Second-year students of the Tourism educational programme at Esil University participated in a field trip conducted at the Republican Public Association QazaqGeography.
This event became a significant milestone in their professional training, enabling participants to broaden their knowledge of tourist destination development, ecotourism, and visitor centres of Kazakhstan's national parks.
The field class was conducted by PhD, Associate Professor A.A. Maymurunova (discipline: «Excursion Studies») and Senior Lecturer A.G. Gizzatzhanova (discipline: «Management of Tourist Destinations»). The primary topic of discussion was the role of visitor centres in the development of ecotourism. Students visited the office of QazaqGeography, where specialists of the organisation spoke about their activities, key projects, and the significance of visitor centres for the preservation of Kazakhstan's natural and cultural heritage.
During the meeting, participants: Learned about the functions and objectives of visitor centres in national parks. Participants familiarised themselves with examples of successful tourism projects in the field of ecotourism. Environmental initiatives and ways to minimise the impact of tourism on nature were discussed. Participants studied modern approaches to the development of tourist infrastructure, the creation of quality services, and the attraction of travelers.
Students asked questions about the prospects for ecotourism development in Kazakhstan, internship opportunities, and participation in the organization's projects.
Visitor centers are informational and tourist venues that help travelers gain a better understanding of the characteristics of national parks, familiarize themselves with routes, natural landmarks, and rules of conduct within protected areas.
Ecotourism is actively developing in Kazakhstan, and the establishment of modern visitor centres plays a key role in attracting tourists, raising environmental awareness, and improving tourism services.
Field trips are an important element of education at Esil University, enabling students not only to study theory but also to observe the real operations of tourism organisations, communicate with experts, and acquire professional competencies.
Students noted that the visit to QazaqGeography allowed them to take a fresh look at the development of ecotourism, understand current trends in the industry, and appreciate the prospects of their future careers.