THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF CHOLPON ATA RESORT AND THE MUSEUM OF PETROGLYPHS AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

Purpose. The aim of the paper is to verify whether the resort Cholpon-Ata along with the open air petroglyph museum located in Kyrgyzstan is an attractive tourist destination and to determine the components of its attractiveness or its lack. Method. Field work and documental research has been conducted in order to analyse the following components: attractiveness of natural resources and beauty of the destination, cultural heritage, accessibility, infrastructure covering the following factors: visa regime transport, accommodation, restaurant and catering industry and access to information. Sixty-two oral interviews with Kyrgyz residents were conducted and documentary work was also done, including photographic documentation of the museum and town. Findings. Cholpon Ata petroglyph museum has great tourist potential, considering natural resources, cultural heritage, accessibility and infrastructure, however, a significant drawback is the lack of museum marketing strategies, the aim of which is to attract visitors. Issyk-Kul lake along with Cholpon Ata resort are an object of Kyrgyz pride. For nearly 100% of the interviewees it is the biggest attraction in the country. They underline uniqueness of the nature, cultural and spiritual values. As a drawback the respondents state lack of proper transport infrastructure, lack of foreign language knowledge, and petty crimes such as theft. Research and conclusion limitations. The results of research refer only to the Cholpon Ata resort. Practical implications. The results of research and the conclusions can serve as a base for introducing improvement in other tourist destinations of similar character and can help in solving similar problems. Originality. No studies have been conducted until now, its to analyse the attractiveness of historical or archaeological museums in Kyrgyzstan. Type of paper: Case study.