On October 16, a working meeting was held at the Secretariat of the Council for Business and Investment Development under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic to discuss the development of a mechanism for introducing a tourism (ecosystem) fee.

The event was organized by the UNDP BIOFIN Programme together with the expert group on the development of the tourism fee mechanism, with the support of the Secretariat of the Council.

The meeting brought together representatives of the Department of Tourism, the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators (KATO), the Organic Holding Association, the Association for Tourism and Entrepreneurship Support, Ak-Sai Travel, Destination Chui Region, as well as independent experts and development partners.

Participants discussed the goals and main directions of the initiative, along with examples of international experience in implementing similar mechanisms. Special attention was paid to ensuring transparency in administration, possible collection formats, and the effective use of proceeds to support tourism infrastructure and environmental protection.

The initiative aims to identify an optimal and balanced approach that would help increase the attractiveness of the Kyrgyz Republic for tourists while creating additional resources for biodiversity conservation and improving the quality of tourism services.

As noted by participants, the discussion is still at an early stage, and further work will be carried out to refine possible mechanisms and incorporate the views of the private sector and other stakeholders.

This working meeting marked the first step in a broader consultation process with the private sector aimed at developing a well-balanced solution to promote sustainable tourism development in the Kyrgyz Republic.