Ski Tourism and Sustainable Development: An Analysis of the Perceptions of the Residents of Boz-Uchuk Village, Kyrgyzstan

Öz

Abstraсt Objective: This study aims to analyze the perceptions of Boz-Uchuk village residents regarding the processes related to ski tourism development and assess its impact on the sustainable development of the local community, considering socio-economic and environmental aspects. Methodology: A quantitative survey was conducted from August 2024 to April 2025 using a structured questionnaire via the Google Forms platform. The sample consisted of 84 respondents aged 18 to 65, representing various socio-economic groups of Boz-Uchuk village. Results: The majority of participants (67.4%) positively evaluated the prospects for ski tourism development in the region, with 68.3% linking it to potential economic growth. The main expected benefits were job creation (73.8%), income growth (68.3%), and infrastructure development (65.5%). However, 47.4% of respondents expressed concerns about environmental consequences, including threats to biodiversity and landscape changes. Key risks also included the loss of traditional lifestyles (33.3%) and unequal distribution of benefits (26.2%). Conclusions: The data indicate a complex and ambivalent attitude of the local population towards tourism initiatives. Inclusive planning mechanisms that consider community opinion, environmental constraints, and fair distribution of economic benefits are necessary for sustainable development. The findings can serve as a basis for formulating local tourism policies and evaluating the sustainability of projects in Kyrgyzstan's mountainous regions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ski Tourism
• Sustinable Development
• Public Perception
• Enviromental Risks
• Boz-Uchuk
• KYrgyzstan

Destekleyen Kurum

No financial support was received from any institution.

Etik Beyan

The research was conducted in accordance with fundamental ethical principles. Participants responded anonymously via WhatsApp; no personal data were collected, and no identifying information was obtained. There was no prior acquaintance between the researcher and the participants. Respondents had the right to withdraw from the study at any time without providing a reason. All data were collected and stored securely by the researcher, solely for scientific purposes.

Teşekkür

I would like to thank the residents of Boz-Uçuk village for their voluntary participation and support.

Kırgızistan’ın Boz-Uçuk Köyü’nde Kayak Turizmi ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma: Yerel Halkın Algılarının Analizi

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma, Boz-Uçuk köyü sakinlerinin kış turizminin gelişimi ile ilgili süreçleri nasıl algıladıklarını ve bunun yerel topluluğun sosyal-ekonomik ve çevresel açıdan sürdürülebilir kalkınmasına etkisini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Ağustos 2024-Nisan 2025 döneminde Google Forms platformu kullanılarak yapılandırılmış anket formu ile nicel bir araştırma gerçekleştirilmiştir. 18-65 yaş aralığında ve farklı sosyo-ekonomik gruplardan 84 katılımcı örneklem olarak seçilmiştir. Bulgular: Katılımcıların çoğunluğu (%67,4), bölgedeki kış turizminin gelişme potansiyelini olumlu değerlendirmiştir ve %68,3’ü bunu ekonomik büyüme açısından ilişkilendirmiştir. Beklenen başlıca faydalar arasında istihdam yaratılması (%73,8), gelir artışı (%68,3) ve altyapının gelişimi (%65,5) yer almaktadır. Öte yandan, %47,4’ü biyolojik çeşitlilik tehditleri ve peyzaj değişiklikleri gibi ekolojik endişeler dile getirmiştir. Ana riskler arasında geleneksel yaşam biçiminin kaybı (%33,3) ve faydaların adaletsiz paylaşımı (%26,2) sayılmıştır. Sonuç: Elde edilen veriler, yerel halkın turizm girişimlerine karşı karmaşık ve çelişkili bir tutum içinde olduğunu göstermektedir. Sürdürülebilir kalkınma için, toplum görüşünü, çevresel kısıtlamaları ve ekonomik faydaların adil dağılımını dikkate alan kapsayıcı planlama mekanizmalarına ihtiyaç vardır. Bulgular, Kırgızistan'ın dağlık bölgelerinde yerel turizm politikalarının oluşturulması ve proje sürdürülebilirliğinin değerlendirilmesine temel oluşturabilir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Kayak Turizmi, Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma, Halk Algısı, Çevresel Riskler, Boz-Uçuk, Kırgızistan

Anahtar Kelimeler

• kayak turizmi
• Sürdürülebilir kalkınma
• Halk Algısı
• çevresel Riskler
• Boz Uçuk
• kırgızistan

Destekleyen Kurum

Herhangi bir kurum tarafından maddi destek alınmamıştır.

