Improving the economic well-being of women through digital tourism platforms

ISOC Kyrgyz Chapter, with the support of the American Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, is launching a project aimed at strengthening rural entrepreneurship and developing small businesses in Kyrgyzstan.

The main goal project is to expand the knowledge and skills of women in the field of digital platforms related to tourism to improve their economic well-being.

As part of the project, which focuses on developing entrepreneurship and supporting small and medium-sized businesses in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz Chapter of the Internet Society conducted training sessions on registering and effectively using digital tourism platforms. More than 500 women from 20 regions increased their knowledge, learned about the advantages of digital tourism, registered on platforms, promoted their guesthouses, and received certificates upon completion of the training.

Participants in the regions acquired the following skills: using the MISTT (Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit) methodology, using social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, using the WhatsApp Business messenger, listing guesthouses on Google Maps and 2GIS, booking rooms on Booking.com and AirBnB, registering and using these platforms, as well as working with the review site TripAdvisor and the hotel management system WebPMS Travelline. The skills acquired will help participants attract more tourists and increase their income, which in turn will contribute to the development of entrepreneurship in rural areas and improve the economic well-being of residents in the regions.

The training sessions were held in «Centers for Civic and Digital Education» established by the Central Election Commission. Support in training was also provided by tourism organizations and libraries in the regions.

Solving the problems faced by women in Kyrgyzstan is important for their social and economic empowerment. The SDGs emphasize the importance of full and productive employment, especially for vulnerable groups such as youth and women, to eradicate poverty and promote inclusive growth. Rural women do not use digital technologies and online platforms, which hinders their ability to reach a wider audience and take advantage of the growth of the industry. In addition, limited access to education, especially in areas related to the use of ICT, also prevents women from starting their own businesses. By solving these problems and providing real employment opportunities, it is possible to strengthen social and political stability in Kyrgyzstan.

Within the framework of the project, trainings on digital skills will be conducted, in combination with coaching and mentoring in the field of entrepreneurship. By providing women in rural areas with digital skills and entrepreneurship support, the project will help empower them and improve their overall standard of living.

The project will empower women in rural areas by strengthening their entrepreneurship skills and developing small businesses.

“This project is being implemented with financial support from the US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic. The opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed here represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department