Natural-resource potential of national natural parks of southeastern Kazakhstan for the development of ecological tourism

Abstract

Eco-tourism is one of the developing sectors of the tourism industry, which is based on respect for nature, the preservation of unique landscapes, biological diversity. International experience shows that the dynamic development of ecotourism takes place in specially protected areas. National parks of Kazakhstan are the most suitable for the development of ecological tourism. A network of 7parks of the desert zone as a whole located in the mountainous regions of the southeast of Kazakhstan was studied. They were created in middle and high mountain regions with a defined altitudinal zonation, which includes the steppe, forest, xerophytic-meadow, nival-subnival zones. In these parks natural monuments of national importance are located. In addition, there are 52ecological routes that introduce tourists to typical and rare landscapes, natural monuments and picturesque landscapes of untouched nature. Thus, desert national parks have a wide range of landscapes and natural resource potential for the development of ecotourism.