The Role of Nature in the Development of Geopark Teskei
An integrated cost–benefit analysis of sustainable tourism interventions on the south shore of Issyk-Kul
This Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) compares two tourism futures for Geopark Teskei in Kyrgyzstan: continued mass tourism or a shift toward sustainable tourism built on nature-based infrastructure. The study quantifies the effects of ecosystem protection, improved waste and wastewater systems, and low-impact tourism infrastructure on long-term economic performance, environmental pressures, and visitor value over 25 years.
Key Findings
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Over 25 years, the sustainable tourism pathway generates USD 250 million in net benefits, compared to USD 17.6 million under conventional mass tourism. The two pathways lead to markedly different long-term economic outcomes.
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The sustainable pathway shifts the tourism model from high-volume, low-spending visitors to higher-value tourism. Net benefits per tourist increase from USD 7.90 under conventional tourism to USD 113 under the sustainable model.
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Improved waste and wastewater management avoids USD 31.9 million in environmental and infrastructure costs. These avoided expenditures are a central driver of the economic difference between the two pathways.
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For every USD 1 invested, sustainable tourism returns USD 8.88, compared to USD 2.77 under the conventional scenario, indicating substantially stronger long-term value from each dollar invested.
Geopark Teskei in Kyrgyzstan is experiencing growing tourism demand. While tourism presents economic opportunities, continued expansion of conventional mass tourism risks increasing waste and wastewater pressures, degrading natural assets, and undermining the long-term value of the destination.
The Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre conducted a SAVi assessment to compare two tourism pathways over 25 years: a Conventional Tourism Scenario and a Sustainable Tourism Scenario centered on ecosystem protection and nature-based infrastructure.
The sustainable pathway includes investments in improved waste and wastewater management systems, restoration of degraded landscapes, soil erosion control, biodiversity protection, and low-impact tourism infrastructure.
The analysis finds that the sustainable pathway delivers significantly stronger economic performance over 25 years. It generates USD 250 million in net benefits, compared to USD 17.6 million under conventional tourism. For every USD 1 invested, sustainable tourism returns USD 8.88 in combined economic, social, and environmental value.
This difference is driven by a shift in the tourism model. The sustainable pathway reduces reliance on high-volume, low-spending tourism and instead attracts visitors who generate higher value per trip. At the same time, investments in nature-based infrastructure, such as wetlands and native vegetation, reduce waste management costs and help prevent environmental degradation and infrastructure damage.
The findings show that sustainable tourism delivers stronger long-term economic results than continued mass tourism.
Participating experts
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