The World Nomad Games — the world’s largest and most photogenic ethnosports event — catapulted the Kyrgyz Republic (also known as Kyrgyzstan) into the global arena this month. 20 heads of state, plus UN Secretary General António Guterres and 30,000 spectators attended the opening ceremony, watching 3,000 athletes from 106 countries process through the purpose-built, yurt-shaped arena in Bishkek. The ensuing spectacle, which even included a live performance by Nicole Scherzinger, rivalled that of the Olympics, with dazzling displays of horsemanship, costumed dancers, and pyrotechnics.
According to the Kyrgyz financial news site Akchabar.kg, the Games’ organisers were allocated $3.8 million (not including the cost of stadium construction) from Kyrgyzstan’s state budget, plus a prize fund of $730,000. Official partners and sponsors such as UNESCO, the ROX Group, A Bank, Beeline, and Chevrolet provided additional support, and international teams financed their own participation. Early forecasts suggest that the economic impact of the Games will be in the region of $100-120 million, approximately 10% of Kyrgyzstan’s annual tourism revenue. The actual figure could be much larger, especially given that the Games’ high profile on social media and traditional broadcast channels is likely to boost 2027 tourism arrivals, too.
Kyrgyzstan is an ethnotourism success story. International arrivals grew 30% in 2024 and a further 8.1% in 2025, and thanks to the Games, growth is likely to be pushed into double figures again this year. In economic terms, tourism accounts for 3.8% of GDP and 8.5% of total employment, providing more than double the jobs of the country’s flagship mining sector. Although Kyrgyzstan also has a strong adventure tourism sector, anchored by hiking, horse riding, and jeep tours, and many nature-based assets, including the Western Tien Shan UNESCO World Heritage Site, its nomadic cultural heritage is the unique selling point (USP).
“Nomadism is a critical part of Kyrgyzstan’s post-independence national identity,” explains Sophie Ibbotson, founder of Maximum Exposure, the British tourism consultancy which wrote the country’s first tourism promotion strategy. “Competition is high for mountain tourism — Kyrgyzstan would be in direct competition with the likes of Nepal, Pakistan, and Georgia — but with limited infrastructure and underdeveloped services, it could only gain market share by undercutting other destinations on price. Instead, by focusing on ethnotourism, and in particular the unique culture of the Kyrgyz mountain nomads, Kyrgyzstan has an exclusive, much higher value tourism offering which can contribute more to the economy and, at the same time, boost the visibility of and positive response to the national brand.”
Kyrgyzstan’s investment in the development and promotion of ethnotourism mirrors an international trend. Future Market Insights estimates that the combined ethno- and community-based tourism market will grow at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2025-35, driven by consumer demand for community empowerment, sustainability, and authentic, immersive cultural experiences. Travel Massive highlights the value of social enterprises such as Visit Natives, emphasising that to have the desired impact, indigenous communities must be able to design, manage, and profit from activities themselves.
Community-based tourism associations are critical in anchoring such forms of tourism development and ensuring locals benefit. Helvetas, the Swiss development agency, helped establish the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA), better known as CBT Kyrgyzstan, in 2000-03. The nationwide association helps connect tourists directly to homestays and guesthouse owners, drivers, guides, and experience providers. This model has been so successful that it has been replicated in multiple destinations, including by the Fergana Valley Community Tourism Network in Uzbekistan; and Indigenous Tourism BC in Canada.
As the ethnotourism sector grows, there’s more demand for expertise, in particular for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Organisations like Aethnic (based in Spain) and Costa Rica’s Ethnotourism.org are helping shape the conversation between tourists boards and businesses, identifying opportunities for entrepreneurship and helping indigenous and rural communities connect to markets. Development banks and agencies such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GIZ, and JICA also recognise the economic and social value of community-based ethnotourism, and are supporting regional projects from Latin America to the Middle East.
As a case study, Kyrgyzstan has multiple lessons to teach other emerging destinations wanting to develop ethnotourism. Five key points stand out.
- Identify community-based products and services which no competitor can offer.
- Allow local stakeholders to lead the way: their engagement, effort, and insights are critical.
- Focus donor and state support on facilitation, not replacement of local skills and resources.
- Start small and scale as demand grows. This saves money and focuses effort.
- Spend on events and soft infrastructure which helps connect to markets, in preference to paid-for advertising campaigns.