Friday, October 25, 2013

"Fly Georgia” plans to return to the market with premium-quality service

25.10.2013. "Fly Georgia " will return to the Georgian market with a premium - quality service. Commersant.ge was told at the company. According to the company, an aircraft in "Fly Georgia" aviation park was leased, but in the near future the company will be back at the market with its own planes. All these procedures, as they explain, will take up to 3 months.

Note: "Fly Georgia " temporarily suspended flights after October 17 , the decision was taken by the Board of Directors. The company's management explained the cancellation of flights by the ongoing structural changes in the company and organizational works.

As it is known, "Fly Georgia" has faced problems lately, for this reason several flights were delayed. The aircraft owned by the company was seized in Brussels airport because of the debt.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The third Turkish air-company Atlasjet started flights from Tbilisi International Airport

23.10.2013. The third Turkish air-company Atlasjet started flights in October from Tbilisi International Airport to Istanbul, challenging competitors with its cheapest prices at the moment but the question is whether or not the company is capable and willing to hold prices down in a long-term prospect.

Having watched Georgian market for a year, Atlasjet, the number one private Turkish-based company, decided to start flights from Tbilisi International Airport to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, one of the major transit airports for the passengers flying to and from Georgia the globe over.
“We have been watching Georgian market for about one year. Considering the growth of the market and prospective growth capacity we have estimated, we decided that we should be on the Georgian market. We are a big tourism group, have 12,000 beds under three different brand names. And we think that it is a good market for cross benefit also in these terms,” President of Atlasjet Murat Ersoy said in the interview to Georgian Journal. According to him, Atlasjet will implement Tbilisi flights from Ataturk Airport with one-way price from EUR 50 including free meals, online check in and 30 kg baggage allowance for EconomiPlus passengers and round-trip tickets starting from EUR159. Business Class one-way prices begin from EUR 150 Euro. Atlasjet started flights on Tbilisi-Istanbul line from 2 flights per week and will implement daily flights starting this November. And as of April 2014, flights on route Antalya-Tbilisi-Antalya [four days a week] will be launched.

Monday, October 21, 2013

"Pegasus" Georgian Representation Predicts 30-40 % Reduction of Passengers in the Election Period

21.10.2013. The airlines surveyed by "Commersant" radio station have different expectations in the election period.“Pegasus'' airline’s Georgian representation predicts a decrease in the flow of passengers during the election period. According to the Head of the representation, government and business agencies are in a waiting mode, as a result, a number of passengers will decrease by 30-40 %.

Levan Elizabarashvili notes that from October 8 “Pegasus“ launched flights from Istanbul to Moscow andthe passengers can fly from Tbilisi to Moscow for 117 Euro. In addition Elizbarashvili says ''Pegasus” continues to expand and after Kutaisi airport will open two branches in Tbilisi.

"Airzena" expects the flow of passengers will further increase for the elections. According to the company's Director, the United Nations Commission has requested "Airzena" to carry the observers. Iase Zautashvili claims that a number of journalists will arrive in Georgia to cover the elections, it’s about the OSCE observers, that excludes the reduction in the flow of passengers. Georgian representations of "LOT" and "Al- Italia" air companies also rule out a decrease in the number of passengers.

FlyGeorgia temporarily suspended flights

21.10.2013. Board of FlyGeorgia decided to suspend flights of this Georgian airline since October 18. As the company said, the decision is caused by ongoing reorganization, which resulted in revocation of the operative certificate.

The management decided not to cut stuff until the renewal of regular flights.

FlyGeorgia, which was registered in May 2011, applied for permission on regular flights in December 2012. The company conducted flights to 10 destinations.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Cultural tour to be held foreign diplomats in Kakheti on October 20-21

20.10.2013. By the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a cultural tour will be held foreign diplomats in Kakheti on October 20-21. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within the framework of the event the guests will visit the Telavi Schuchmann Wine factory.

Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze and Agriculture Minister Shalva Pipia will attend the event. The Ministry of Agriculture, namely the National Agency of Wine will present "Vintage 2013". The agency will provide information on the results of the vintage to the Ambassadors. 

According to the Foreign Ministry, after the "Vintage 2013" presentation, the Ambassadors will visit the Schuchmann Wine Factory and learn about the process of harvest in Georgia. Diplomats are expected to meet with local peasants too.

During the tour the ambassadors will also visit the Lopota lake. They will also attend the Telavi international music festival.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is going to arrange similar tours for the diplomatic corps in different regions of Georgia in spring and autumn.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Construction of alpine ski resort Tetnuldi to start in next spring

18.10.2013. Regional Development and Infrastructure Ministry informed that construction of alpine ski resort Tetnuldi (Svaneti region) is expected to start in spring 2014, while main part of the works should be completed by the end of the same year.

The Ministry noted that preparatory activity will finish in this December, after which the tender will be announced in order to select a company for construction works.

According to the Ministry, total cost of 6 ropeways amounts to 18 million EUR (VAT exclusive). At that, 2 ropeways are already built, while construction of remained 4 ones costs about 30-32 million lari.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Gudauri Radisson to open this winter

16.10.2013. Radisson hotel will be completed in Gudauri by the end of  the year. Technological Development Fund implementing the project informs that the project cost is 8 million GEL and  the hotel will be able to receive tourists in  the upcoming winter season.

