7 Highlights of Georgia

21.01.2013. From the fertile wine region of Kakheti—full of beautiful churches, monasteries and wineries—to the ancient villages of mountainous Svaneti, Georgia is a land of unparalleled natural beauty, with a long, fascinating and largely under-appreciated history. A small and obscure nation located at the eastern end of the Black Sea, wedged between Russia and Turkey, Georgia has been given little attention by Western travelers, and many treasures await those willing to make the journey.

A few facts you might not know to stir your interest in this tiny Caucus nation:

• Georgia is the oldest wine-producing nation in the world, with 521 original varieties of grape and production dating back to 7000-5000 BC.
• Georgia’s many languages are unrelated to the Indo-European or Semitic languages of the surrounding region.
• Georgia is home to some of the most ancient churches in Christendom (it was the second nation to adopt Christianity, after Armenia).

"Airzena" to return status of national airline

20.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News) According to  Iase Zautashvili, director of  Airzena Georgian Airways,  the company is working to return the status of Georgia's national airline. Mr. Zautashvili says that communication has already begun with the Department of Aviation and Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. As Iase Zautashvili noted,  a few years ago Airzena has about 60% market share, however, today it controls only 8-9%.

Airzena Georgian Airways is a privately owned airline operating services from Georgia to destinations mainly in Europe and Western Asia. Its main base is Tbilisi International Airport. The airline was established and started operations in September of 1994. Airzena merged with Air Georgia in November of 1999 to form Airzena Georgian Airlines.

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Georgia's Prime Minister: Abkhazian railway is back on agenda

18.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). The Abkhazia-Georgia-Armenia railway may be re-opened, and much more is possible because Armenia and Georgia have no problems in their relations, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili stated at a news conference in Yerevan.

Georgia has no problems with Armenia, it still has problems with Russia, he added. “We had – and still have - very serious problems with Russia. But we hope and we are doing our best to restore our relations with Russia as soon as possible. However, the controversial issues of territorial integrity will not allow us to resolve them soon,” Mr Ivanishvili said. The re-opening of the railway should be viewed in this context, he added.

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Rehabilitation of Dartlo and Omalo to be carried out

17.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). Dartlo and  Omalo rehabilitation will continue under  the new government and, according to the schedule, will be completed in due time. The rehabilitation will be resumed in May, 2013, according to Akhmeta's  Deputy Governor Vazha Naskidashvili. He says that the work has stopped at this time because of heavy snow, and the project will  be resumed in  May. In his words, more tourists are expected to visit the region  taking into consideration the fact that Dartlo and Omalo rehabilitation  will be completed in late October and additional several guesthouses will be  opened in  tourist areas.

Omalo and Dartlo are historical villages in mountain region of Tusheti. In total, 6 million GEL  has been allocated for  their rehabilitation. Dartlo and  Omalo rehabilitation includes restoration of historical towers.

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Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal's Index of Economic Freedom: "Georgia showed the most improvement in 2013"

15.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). A joint study 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, published yesterday by the Washington think-tank The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, places Georgia at high position.

"There are five European countries whose economic freedom status has changed notably in the 2013 Index. Georgia, Norway, and the Czech Republic have become “mostly free” economies. Georgia achieved the largest score improvement in the 2013 Index", - outlines the research paper.

"Georgia’s economic freedom score is 72.2, making its economy the 21st freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is 2.8 points higher than last year, with improvements in six of the 10 economic freedoms including management of public finance, investment freedom, and property rights. Georgia is ranked 11th out of 43 countries in the Europe region, and its score is the most improved in the 2013 Index.

"The Moscow Times": Conquering the world with wine and food

by Paul Rimple

13.01.2013. In August 2008, I was sitting on a curb in the Georgian village of Akhalgori with journalist Wendell Steavenson watching Ossetian troops loot stores and homes. "This whole thing is crazy," she said. "All Georgia had to do was invite Russia to the dinner table. They would have conquered it with food and wine."


