Authenticity and Tourism in Kazakhstan: Neo-nomadic Culture in the Post-Soviet Era

The overall aim of this study is to investigate the perception of authenticity in Kazakhstani tourism practices through the lenses of visitors, community members, policymakers and tourism developers involved in the development of eco-cultural tours. Using two embedded case studies in Central and South Kazakhstan, the study aims to advance theoretical and empirical understandings of various stakeholders' perceptions of authenticity in the comprehension of destinations' cultural heritage. The research explores new directions in which to apply the concept of authenticity in eco-cultural tourism by theorising the link between both the perception of authenticity and the access to higher levels of cultural penetration and as a basis for interaction and social exchange within the host-guest relationship.