On December 4, AlmaU hosted the Adventure Travel Meetup dedicated to the development of Kazakhstan’s national heritage trails. The event, organized by Travel Massive Almaty, the AlmaU School of Management and Tourism, and KazAlpineClub, brought together representatives of the tourism industry, the expert community, faculty, and students to discuss the prospects for adventure tourism and the creation of national heritage trails.
Participants included representatives of key organizations within Kazakhstan’s tourism ecosystem:
- Erkin Tikenov – moderator, Professor of Practice at the AlmaU School of Management and Tourism, member of the Public Council of KazakhTourism;
- Diana Frolova – Director of the Guide Training Center at LCREDO LLP, coordinator of turclub.kz – the Community of Sports Tourists of Kazakhstan, member of the KazAlpineClub board;
- Kazhym Jumaliev – President of the “Tabigat” association, board member of KazAlpineClub;
- Konstantin Sapronov – Chairman of the Almaty Region Sports Tourism Federation;
- Alexander Pashkin – Instructor at LCREDO LLP;
- Marina Kadnikova – Head of MONTE tour operator, Executive Director of KazAlpineClub;
- Vadim Shklyar – Head of DemAl;
- Roman Kartun – Head of the trail improvement contractor;
- Alexander Khinevich – Professional mountain guide;
- Zhandos Zhumabay – Head of the CreAlmaty Foundation, architect-urbanist, producer of urban projects;
- Kasiet Omarova – Advisor to the Akim of Almaty on inclusion.
Participants explored international models for the development of heritage trails and discussed the pilot project Alatau Heritage Trail – “Alatau Amanaty.”
Experts presented the results of reconnaissance expeditions, route assessments, and proposals for infrastructure development, trail management, and the promotion of trails as tourism products.
A special part of the program featured student projects – more than 15 urban, recreational, and gastronomic routes developed within the courses of the AlmaU School of Management and Tourism. Students also presented concepts for tourist centers and digital services for the industry, demonstrating the practical application of their knowledge and contribution to the development of urban tourism infrastructure.
The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring experts in trail building, urban planning, and sustainable tourism.
Speakers discussed the future model for the development, management, and marketing of the Alatau Heritage Trail, as well as approaches to promoting the trail and ensuring its accessibility.
The Adventure Travel Meetup became an important professional platform, strengthening cooperation between AlmaU, the tourism industry, and the expert community, while reaffirming the university’s role as a center of competence in tourism.