Kyrgyz Businesswoman Empowers Women in the Hotel Industry Through EBRD Support

Kyrgyz Businesswoman Empowers Women in the Hotel Industry Through EBRD Support

(IN BRIEF) Women globally perform at least 2.5 times more unpaid work than men, with working mothers often balancing multiple roles, including employment, household chores, and childcare. In Central Asia, traditional constraints add to the challenges faced by women. Saikal, a working mother and successful businesswoman, manages the Olimp hotel in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. She started by renting out her apartment and, with her husband, invested in building the hotel. Although lacking specialized knowledge, their passion drove them to succeed. In 2019, Saikal participated in an agritourism-focused business development study tour in Italy, supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union. She incorporated lessons learned from the tour, offering guests fresh produce from the hotel’s greenhouses. Saikal also sought EBRD’s support in designing the hotel, which now features a Swiss chalet-inspired design, reflecting Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous landscape. The hotel collaborates with local tourism companies and attracts bookings from sports federations in Central Asia, creating job opportunities. Saikal, who has five children, acknowledges the challenges of balancing work and family but remains dedicated to her family business.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 14-Nov-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — According to statistics, women carry out at least 2.5 times more unpaid work than men do. Working mothers spend more time on work, household labour and childcare. Women in Central Asia face additional challenges due to traditional constraints.

Saikal manages a 40-room hotel in Cholpon-Ata, a town in the Issyk-Kul region. She is a working mother and a successful businesswoman who lives and works in her hotel.

“We started our business by renting out our apartment in the summer. It worked well and we decided to build our own hotel. My husband and I decided to sell our properties in Bishkek and Issyk-Kul and invest in building the Olimp hotel. We had no specialist knowledge, but we did have passion and a desire to develop our business,” says Saikal.

Agritourism and the hotel business

In 2019 Saikal went to Italy for a business development study tour on agritourism with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)’s Advice for Small Businesses programme and the European Union.  She incorporated some of what she learned into her business; guests can enjoy fresh vegetables grown in the hotel’s greenhouses, as well as honey, milk, and meat.

“I am very grateful for that experience. I gained many useful insights that have helped me to develop our hotel business. We wanted to make progress, so we approached the EBRD for support in designing our new hotel. The consultants helped us to develop plans for construction and interior design, and we received a grant from the Swiss government, which was timely, as we needed additional funding,” shares Saikal.

The hotel’s design resembles a Swiss chalet in the Alps. It’s perfect for the Kyrgyz Republic, which is also mountainous. The hotel is fully booked in summer and has fewer bookings in the other seasons. It has 40 rooms, a restaurant and conference rooms. Saikal plans to include a spa and swimming pool and install solar panels.

The hotel works closely with local tourism companies and is currently booked by sports federations from other Central Asian countries. More bookings have led to more jobs in the hotel.

“I have five children and combining my work with a family is not always easy. I am still trying to find a work-life balance. Of course, we run a family business and my husband supports me a lot. I also try to delegate some of my responsibilities and spend more time with my family. Any business requires dedication, especially hotel management. I love everything I do; sometimes I feel exhausted, but when I see our hotel and hear my children laughing, I feel harmony and happiness,” Saikal says.

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SOURCE: EBRD