First and second-year students of the Educational Programme in Tourism visited the Baiterek monument and the National Centre for Manuscripts and Rare Books in order to study the characteristics of the capital's tourist sites and their significance for domestic tourism.
The excursion began with a visit to the "Baiterek" monument, which is one of the main symbols of Astana. The students learnt about the history of its creation, its architectural features, and the symbolic significance associated with the ancient legend of the Samruk bird. From the observation deck, they were able to enjoy a panoramic view of the city, study the locations of key attractions, and examine the routes included in the capital's excursion programmes. They also analysed the working methods of tour guides, their interaction with tourists, and the principles of excursion organisation.
The second part of the field trip was a visit to the National Centre of Manuscripts and Rare Books, which houses unique historical documents and manuscripts. Students familiarised themselves with rare books and manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Turkic languages, and learned about contemporary methods of their restoration and preservation. They were informed about the process of digitising historical materials and their significance for academic research and cultural-educational tourism.
The field session enabled students to study in practice the specifics of working with tourist sites, develop tour guide skills, and understand the importance of historical and cultural heritage in tourism.
The excursion became an important stage of their professional training, broadening their understanding of the opportunities for developing domestic tourism and the role of cultural landmarks in forming the country's tourist image. We express our gratitude to the management of the National Centre of Manuscripts for the informative excursion and the opportunity to engage with history!
