of foreign affairs, finance, economic development, 
transportation, culture, tourism, etc., to coordinate tourism 
friendly policies. 
 
-- Establish a visitor bureau with participating members from 
government and private industry. 
 
-- Establish airline connections with bordering countries and offer 
more frequent flights on established international routes (currently 
Istanbul, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Almaty, Bishkek, Dubai, and 
Urumchi). 
 
 
DUSHANBE 00000774  002 OF 002 
 
 
. . .Buried in Rambling Five Year Plan 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Committee on Youth, Sport and Tourism made similar 
recommendations - in no discernible order - in its "Concept of 
Tourism Development in Tajikistan up to 2013," released 
coincidentally during Tait's visit.  The committee acknowledged in 
its report that tourism can be a primary source of income, but the 
forecast for growth in this sector is only 3% annually.  According 
to the report, 320,000 foreign citizens visited Tajikistan, but only 
9,600 were tourists.  The report notes that the government collected 
revenue through recreation usage fees, taxes from visas and 
registration permits, land and air transportation, and tour guide 
fees.  "Extreme" mountain sports were the most popular recreational 
activities. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In its 14-page plan the committee recommended the following 
actions: 
 
-- Improve marketing by convening a working group with participating 
members from national media and ministries. 
 
-- Simplify visa issuance procedures. 
 
-- Provide a legal basis for cooperation among government, 
parliament, the national association of tourism operators, and 
international donors in developing tourism. 
 
-- Establish an inter-agency commission to coordinate actions of 
government entities involved in tourism. 
 
-- Allocate a line item in the national budget to develop tourism. 
(The report noted that the 270,000 somoni allocation for 2004-2009 - 
about $79,000 - was inadequate). 
 
-- Reduce taxation levies on tour operators. 
 
-- Survey and catalog the country's most attractive tourism sites, 
then develop in priority order. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment: Tait's observations confirmed that Tajikistan 
does have the potential to develop a tourism industry that could 
have a major impact on the country's economy.  The government's 
action plan is a first step at leveraging tourism potential, but the 
plan offers no priority of implementing its recommendations, the 
first of which should be visa reform.  While the tourism committee 
works out its elaborate plan to build tourism, community based 
tourism requiring little capital investment is already showing 
promise.  A self-sustaining eco-tourism association founded with 
donor assistance markets Tajik hospitality in yurts and traditional 
style Tajik homes in the spectacular Pamir Mountains.  But even this 
opportunity is snarled by regulations requiring all visitors to get 
a special passport stamp for the area, which can now be obtained in 
Tajik embassies and consulates abroad. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Comment continued: Tait's visit was an opportunity to 
comprehensively look at the potential for tourism to contribute to 
Tajikistan's economy.  His meeting with working level international 
organizations was the first time that donors discussed the practical 
and political challenges to the sector.  Tait's visit also set the 
stage for a meeting of the Principals' Group (Ambassadors of donor 
missions and international financial organizations representatives) 
on June 5, during which participants discussed how to get the 
government to relax restrictions on visas and permits and expand 
airline connections. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Comment continued: International donors and private tour 
operators believe the government could take some small steps right 
now that could have significant economic impacts.  Unfortunately, 
they do not think the government sees the potential benefit of 
Qthey do not think the government sees the potential benefit of 
developing the tourism market, nor is it willing to make the 
investments that are necessary to broaden its economy.  A number of 
smaller initiatives undertaken by international donors to help the 
country promote tourism should be better coordinated, perhaps under 
the leadership of one of the international financial institutions. 
End comment. 
 
Jacobson