99 hotels, hostels in Almaty ready to accommodate guests of 2017 Universiade

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ALMATY. KAZINFORM - The Plates and Certificates Award Ceremony under the Recommended by 28th Winter Universiade Almaty-2017 program took place at the Almaty city administration, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Recommended by the 28th Winter Universiade Almaty 2017 is a joint program of the Almaty city administration, the Universiade Directorate, the Kazakhstan Tourist Association (KTA), the Kazakhstan Association of Hotels and Restaurants (KAGIR) and the Alliance of Almaty restaurateurs. It is aimed at improving the quality of tourism products and services.

All representatives of hotel and restaurant sector of the city were invited to take part. Hotels, hostels and catering facilities that satisfy specific criteria of the city's tourism department received the seal of approval under the program.

"In the first 9 months of this year, Almaty hotels accommodated fifth of the country's tourists inflow. Every second foreign tourist who came to Kazakhstan this year visited Almaty. I would like to note that, according to our data, presently the average hotel occupancy rate is only 30%. It is not much. However, we will work hard to improve this number. And the hotels themselves should work on that. Tour operators and travel agencies should intensify their efforts as well. With the onset of the Universiade we need to improve the quality of service gradually, maintain it and constantly make improvements. Quality of service at hotels and catering facilities should be improved as well. We also should expand the range of travel products. I think together we can do it. We have identified the list of problems and would like to work on it together", said Almaty mayor Bauyrzhan Baibek.

According to the CEO of Almaty Development Center JSC, Zhanna Tulegenova, a working commission evaluated 90 hotels and 26 hostels.

"17 facilities, including 16 hotels and 1 hostel, were denied recommendation. 99 facilities were recommended within the framework of the program. 15 facilities were recommended by the Universiade Directorate in accordance with the International University Sports Federation (FISU) requirements. Another 84 facilities, including 74 hotels and 25 hostels, were recommended by the KAGIR," said Tulegenova.

Additionally, the Alliance of Almaty restaurateurs evaluated and subsequently recommended 106 catering facilities or 5% of the total number of Almaty restaurants.

The Universiade partners were awarded special plates and certificates, and granted the right to use Universiade logo in the decoration of their premises.

The Universiade will be held in Almaty from January 29 to February 8, 2017. 2,000 athletes from 58 countries will compete for 543 medals in 12 types of sports. 3,000 volunteers are involved in the organization of the event. The organizers expect 30,000 tourists from Kazakhstan and worldwide. The 28th Winter Universiade Almaty will be broadcast in more than 100 countries.

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