Etik Beyan

Araştırma temel etik kurallara uygun şekilde yürütülmüştür. Katılımcılar WhatsApp üzerinden anonim olarak yanıt vermiştir; kişisel veri toplanmamış, kimlik bilgileri alınmamıştır. Araştırmacı ile katılımcılar arasında doğrudan bir tanışıklık bulunmamaktadır. Katılımcılar diledikleri anda ve gerekçe göstermeksizin çalışmadan çekilme hakkına sahipti. Veriler yalnızca bilimsel amaçlarla, korunaklı dijital ortamlarda saklanmıştır.

Teşekkür

Boz-Uçuk köyü sakinlerine gönüllü katılımları ve destekleri için teşekkür ederim.

Kaynakça

1. Akylbekova, N. I., Sabyrova, A. O., Yang, Q., & Mambetova, A. A. (2024). Sustainable tourism development in Central Asia: Challenges and opportunities. In Tourism and sustainable development in emerging regions (pp. 45–62). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51272-8_3
2. Ala-Too Resort State Enterprise. (2024). Ala-Too Resort. Erişim adresi: https://alatooresort.kg
3. Boz Uchuk Village Administration. (2023). Boz Uchuk Aiyil Okmotu Pasportu. Erişim adresi: http://www.bozuchuk.org.kg
4. Bramwell, B., & Lane, B. (Eds.). (2021). Tourism governance: Critical perspectives on governance and sustainability. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203721025
5. Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. (2024). On the sustainable tourism development program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2030 (Resolution No. 765). Erişim adresi: https://www.gov.kg/files/news/froala/d0d92a4f1e52345a4e0bb0570f58b412903
6. Department of Tourism, Kyrgyz Republic. (t.y.). Winter tourism. Erişim tarihi: 23 Aralık 2025, https://tourism.gov.kg/tour/%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BC/
7. Dragović, N., & Pašić, M. (2020). Sustainable tourism in ski resorts of Europe and the world. In SITCON 2020 – Tourism and Sustainable Development: Challenges, Opportunities, and Contradictions. https://doi.org/10.15308/Sitcon-2020-108-116
8. Hudson, S., & Hudson, L. (2015). Winter sport tourism: Working in winter wonderlands. Goodfellow Publishers. https://doi.org/10.23912/978-1-910158-39-5-2687

