Old and new administration of tourism considers growth in the number of tourists their own merit

15.11.2013. Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Sigua does not agree with the statement made by his predecessor and explains the increased number of visitors by the promotional activities carried out by the government in the current year.

The former Head of the Tourism Agency Maia Sidamonidze  says that  the new government should  not consider the  increased number of  tourists as their own merits, because the strategy does not bring results in 3 months. I hope that the current leadership of the Tourism Administration does not think that the increase in the number of visitors is their merit, " - says Sidamonidze in an interview with " Business and management” magazine.

While the current administration responds to  Sidamonidze with facts and says that this year the number of tourists has increased the most from  Russia , Ukraine and Iraq due to  the advertising activities in these countries.

Specifically, Giorgi Sigua notes that 100 journalists arrived from Russia to Georgia led by Tourism Administration, who prepared positive materials about  the country's tourism potential which turned out to be a positive signal for the Russian people . The Head of the Administration connects an increased number of tourists from Ukraine somewhat with the additional flights and advertisements which were recently placed in the Ukrainian TV channels and Internet. “I'm not going to content with anyone, including Sidamonidze , but the fact is that the number of tourists from the countries where the activities were carried out has increased, " - says Sigua.

An increase in the number of foreign visitors amounts to about 25 percent in Georgia  compared to 2012.

Source