Kyrgyzstan is a country in Central Asia that has a history of over 2,000 years, over which Kyrgyzstan has been inhabited by different tribes and clans of nomads. The country has periodically been under different foreign rules too. In the territory of Kyrgyzstan, there are several ancient cities, including Balasagun, Osh and Suyab (Ak-Beshim). Balasagun was the capital of the Kara-Khanid Khanate, a Turkic dynasty. The latter two were the important way stations of the Silk Road. The rich history of the country has given birth to its rich cultures as well as the integration between the foreign and the local nomadic cultures. Also, as Kyrgyzstan is surrounded by highly mountainous terrain, the ancient cultures are better preserved.

Kyrgyzstan acquired sovereignty as a nation-state after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The collapse of the Soviet Union trade groups led to shrinking markets, and hence a plight in Kyrgyzstan’s economy. Kyrgyzstan faced many challenges in its way towards a market economy. People’s grievances were accumulating, finally causing two massive revolutions after the year of 2000. It is not until recent years that the economy and the political environment have been stabilised.  

People usually choose Kyrgyzstan as their starting point of the journey in Central Asia for several reasons. First, it is the beautiful scenery that the country possesses, including the Tian Shan and Issyk-Kul Lake. Second is the relatively liberal visa regime of Kyrgyzstan, making it the gateway to Central Asia.

Last but not least, it is the fact that Kyrgyzstan has well-developed community-based tourism (CBT). Given Kyrgyz’s simplicity and hospitality, together with the efforts of the government and non-governmental organisations in promoting CBT since 2000, areas with great potentials are developed into high-quality hostels. The Kyrgyz government has been providing subsidies to the locals to further improve the living environment and facilities. The locals have also been encouraged by the government to receive tourists, run hostels and so forth. This greatly helps the development of tourism in the country. The locals, in return, will devote some of its profits to the livelihood matters of the country. A virtuous cycle has therefore been formed. Now in Kyrgyzstan, there are around 20 CBT groups, which have established their own umbrella organisation called the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA) – “Hospitality Kyrgyzstan”.