9. FAO-UNWTO & Mountain Partnership. (2023). Tourism has the potential to improve mountain ecosystems and communities. Erişim adresi: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/FAO-UNWTO-tourism-mountain-ecosystems-report-2023/en
10. Flagestad, A., & Hope, C. A. (2001). Strategic success in winter sports destinations: A sustainable value creation perspective. Tourism Management, 22(5), 445–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(01)00010-3
11. Gössling, S., Hall, C. M., Ekstrom, F., Engeset, A. B., & Aall, C. (2012). Transition management: A tool for implementing sustainable tourism scenarios? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20 (6), 899–916. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2012.699062
12. Gursoy, D., Ouyang, Z., Nunkoo, R., & Wei, W. (2018). Residents’ support for tourism: Testing alternative structural models. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 27 (3), 299–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2018.1516589
13. Hardy, A. L., & Beeton, R. J. S. (2009). Sustainable tourism or maintainable tourism: Managing resources for more than average outcomes. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 9 (3), 168–192. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580108667397
14. Jenish, N. (2017). Tourism sector in Kyrgyzstan: Trends and challenges (IPPA Working Paper No. 42). University of Central Asia. https://ucentralasia.org/media/bytfagur/uca-ippa-wp42tourismeng.pdf
15. Kılıç, N. N., & Hassan, A. (2025). Turizmde sosyal değişim teorisi çalışmalarının bibliyometrik analizi. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Turizm Fakültesi Dergisi, 28 (1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.55931/ahbvtfd.1614240
16. Kim, M. S., & Thapa, B. (2018). Relationship of ethical leadership, corporate social responsibility, and organizational performance. Sustainability, 10 (2), 447. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020447
17. Krystev, V. (2016). Ski resorts: Tourist developments in the territorial organization. Future Russ. http://futureruss.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/%D0%9A%D0%A0%D0%AB%D0%A1%D0%A2%D0%95%D0%92-.pdf
18. Li, J., Cernaianu, S., Sobry, C., & Liu, X. (2021). Ski tourism: A case study as a booster for the economic development of Chongli, China. Sustainability, 13 (23), 13318. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313318
19. Muresan, I. C., Harun, R., Arion, F. H., Fatah, A. O., & Dumitras, D. E. (2021). Exploring residents’ perceptions of the socio-cultural benefits of tourism development in the mountain area. Societies, 11 (3), 83. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc11030083
20. National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. (2025). Official statistics of the Kyrgyz Republic, Erişim adresi: https://stat.gov.kg/
21. Narynbek uulu, K., & Amanbekova, A. (2022). Development of winter tourism in Kyrgyzstan (on the example of the Karakol ski base). Izvestiya VUZov Kyrgyzstana, (3) , 236–239.
22. Nunkoo, R., & So, K. K. F. (2015). Residents’ support for tourism: Testing alternative structural models. Journal of Travel Research, 55 (7), 847–861. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287515592972
23. Nurgaziev, A., Djakypbay kyzy, J., & Sabyrbekov, R. (2018). Tourism benefits perception in rural Kyrgyzstan: A case study of tourism in the Arashan, Kashka Suu and Chunkurchak areas. American University of Central Asia / USAID. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335489624
24. Nyaupane, G. P., & Thapa, B. (2006). Perceptions of environmental impacts of tourism: A case study at ACAP, Nepal. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 13 (1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504500609469661
25. Osmonbekova, R. B., & Dzhunushaliev, S. K. (2020). Current state of ski tourism development in the Kyrgyz Republic. Nauka, novye tekhnologii i innovatsii Kyrgyzstana, 1 , 91–94. http://science-journal.kg/media/Papers/nntiik/2020/1/91-94.pdf
26. Pechlaner, H., Innerhofer, E., & Erschbamer, G. (Eds.). (2019). Overtourism: Tourism management and solutions. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429197987
27. Shokirov, Q., Abdykadyrova, A., Dear, C., & Nowrojee, S. (2014). Mountain tourism and sustainability in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan: A research review (MSRI Background Paper No. 3). University of Central Asia, Mountain Societies Research Institute. https://www.zora.uzh.ch/handle/20.500.14742/108180
28. Scott, D., Steiger, R., Rutty, M., Pons, M., & Johnson, P. (2020). Climate change and ski tourism sustainability: An integrated model of the adaptive dynamics between ski area operations and skier demand. Sustainability, 12 (24), 10617. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410617
29. Segota, T., Mihalic, T., & Perdue, R. R. (2022). Resident perceptions and responses to tourism: Individual vs community level impacts. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , 32 (2), 340–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2149759
30. Steiger, R., & Scott, D. (2020). Ski tourism in a warmer world: Increased adaptation and regional economic impacts in Austria. Tourism Management, 77 , 104032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.104032
31. Tosun, C. (2000). Limits to community participation in the tourism development process in developing countries. Tourism Management, 21 (6), 613–633. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(00)00009-1
32. Turgunov, E. (2021,). Kırgızistan’da turizmin mevcut durumu ve beklentiler. Avrasya Araştırma Enstitüsü Haftalık E-Bülteni , (309). Erişim adresi: https://www.eurasian-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Haftalik-e-bulten-31.05.2021-06.006.2021-No-309.pdf
33. United Nations Development Programme. (2025). Kyrgyzstan tourism sector report. Erişim adresi: https://www.undp.org/kyrgyzstan
34. www.stat.gov.kg. (2024). Resident population as of the beginning of the year. Kırgızistan Cumhuriyeti Milli İstatistik Komitesi. Erişim adresi: https://stat.gov.kg/en/opendata/category/39/
35. Vanat, L. (2023). International report on snow & mountain tourism: Overview of the key industry figures for ski resorts (15th ed.). Laurent Vanat Consulting SARL. Erişim adresi: https://www.vanat.ch/international-report-on-snow-mountain-tourism