Eco-hotels and a visitor center: Karkaraly National Park presented new projects for investors 

In the Karaganda region, they rely on ecotourism. The entrepreneurs were presented with projects of eco-hotels and a visitor center in the Karkaraly National Nature Park and told which specific sites construction is possible on. Part of the territory of the national park has already been allocated for tourist and recreational areas, which allows you to develop recreation without harming nature.

Currently, four long–term (up to 25 years) and eight short-term (up to 5 years) plots have been provided to investors in the national park for ecotourism facilities.

– The general plan for the development of the infrastructure of the Karkaraly National Park has been approved. For the further development of tourism, 14 additional plots are provided for short-term use. And we plan to provide six more plots for long-term use. For example, everyone knows the hiking trail that goes to Shaitankol. Here we have provided three plots for long–term use," said Ruslan Tulepbayev, director of the Karkaraly State National Nature Park, at a meeting at the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Karaganda region.

He named other sites for the construction of eco-hotels: near Lake Samal, in the tracts of Zhauyrtogai and Komissarovka.

– If the business is interested and the entrepreneur comes with his project, we will announce a competition in accordance with the rules. After summing up the results of the competition, one year is given for the development of design estimates and two years for the construction of the facility itself," Ruslan Tulepbayev explained.

A separate project is the visit center. It should improve the reception of tourists, create jobs and strengthen the contribution of ecotourism to the region's economy.

There are also plans to modernize the Nature Museum with the introduction of digital expositions and interactive technologies.

Next to the museum there is a zoological enclosure with an area of 82 hectares, where bison and marals live in semi-free conditions.

They also want to update it and make it more attractive for tourists. Businesses are invited to cooperate on the terms of a public-private partnership or a joint venture agreement.

The projects of the Buiratau National Park, which is located in the territories of Akmola and Karaganda regions, were also presented at the meeting. They are also planning to build a visitor center here. In addition, there are plots for a recreation center and glamping sites.

The updated legislation also contributes to the development of tourism: it has made it easier for investors to obtain land plots and connect infrastructure.

Irina Lyubarskaya, Head of the Tourism Department, spoke about government support measures. Entrepreneurs can receive compensation and subsidies, as well as preferential loans. The development of ecotourism should increase the tourist flow and become one of the drivers of economic growth in the region.