Maxim Handrabura, Senior Partner of IGM Advisers Group and CEO of STDF, took part in the panel discussion “From Climate Risks to Business Opportunities: The New Sustainable Development Economy in Central Asia” within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026) — the largest environmental forum of the region, held in Astana on 22–24 April with the support of the UN and with the participation of the heads of state of Central Asia and more than 1,500 delegates from governments, international organisations, business and science.
During the discussion Maxim Handrabura raised a systemic issue that remains outside the standard investment agenda: the financing of tourism facilities. Support of local communities: decent employment and infrastructure development (SDGs 8, 9). The problem is that such facilities as visitor centres, infrastructure for tourists and facilities for inclusive access are not accepted by banks as collateral or receive a significantly lower valuation than even the investments already made in the creation of such assets. This effectively blocks traditional financing instruments for them and requires collateral and guarantees from third parties.
At the same time, it is precisely these facilities that form the basic infrastructure of sustainable tourism: they provide a wide range of services for ordinary tourists, create conditions of accessibility for people with disabilities and make a direct contribution to the development of remote natural territories and national natural parks. Without solving the issue of accessibility of financing, the development of sustainable tourism in such locations is significantly constrained by the limited financial capabilities of the local population and an unprofessional approach to the creation and management of such facilities.
Maxim Handrabura’s speech at the RES 2026 platform became a continuation of the systemic work of IGM Advisers Group and the non-profit foundation STDF on forming an attractive investment and regulatory environment for the development of sustainable tourism in Kazakhstan and the countries of Central Asia.