A Partnership with CBT Saty

This growth also raises practical challenges: visitor numbers are concentrated within a few months and at a few locations, bookings are unevenly distributed, and pressure on the lakes and the best-known routes is increasing. Tourism development in Saty therefore requires local organisation capable of sharing economic benefits, offering alternatives to the busiest sites and preparing residents to welcome visitors throughout the year.

A Partnership with CBT Saty

The project is carried out with CBT Saty, a local organisation bringing together families and tourism service providers from the village. Its coordinator, Jyldyz, centralises requests, connects travellers with network members and coordinates the services available locally.

The services involved include guesthouses, meals prepared by families, transfers, horse-riding excursions, guidance from local guides and cultural experiences. This organisation helps direct bookings to several providers in the village rather than to a limited number of operators.

Creating Experiences Beyond Kolsai and Kaindy

Accommodation provided by CBT Saty members is integrated into Nomad’s Land’s booking system. Requests are sent directly to the CBT coordinator, who then organises the welcome with participating families. This approach aims to maintain a direct relationship between travellers, the local organisation and village service providers.

The partnership also includes the development of experiences offered by network members: horse rides, traditional meals, meetings with local residents, introductions to Kazakh culture and outdoor activities.

Work to identify local resources is also underway with partners across the area. Valleys, trails, mountain passes, viewpoints and less-visited places around Saty are being documented in order to develop new routes suited to local conditions. The aim is to offer stays that do not rely solely on visits to the Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes.

Distributing Visitor Numbers Across Seasons and the Territory

Most visitors arrive during the summer season. This concentration limits tourism income during the rest of the year and increases pressure on the most popular sites during peak periods.

With CBT Saty, new experiences are being considered for spring, autumn and winter. Snow-related activities, including winter hiking on suitable routes, are among the options being explored. Proposed activities must remain appropriate to weather conditions, the capacity of local providers and participant safety.

Developing an offer across several seasons has two objectives: creating additional income opportunities for families and reducing pressure caused by summer visitor peaks. Highlighting less-visited areas around the village can also help distribute visitors more evenly.

Building the Independence of CBT Saty

The project is not based solely on increasing the number of bookings. The goal is to strengthen CBT Saty’s capacity to organise activities, coordinate members and guide the tourism development of the village according to local priorities.

Support focuses on coordinating service providers, presenting available offers, developing new experiences and identifying independent sources of funding. Over time, income generated through network services and activities should contribute to coordination, communication, training and the development of new products.

A local organisation with its own resources can better monitor service quality, distribute opportunities among members and continue activities without relying exclusively on external funding.

What a Stay Brings to the Village

Choosing accommodation operated by a CBT member, sharing a meal with a family, booking a local transfer or travelling with a village guide helps circulate part of travel spending within the Saty community.

For travellers, this approach offers a more direct discovery of the area and its residents while supporting locally provided services. For the village, it contributes to diversifying economic activities and creating opportunities beyond the high season.

In Saty, community tourism is based on practical decisions: including families in booking systems, diversifying routes, developing off-season activities and strengthening the capacity of the local organisation. The objective is for residents to gradually guide tourism development in their territory and retain a lasting share of its benefits.