She, like many foreigners who have spent any time in the country, is intimately familiar with Georgia's most formidable weapon. It's not the "strategic partnership" that brings all those Washington lawmakers to Georgia. It's the food.

Georgia's Civil Aviation Union calls on government to revise strategy

12.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News) Chairperson of the Civil Aviation Union Giorgi Kodua says the 90% of aviation sector is monopolized, which causes expensive cost on flights. Giorgi Kodua has defined at the briefing today that the additional tax collections imposed for national air transporter companies has resulted in the rise of prices on flights. Kodua calls on the government to revise the aviation strategy, otherwise, he fairs the current system will affect development of tourism in the country.

`Business sector, which had to pay millions to the state budget as additional tax collection, has included this part of the tariff in ticket costs. Development of air-sector depends on chief tariffs and direct flights, but during past few years the only development we had was night flights, transit flight and high cost of tickets. Therefore, it is natural that the development of tourism sector may be affected,` Kodua said.

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Georgia restores one more monument of Stalin

11.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). The bust of Joseph Stalin has been restored in the village of  Akura, Telavi District of the Kakheti Region, in the eastern part of Georgia. The monument was secretly taken down in 2010 and stored by local resident Badri Gogiashvili. Recently local authorities permitted to restore the monument.

It is the second monument of Stalin restored in Georgia after the parliamentary elections won by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on October 1, 2012. The first monument of Stalin was restored in Zemo Alvani in the Ahmeta District. The monument is to be be erected in Gori through private donations of locals. Read more: "New York Times": Georgia: A Stalinist Restoration.

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Georgian government suspends deal with TAV on Tbilisi Airport

10.01.2013. The Georgian government has suspended a memorandum with a Turkish operator of the Tbilisi International Airport on reconstruction of now unused runway, which means that the Turkish company will no longer get extension for more than ten years of its right to run the airport till late 2037.

In August, 2012 Georgia’s previous government signed memorandum with TAV Airports Holding, which owns 76% shares in Tbilisi airport operator TAV Urban Georgia, under which the airport operator company was planning to invest USD 65 million in reconstruction of the unused runway, one of the two runways at the Tbilisi airport. In exchange TAV received extension of airport’s operational right from February 2027 to November 2037.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

07.01.2013. Today Georgia and other Orthodox Christian nations celebrate Christmas, which is official holiday in Georgia. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Maia Sidamonidze: Talk about "the serving nation" is a mental weakness

05.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). On January 1 2013 Maia Sidamonidze resigned from her position of National Tourism Agency's head. She has been working for three years at the agency, and decided to switch to private sector. Translation of interview with former chairwoman of country's tourism department to Georgian radio Kommersant follows below:

Why did you decide to resign  from the agency? Today you will go back to the private sector, why? 

My decision to come to Georgia was correct as I worked at a very good moment in terms of tourism development in Georgia. This was one of the fastest growing sectors over the years and, of course, for me it was a great honor to be one of the partners in this process. On the other hand, I think that the private sector already offers many opportunities for self-realization in the same profession. I remain in this sector, in the tourism industry. Not necessarily people in this profession need to work only in state structures.

Ambassador Gabriela von Habsburg: Georgia now ‘open for business’

04.01.2013  (HTN - Hvino Tour News) H.E. Gabriela von Habsburg, also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is Ambassador of Georgia to Germany since 2009. Germany's Globus Vision published an interview with Ambassador Gabriela von Habsburg in January 2013. The reforms implemented in recent years, along with a privileged geographic position and a well-functioning democracy, have made Georgia a highly attractive place for doing business, she said.

Ambassador Gabriela von Habsburg points out that by cutting red tape and removing obstacles to investors, Georgia has managed to enter the top ten countries in the World Bank's “Ease of Doing Business” ranking. She also touched upon the issues of  tourism, wine and agriculture. Parts of Ambassador Gabriela von Habsburg's interview follow:

Tourism in Ajara, Georgia: off-the-beaten-track FDI location

03.01.2013. The republic of Georgia has landed in the international media spotlight for a variety of reasons in recent years and months, from its conflict with Russia a handful of years ago to its pro-investment and development environment and advances intransparency and pro-business regulatory pushes. Georgia is also gaining popularity as an off-the-beaten track tourist destination - thanks in large part to its gastronomical prowess, which has been featured in various media outlets, including The Huffington Post citing Georgia as a top tourist and culinary destination for 2013.