The Fund’s representative states that a lawsuit in relation to this project is being carried out in parallel in court. It’s about the 2 million 600 thousand GEL dispute with the Genesis company, which is constructing the hotel. According to the Fund, company did not fulfill its obligation. The Fund won the court in the first instance but  Genesis appealed the decision in the Court of Appeal.

Source


Saturday, October 12, 2013

11 wine companies to take part in Sighnaghi Festival

12.10.2013 (Hvino News). National Tourism Administration informed that on October 13 Sighnaghi will host wine festival, where 11 wine companies will participate. The companies will exhibit wine made according to "European" technology, while local winemakers of Sighnaghi district will represent wine made according to “peasant tradition”. The festival will also host performances of folk ensembles and a fair of local handcrafts.

Sighnaghi (Signagi) is a town in Georgia's easternmost region of Kakheti, dominated by the production of wine, traditional carpets and Georgian traditional food. Sighnaghi has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction program and has become an important center of Georgia's tourist industry.

© Hvino News   |  DRINK GEORGIAN!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Interest of foreign tourists to Stalin museum growing

09.10.2013. Georgian Commersant  FM radio was told in the museum of Stalin that  in September 2013 it was visited by 5909 tourists, while in September of 2012 – by 3968. Most of the tourists came from Europe, particularly from Poland and Russia, as well as  Israel, China and Iran.

In 2012, the museum of Stalin was visited by 31 665 people. As the head of the National Tourism Administration George Sigua said,  Stalin is a part of the history and unique tourist attraction.

"There are billions of people in a world for whom Stalin is a historical character  and it should be used for the benefit of the economy of Georgia" - he said.

Source

Monday, October 7, 2013

"Air Caucasus": "Airzena " is engaged in sabotage

07.10.2012. "Airzena" airline goes to the provocations and sabotages the Civil Aviation Agency, " - "Air Caucasus " Director Jemal Khakhutashvili says.

"Airzena" President Tamaz Gaiashvili required the Agency to temporarily close the airport or restrict flights. According to him, the reason for this is the poor condition of the runway.

"You cannot imagine in what condition is  the runway. The airport’s infrastructure causes danger every day and the state of the runway is out of criticism,"- said Gaiashvili.

According to Khakhutashvili,  "Airzena" leadership aims to catch several hares.

"To scare foreign air carriers, to convince them that the flights in Georgia are dangerous, to  force them to stop flying and thus free up the market. Sabotage against the agency - to drive out the professionals and replace them with their ones. This is all well planned, but is unlikely to succeed", - he says.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Georgian tourism promo campaign to start in the Baltics

03.10.2013 (Hvino TOUR News). Georgian National Tourism Administration informed it started an advertising campaign in Baltic States, which aims at promotion of Georgia's tourist potential. Within the campaign, Georgia's opportunities of skiing and wine tourism will be represented on October 2 in Riga and on October 3 in Vilnius. According to 8-month data of the Administration, 3,762 visitors from Lithuania and 4,090 from Latvia have arrived in Georgia this year.

© Hvino TOUR News |  DRINK GEORGIAN! 

Sigua: We will sell Stalin to Chinese tourists

03.10.2013 (Hvino TOUR News). According to the Head of the National Tourism Administration George Sigua,  the share of tourism in Georgia’s GDP increased  by 1%. At present, tourism’s share in total GDP is 7.3%, in 2012  the same index was 6.37%,  Mr. Sigua said, adding that the administration expects this figure to grow even more.

According to  the survey conducted by the administration in  January - July, visitors spent 1.7 billion GEL in  Georgia in 7 months, the average rate of costs per traveler is 613 GEL.

Georgia hosted over three million tourists in the first eight months this year and expects five million by the end of this year. Georgia was ranked as the top country with the fastest tourism inflow rate in Central and Eastern Europe in the six-month report of the World Tourism Organization for the year of 2013 in August.

According to the data of the 8-month statistics, the tourist inflow amounted to 3 568 518 persons that translates into 26% growth, compared to the same period last year.

"Tbilisoba" to be celebrated on October 4-6

03.10.2013 (Hvino TOUR News). Tbilisoba will be held on October 4-6 this year, according to information from Tbilisi City Hall.

Tbilisoba will be opened on October 4 at Jansugh Kakhidze garden with a music band contest. On Gorgasali square the traditional pressing of grapes will be organized. Music performance “Pirosmani” will be staged for children in Abanotubani. Chess and backgammon tournaments, fruit festival, auto show, exhibition of paintings and many other events will be held.

Georgian martial art performance “Shavparosnebi”, pop music concert on Gorgasali square, concerts by the bands “Egari” and “Bani” will be held in Abanotubani. On  October 6th the award ceremony of honorary Tbilisians will be held at the historic museum of Tbilisi (Karvasla).

Tbilisoba is an annual October festival, celebrating the diversity and history of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. It has become an established tradition since 1970-s. The festival features open-air concerts of traditional music and dancing and various cultural events, centered on Old Tbilisi, the historical part of the city.

© Hvino TOUR News   |  DRINK GEORGIAN!