Problem of unemployment is critical for rural areas. Despite of perfect conditions for development of tourist business in settlements located near to National parks and Reserves, population faces difficulties with its development and creation of additional workplaces.

The basic problems of ecological tourism development in rural areas are:
- Lack of information that local communities have about small business development process
- Low social activity and misunderstanding of NGOs role in regional development;
- Absence of tour operators in big cities of the country (Astana, Almaty, Kokchetau, Karaganda, etc.)
- Problems of tolerance between participants of the project and initiative groups which wish to join the project
- Absence of local guides
-Lack of information on positive operational experience in ecological tourism in other regions and countries, for example, in Kyrgyzstan

The project goal is to develop a project directed on identification of the problems for ecotourism development in Akmola area and arrangement of training programme for local community representatives to strengthen their participation in ecotourism development process.

This planning grant 1) enhances the degree and the quality of community and stakeholder participation in the project design and development, 2) provides the grantee with access to relevant scientific and technical expertise to ensure that the project has a sound scientific and technical foundation, 3) provides access to technical assistance in sound project design and development.