In the midst of this positive attention, the Georgian region of Ajara has also made international news, thanks to Donald Trump visiting the region and expressing interest in developing a casino and hotel in Ajara's capital, Batumi. Trump's interest has created a unique opportunity for Ajara's burgeoning tourist sector. Ajara offers natural beauty, prime Black Sea coastline, a climate for year-round visitors and an historical tourist industry from the Soviet era that has continued to attract tourists from neighbouring countries.

Airzena plans to add flights in 2013

01.01.2013 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). Georgian national airline Airzena' general director Iase Zautashvili said that in 2013 the company plans to add new destinations.

"We look in the New Year with hope and believe that the past problems will be resolved in 2013. In addition, we offer better services to passengers. New flights are planned to be added as well, "- Zautashvili said.

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Season's greetings from publisher of Hvino.com

Dear respected readers,

All the Hvino.com's team is sending our sincere greetings and best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year to you!

According to ancient Georgian tradition, the New Year tree chichilaki should be burned after the New Year. Together with its smoke, all troubles will be gone. As in 2012 we have luckily avoided the end of the world, let's now enter into a brave new world without grim predictions, and with all the positive energy!

2012 was an important year for us, as we launched two daily news services: Hvino News and Hvino Tour News. They are quite successful,  gaining more readership with every month. We will be happy to further develop our service in 2013, supporting international promotion of Georgian brands.

I am lucky to celebrate this New Year in the beautiful city of Tbilisi. From here I am sending congratulations  to over 120 countries of the world, where our readers live. Thank you for reading our news, and happy New Year! 

Alexander Kaffka

Publisher, Hvino.com

Will TAV manage Tbilisi Airport in 2013?

31.12.2012 (HTN - Hvino Tour News) The state will finance construction of a new runway at Tbilisi International Airport while  the government is going to start talks with TAV Georgia. According to Economy Minister Giorgi  Kvirkashvili,  TAV Georgia planned the runway construction based on attracted resources, and in return, terms of airport exploitation were  extended for another 10 years.

“Now we are working to  resolve runway strip construction issue together with TAV. The government adopted a resolution, according to which,  the state will finance the runway construction on bilateral basis, and  a contract with TAV will not be extended for another  10 years ,"- said Mr. Kvirkashvili.

Economy minister names tourism most important direction for 2013

30.12.2012 (HTN - Hvino Tour News). Minister of Economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili spoke about  tourism field at the press conference in Tbilisi. He said that next year tourism would be one of the most important directions because of its great potential in terms of employment and infrastructure development.

Kvirikshvili said that the state allocated more than 5 million GEL for  tourism programs from  the budget which will be used for  regional development, creation of new tourism projects, opening of information centers  and personnel training.

"Tourism will be one of the most important areas, "- Kvirikashvili stressed.

As Chairman of the National Tourism Agency Maya Sidamonidze wrote a resignation letter on December 26, two candidates will be considered for the post of Chairman of the National Tourism Agency. As the Economy Minister  said, Maya Sidamonidze made  decision to resign herself, and there was no  pressure from the government. According to the Deputy Minister Dmitry Kumsishvili,  National Tourism Agency will get a new head in late January.

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Director of National Tourism Agency leaves her post

29.12.2012 (HTN - Hvino Tour News) Maia Sidamonidze, director of the National Tourism Agency of Georgia,  will leave her post on January 1. Ms. Sidamonidze leaves her post at her own request. "I have been serving in this position for already three years. Now I decided to leave and to be engaged in the private sector," she told reporters on Friday. Sidamonidze was appointed head of the Tourism Agency on a competitive basis.

© HTN (Hvino Tour News)