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Anastasia Pavlova heads the Council for Tourism Security of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly. As part of the "Rhythms of Eurasia" cycle, Rustem Safronov, an observer for Sputnik radio, talks to her about tourism in the countries of Central Asia.
- Anastasia Valerievna, how are things going with tourist security in Eurasia? Now Russia and the West have turned away from each other that means that tourism in Eurasia is of particular relevance. Our citizens have an outdated opinion, for example, that it is not safe to travel in Central Asia.
- You are absolutely right. Now tourism security is taking on a new shape. This is tourist safety on land, on water, in the air. It is based on one single quality - respect for the other person.
If you are going to the countries of Central Asia, before flying to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or Turkmenistan, you must definitely understand where you are going to rest! And what rules in that place should we follow.
To do this, we need to get acquainted with several traditional areas of life in the countries where we are going to. If a person is as informed as possible, he is already half safe as a tourist.
– For example, a tourist is going to Turkmenistan. It's hard to get a visa there. There is only one agency. For two years the country was practically closed due to covid. It is almost impossible for a layman to go there.
And there is, for example, Uzbekistan. People travel there freely, they are well treated there. What dangers might wait for them there?
- As for Turkmenistan, I want to dwell on the hospitality of this country. Of course, in order to come to Turkmenistan now, you need to go through certain procedures, and these procedures are not simple.
But if a person is still ready to travel there, he needs to consider several areas. The weather. Environment. The tourist sites that he will visit. Snake activity in Turkmenistan.
For example, cobras live in one of the well-known tourist sites of Turkmenistan - the beautiful ancient capital of Nisa. This ancient place is the kingdom of cobras. And a person who is going to visit this treasure, listed by UNESCO, must understand when these cobras are active, whether it is possible to go there on a tour or it is better to look at the beautiful Nisa from a safe distance.
– There are not only cobras. I personally met a monitor lizard of decent size in Nisa. It's a pretty creepy sight. But to see the monuments of antiquity in Turkmenistan, the muddy waters of the Amu Darya, the Karakum Canal, the gardens of Charshanga is quite interesting. But I still see the main problem - it is difficult to get a visa.
What can you say about the myth that is steadily circulating in the Russian mind that to go to Central Asia, even if there are no visas necessary to travel there: to Kyrgyzstan, to Uzbekistan, by car, for example, that it is not-safe!
- That's right, it's a myth! The fact is that any tourism is based solely on maximum preparation. If we go by car to Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan, then we must definitely understand that they have their own traditions, their own rules, their own dress code.
And in tourist security, you must follow the dress code. If European girls come to one of the Asian countries and walk around there in a bikini, believing that they are free girls, then they, at least, do not respect the local population.
It is impossible to relax in a Central Asian country according to your own rules. You have to spend time there, considering all the rules that exist in this country. And then everyone will be provided with a very interesting, informative and incredible vacation.
– In addition to the cultural context, and that the locals can be shock with excessive exposure, shorts, miniskirts, is there something else that, in your opinion, should be considered by Russians traveling to Samarkand, Bishkek, Osh, Bukhara?
– These are all completely different areas. If people go to Uzbekistan, then they can be guaranteed to be surprised by the Uzbek tourist hospitality. Uzbekistan is now the leader in the entire territory of Central Asia in ensuring tourism security.
Tourist police work in Uzbekistan. A whole set of measures has been developed there, which helps all tourists who being in the country feel not only safe, but also want to return to Uzbekistan again.
Why is this happening? Because the entire population of Uzbekistan is constantly informed that a tourist is a guest. A guest is like a blessing from God. If a person comes to your house as a blessing, he brings joy to your house.
In Uzbekistan, the local population is brought up at a very high level, in the truest sense of the word. Uzbekistan is safe in all areas: gastronomic, cultural, and individual. Even if the family arrives without any formalization of a tourist trip, and they say that they want to travel around Samarkand, around Bukhara, to see what magnificent ecological wonders there are in Uzbekistan, they will be helped.