Silk Road Media British Publishing House is pleased to announce the first annual Discovery Сentral Asia Travel Forum to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Discovery Central Asia magazine.

This forum will be for Central Asian and international professionals and experts in various sectors of the tourism, hospitality and education industries.  

Central Asia has much to offer as a tourist destination, but has so far failed to develop its capability fully. Nevertheless, interest in the region grows daily. Countries use every opportunity to attract the world's attention to their historical treasures and their differing, particular cultures. More and more people are discovering Central Asia, but at the same time, with very few exceptions, the hospitality industry does not perform well. The market lacks Central Asian tour operators capable of organizing both high quality tours and accommodation in hotels with an acceptable level of service.

2011 was the 20th Anniversary of the independence of the Central Asian republics. In this period of time, people in these countries have started to acquire enough wealth to travel all over the world. Over 1.5 million Central Asians went on tour in 2011 and the figure is expected to grow in 2012. Outbound tour agencies now offer travel all over the world. Yet there are still many problems, the most common of which is poor client service. For a variety of reasons Central Asians face daily problems in getting visas, booking a room in the chosen hotel, buying an airline ticket on the planned date etc.
The education market grows daily and there are not enough universities. Central Asian governments cannot satisfy the demand. This provides a great opportunity for foreign investors and universities to establish their educational systems in the region. Each year we hear of a new international school or university opening in Central Asia. However it is still not enough and a lot of young people struggle to find a place in higher education. Every country must be interested in keeping their best human resources at home, nevertheless a lot of talented people leave Central Asia and find a better life outside the region. Those who can afford to study abroad need to be fully informed of the possibilities all over the world. All the top Central Asian universities and some international colleges from outside the region will be discussing the problems of education at the Travel Forum.
Other issues regarding tourism and hospitality in Central Asia will also be discussed and analysed by leading specialists at the Travel Forum.
The Travel Forum will take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 28-29April 2012, with 4 sessions:

• CA inbound tourism;
• CA outbound tourism;
• Hospitality in CA;
• Education in CA.

This forum will be for Central Asian and international professionals and experts in various sectors of the tourism, hospitality and educational industries.