Food is a key element of the tourism experience. Food is also a precious resource. The way that food is handled has significant economic, social and environmental impacts, for both tourism destinations and businesses. Tackling food loss and waste is one of the concrete actions needed to transform agrifood systems for people, planet and prosperity.
Tourism businesses are involved in various stages of food management: procurement; inventory management, preparation and presentation of menus; consumption by the guests; and waste management, with food waste occurring at each of the stages and hence being a cross-cutting issue. Therefore, by addressing food waste in the tourism sector, changes at all stages can be triggered, leading to a more sustainable management of food.
For tourism stakeholders, the circular economy offers the opportunity to enhance the sustainable development impacts of tourism, generating wellbeing for the local population through the creation of new jobs and more inclusive local value chains, thus creating a virtuous circle between businesses and territories.
Throughout February 2025, SWITCH-Asia held a series Strategic Foresight Workshops in Central Asia to develop future scenarios for a more circular tourism sector through food. Each scenario represents boundary potential futures for food and beverage use in tourism and hospitality sector in Central Asia. From the perspective of food and beverage consumption in tourism and hospitality sector, SWITCH-Asia invited different actors to build these scenarios jointly over a two-day process. Actors included relevant government officials, businesses including smaller stakeholders such as restaurants and cafes, but also bigger hotels, business associations, development partners and academia. Workshops counted 20 to 30 diverse participants in each country.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 6 to 7 February, in partnership with KAGIR, the association of Hotels and Restaurants in Kazakhstan, participants discussed the opportunities presented by circular innovation in the tourism industry. Ms Rashina Shaikenova, Director of KAGIR noted:
Today, sustainable development, environmental consciousness, and the circular economy are key global trends, and Kazakhstan is actively integrating these practices. Our country is making strides in green energy adoption and biodiversity conservation, but challenges remain, particularly concerning our limited water resources. This issue is becoming increasingly urgent, and we anticipate future difficulties in water availability.
In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 10 to 11 February, in partnership with the American University for Central Asia (AUCA), participants’ discussion focused on the foreseen challenges for a circular and green transition in the tourism industry. Mr Alibek Matiev, Head of Sector, Department of International Finance, Green Economy, and Tourism, Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic remarked:
This seminar provided invaluable insights into forecasting the future even amid uncertainty. It enabled us to identify trends, detect early signals, and model both pessimistic and optimistic scenarios for the tourism sector. This is particularly relevant in today’s rapidly changing world, where strategic foresight is essential for sustainable development.
In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 19 to 20 February, in partnership with ACTED, the scenario foresight workshop led to insights into the risks of climate change and natural resources management for the entire region. Ms Nargis Kosimova, Professor at the University of Journalism and Mass Communication of Uzbekistan explained:
The topics discussed were highly relevant and innovative. As someone with knowledge of ecotourism, I can say that even in this field, the principles of the circular economy are largely absent, an oversight that must be addressed. After all, the circular economy is fundamentally about minimizing waste, recycling, and reusing resources. This is particularly important for Uzbekistan, where natural resources are limited. We must transition to a circular economy across all sectors, including tourism.
In Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from 24 to 25 February, also in partnership with ACTED, the workshop highlighted the existing policies and practices for a green and circular transition before analysing the trends for future scenarios. Mr Faridun Hamroev, Director of Tourist Company Rasul Tour noted:
I have a positive impression about the workshop, as the terms discussed here are new for many participants. The application of these methods in business development will prove to be highly beneficial. For instance, topics such as the use of AI in tourism, food sustainability in tourism, the challenges of Tajikistan’s tourism and potential solutions were addressed. Such seminars are essential in identifying challenges within the tourism sector, which, in turn, helps to find effective solutions.
Dr Zinaida Fadeeva, Team Leader SWITCH-Asia PSC, while opening the workshops in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, emphasized strategic foresight is a powerful tool that leads to new insights for policy-making which is not only relevant for the present but also for future generations. In addition, a multi-faceted and interconnected sector such as the tourism sector can create multiplying benefits for the entire economy.
The workshops were organised by the EU-funded SWITCH-Asia programme and its partners as part of the ongoing Technical Advisory on “Strategic Foresight for Tourism with a Food Angle”, which aims to collaboratively derive policy recommendations and enhance policymaking capacities for the circular economy transition in Central Asia.
This initiative builds on past results of the SWITCH-Asia programme. Six grant projects (PERETO, SET, REAP, MOST, GREEN TOUR, SUSTOUKA) were funded by the SWITCH-Asia Programme in Central Asia, with a focus on the tourism sector, as well as the agri-food sector.
In 2022 at the request of the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan (MCISYPKR), SWITCH-Asia, in collaboration with AUCA, developed the analysis of the factors for implementation of sustainable consumption and production and circular economy in the tourism sector of Kyrgyzstan. Another analysis was undertaken at the same time in Kyrgyzstan: Enhancing SCP tools and Circular Economy approach in the agri-food sector in Kyrgyzstan . Both interventions were rooted in the knowledge created during the implementation of SWITCH-Asia grants in Central Asia.
Contact:
For more information on EU SWITCH-Asia activities in Tourism in Central Asia, contact: Ms. Elodie Maria-Sube, EU Policy Development and Stakeholder Engagement Expert, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component, [email protected]. Learn more here.
