Organizing Slow Tourism on the Kazakh section of the Great Silk Road

Abstract

This article substantiates the need to transition from mass tourist flows to sustainable forms of tourism focused on cultural authenticity, environmental responsibility, and the socio-economic development of local communities. The aim of the study is to substantiate the feasibility of slow tourism on the Kazakhstan segment of the Great Silk Road. Methods of cartography, geoinformatics, spatial analysis, visualization and graphical modeling of the route, as well as Google Earth, are used. Statistical indicators of slow tourism worldwide and in Kazakhstan show a trend of increasing interest. Slow tourism is proposed to be considered through the indicators of ecotourism, rural tourism, domestic tourism, and sustainable tourism. A comparison of Kazakhstan with slow tourism practices in developed countries shows the potential of natural, historical, and cultural resources at key points along the route for the effective organization of a slow tourism system at an international level. An extended slow tourism route is proposed: Almaty – Kaskelen – Uzyn-Agash – Merke – Lugovaya (Kulan) – Akyrtobe – Taraz – Sairam – Shymkent –  Otrar – Sauran – Turkestan. A schematic map and spatial model for organizing slow tourism were developed, including infrastructure, service, and economic components. A technological map of the tourist route was compiled, determining its length, travel time, and excursion content. This made it possible to determine travel costs and the economic viability of the route. Tourism risks along the route include over-visiting sites, carbon footprint, seasonality of tourist flows, and logistical barriers (difficulties in visiting remote areas). This is especially relevant due to the economy's high dependence on coal energy and the raw materials sector.