Central Asia to create a common event calendar of festivals

The first Central Asian Festival Forum was held in Bishkek, the partner of which was the Tourism Development Support Fund of the Kyrgyz Republic. The outcome of the forum will be the creation of a calendar of sustainable festivals and events in Central Asia, the need for which was expressed by all participants.

21 speakers from Central Asia and Russia and 150 participants met at the forum. All of them had the opportunity to exchange experience, discuss and solve many problems of organization of events. And, most importantly, understand the algorithm - how to make our festivals sustainable, how to monetize them, how to attract partners, how to promote Kyrgyz festivals around the world and how to attract tourists, which is especially relevant for our country.

Speakers from different countries shared their experience in organizing festivals. Natalia Frankel, the author of three books on event-marketing and the organizer of hundreds of events in Russia, gave many practical advice.

"The Kyrgyz Republic is rich in natural heritage, cultural and historical, musical, it can and should hold festivals and fairs. And the forum gave impetus and a new vision for the development of event tourism. All its participants have already united in a television channel, where they exchange information and share sustainable practices," - said the speaker of one of the panel sessions of the forum Albina Alimova.

The forum was organized by the Public Fund "Kolfest" in partnership with the Tourism Development Support Fund with the financial support of the Embassy of Switzerland in the Kyrgyz Republic.