Our Sustainable Journey
How Karakol is becoming a sustainable destination.
Sustainability in Karakol wasn’t born from a global trend. It started as something natural, rooted in how we work—with people, culture, and nature at the heart of everything we do.
When the Karakol Destination Management Organization (DMO) was founded in 2019, the mission was simple: to promote Karakol’s rich cultural diversity, breathtaking landscapes, and the stories of its people. From the beginning, we worked closely with local families, guides, and communities to develop cultural and culinary tours that would share the unique, multi-ethnic heritage of our region with travelers from around the world.
Sustainability Report 2023-2024
This report outlines our key achievements, challenges, and lessons learned in promoting sustainable tourism in the Karakol region during the reporting period. We are committed to transparency, continuous service improvement, and engaging the local community in sustainable tourism development. You can download the full report here.
In 2017, Karakol’s first pilot tour with local women showcased Kyrgyz handicrafts and sparked our journey toward sustainable tourism.
Visitor discovering Dungan heritage and cuisine at a village museum near Karakol.
Even before “sustainability” became a buzzword in Central Asia, Karakol was quietly building a model for responsible, community-based tourism.
In 2019–2020, this vision became more focused. The Karakol DMO partnered with local government, international donors, and key projects like the Swiss Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project to fully commit to developing Sustainable Karakol—a destination that balances growth with care for people and the planet.
Explore Our Sustainability Plan for 2025–2026
We are committed to developing tourism in Karakol responsibly and with care for nature, culture, and the local community.
You can download the Sustainability Plan here.
The mission of Karakol Destination is to create a sustainable, competitive tourist destination based on the principles of "green economy" with the development of a multinational culture and identity, as the best place to live and tourist destination
Objectives of Karakol Destination
to improve the economic and social well-being of the destination, by developing the tourist potential, raising awareness and attractiveness of the destination. and attractiveness of the destination.
to contribute to the preservation and development of historical and cultural heritage, traditions and customs of all the peoples and ethnic groups of the destination
to preserve the region's biodiversity and reduce the anthropogenic impact, contribute to the preservation of ecological processes and environmental protection
effectively manage the destination, by strengthening the social to manage the destination efficiently, by strengthening the social partnership and the institutional development of the organization
we strive to work for a long-term perspective, to enhance the economic impact by creating new year-round tourism products, taking into account the criteria of sustainable development
marketing and promoting the tourist destination
recommend clients to buy handmade products by local craftsmen and locally produced goods.
develop a cultural tourism component by promoting the destination's multiculturalism and diversity
we respect the culture and traditions of ethnic groups and inform tourists about the special features of the tour, especially if it has religious significance.
perform a program for greening the destination and cleaning up trash.
practice separate garbage collection in the office and recommend to our members
use water from a water dispenser and minimize the use of plastic bottled water
printer and other devices are set to energy efficient mode
use FSC certified paper
practice collecting groups to lessen the burden of vehicles in the difficult-to-access mountainous terrain.
we observe daily norm of animal exploitation when organizing tours.
we inform tourists in advance before and during the trip about safe travel and practices compatible with conservation activities (including environmental and cultural aspects, preparation of border passes).
interaction with all stakeholders, to strengthen social cooperation.
we train and inform employees and partners about our sustainable tourism policy and Codes of Conduct.
The Travelife Partner award is a recognition of our commitment towards social and environmental sustainability. We comply with more than 100 criteria related to sustainability management, office operations, working with suppliers and customer communication. We are working towards further improvements aiming to eventually reach the Travelife Certified stage.
Karakol’s commitment to sustainability began delivering visible results in recent years. In 2023, the destination received its first Travelife Partner certificate, a major step in aligning with global sustainability standards. That same year, Karakol was named one of the Top 100 Green Destinations Stories worldwide, recognized for its inclusive tourism approach, local storytelling, and growing reputation as a year-round destination.
One of the stories that stood out was the development of the “Four-Season Guides” initiative—an effort that helped local guides move beyond seasonal work. Through training and support, trekking guides began leading cultural tours in autumn and winter, diversifying their income and helping visitors experience Karakol’s richness across all seasons. This kind of community-led innovation helped Karakol stand out as a model for sustainable tourism done locally, with real impact.
Milestones on the Road to Recognition
In March 2024, Karakol received international recognition at ITB Berlin, winning the Green Destinations Stories People’s Choice Award as one of the world’s most inspiring sustainable destinations—an honor driven by public votes and global support.
Award Certificate for Green Destinations Top 100 Stories
Award Certificate for Karakol for Green Destinations Top 100 People's Choice Awards
Sustainability Certified Businesses in Karakol
The journey toward sustainability certification began with Jamilya’s B&B and Green Yard Hotel, which were the first two businesses in Karakol to receive the internationally recognized Good Travel Seal as part of the Helvetas GreenTour Project. Building on this success, in fall 2024, an additional 12 businesses earned certification with the support of the Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project, also implemented by Helvetas Kyrgyzstan. Among these, two businesses achieved Gold-level Good Travel Seal certification with outstanding scores of 96% and 95%, while the others were awarded Silver—setting a new benchmark for sustainable tourism in the region. Find all sustainability certified businesses in Karakol.
11 Good Travel Seal certified businesses in Karakol
At the ITB Berlin People's Choice Award
These achievements were made possible thanks to the dedication and close cooperation between Karakol DMO members, the Karakol local municipality, and our committed partners—Helvetas Kyrgyzstan and the Swiss Government-funded projects GreenTour and Sustainable Winter Tourism Development. Together, this collaboration laid the foundation for Karakol’s progress as a leading sustainable tourism destination in the region.
Karakol Mayor's Office
SECO
About Green Destinations
Green Destinations is a global non-profit organization that supports sustainable tourism development through internationally recognized standards, tools, and awards. It helps destinations improve their sustainability performance and promotes responsible travel worldwide.
Each year, Green Destinations selects the Top 100 Stories—a prestigious list that highlights inspiring examples of community-led, environmentally conscious tourism initiatives from around the world. The program is based on transparent criteria aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) standards.
