Abstract
Since the demise of the Soviet Union, major changes have occurred in the local economy of the Wakhan area of Tajikistan. The inhabitants of this area now face several problems in economic enterprises, employment, and lifestyle. Most of the people are unable to survive on the incomes they derive from agriculture, and many young people have migrated to cities in Tajikistan or Russia in search of work. A promising industry for this area is tourism because of its beautiful landscapes and unique culture. Although tourism may be the most effective way to address the region’s financial crisis, there are several problems in the promotion of the tourism industry. Improvements to infrastructure are necessary before suitable lodging can be built for tourism purposes. Moreover, the sustainable development of tourism should include the preservation of the traditional agriculture of the Wakhi mountain farmers. The formation of independent tourism organizations is important to the accomplishment of these goals.
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- 1.
In the case of Gojal in Northern Pakistan, which is another residential area of the Wakhi, most of the villages are located at the bottom of the narrow Karakoram valleys (Ochiai 2008).
- 2.
The potato was purchased at 2 TJS (Somoni) per kilogrammer in 2010 (1 TJS = 0.22 USD).
- 3.
In the case of Namadgut, six groups practice pastoralism, comprising about 10–15 households per group.
- 4.
The cost of one sheep was about 200 TJS in 2010.
- 5.
The income of a 30-year-old office worker in Ishkashim is about 350 TJS; the income of a teacher in his or her 20s in the Wakhan area school is about 120 TJS.
- 6.
According to the interviews conducted in 2011, about 200 persons from Namadgut and about 400 persons from Shitkharv were living in other areas of Tajikistan or in foreign countries for employment and occupation purposes.
- 7.
Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) is a non-commercial organization for creating developed tourism in the Pamirs. The organization was established in 2008 with the support of Aga Khan Foundation in Khorog, Tajikistan.
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Ochiai, Y. (2016). The Current Status of Lifestyle and Occupations in the Wakhan Area of Tajikistan. In: Kreutzmann, H., Watanabe, T. (eds) Mapping Transition in the Pamirs. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23198-3_12
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