Tbilisi's new boutique hotel The Terrace opens tomorrow

13.02.2015 (Hvino News). Tbilisi's new boutique hotel The Terrace opens tomorrow at 7, Polikarpe Kakabadze Street.

The hotel belongs to Maia Sidamonidze, former head of Georgia's Tourism Administration.

Thanks to prestigeous Mtatsminda hill location, hotel's guests will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of Tbilisi. The 4-star hotel has 26 rooms, a restaurant offering Georgian traditional cuisine, and a conference hall.

The project investment amounted to 1 million US dollars. Rooms rates start from US $80, and booking will begin soon.

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Flights to Spain and Germany may be performed from Kutaisi airport

11.02.2015.  (Hvino TOUR  News) In 2014, the number of passengers carried on regular and charter flights from Georgia’s four airports amounted to 2 million people. This figure has increased by 9.5% compared to 2013.

During the reporting period, the Tbilisi international airport served 1 575 million passengers. This figure has increased by 9.7% compared to 2013.

Batumi International Airport handled 213.439 passengers, which is increased by 2.15%. Mestia airport served 1 343 people, which is 51.75% more than in the previous year.

As for the Kutaisi international airport, in total 218 thousand passengers were carried on regular and charter flights that is 16% more. Georgian Commersant FM radio spoke about the Kutaisi international airport’s operation with Ketevan Aleksidze, Georgian Airports Union's director.

She says that 2014 was extremely successful for the Kutaisi international airport. Two new destinations were added - Vilnius and Budapest, as well as current directions were maintained. In total, 218 000 passengers were handled throughout the year.

Bulgaria simplifies tourist visa procedure for Georgians

10.02.2015. (Hvino News). Tourism and Foreign Ministers agreed to simplify tourist visa procedures for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Georgia.

The measure is aimed at boosting visitor numbers from traditional markets such as the former Soviet countries, according to the press office of Bulgaria’s Tourism Ministry.

It is also part of a campaign aimed at countering the downward trend in early bookings from these countries for the 2015 summer season.

The new regime envisages the issuance of short-term double-entry and multiple-entry visas for organized trips.

This type of visa has a validity period of up to one year and is available to citizens who have already used Bulgarian visas.

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Vinotel: Wine and hotel

04.02.2015. If we say that Georgia is the cradle of wine-making, from the beginning, it should mean the considerable attempt of enlarging the wine education and promoting among consumers to obtain the right approach to the wine culture. All this will be very helpful proper to display the Georgian culture and traditions to a foreign guest.

On January 30th the list of high class wine locations was enriched with an interesting place, the Hotel Vinotel, which is located in the center of Tbilisi, at #4 Elene Akhvlediani Street. The hotel location as well as its functional design is a part of a vivid concept and a kind of guarantee for the successful business project. While having an insight into the vision of idea authors and founders, it becomes clear that this business, is rather sophisticated and firm will of popularizing the Georgian wine and the Georgian culture in general.

There is almost everything in the hotel that might give to a foreign tourist a good perspective of the authentic Tbilisi. The concept of the project aims to blend the 19th century Tbilisi spirit with the natural winemaking and slow food philosophy. Antique and handmade furniture, walls and ceiling decorated by hand try the best in creating a very comfy and natural environment.

Georgia joins world’s biggest Tourism Trade Fair

02.02.2015. Georgia’s the most significant places and uniqueness of ancient culture were displayed to millions of people at Spain’s leading Tourism Trade Show.

Ten Georgian tourism agencies were took part among more than 9 000 companies from 169 countries at the FITUR 2015, International Tourism Fair in Madrid. For Georgia it is the eighth year of participation in the exhibition.

9,107 companies and more than 200,000 visitors from around the world were presented at the World's biggest tourism fair.
Spain is one of the target markets for Georgia. To compare visitors statistics in 2013, tourist arrivals from Spain to Georgia increased by 14 percent in 2014.

Within the international tourism fair Head of Georgia’s Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze met with Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Taleb Rifai. At the meeting the pairs discussed cooperation issues between Georgia and the World Tourism Organisation.

"I was in Georgia three times, but even ten is not enough. At the small territories the mountains, the sea and diverse relief are gathered. But your nation is unique, everyone is ready to talk with you and treat you with great hospitality,” Taleb Rifai said.

FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair held in Madrid from January 28 to February 1.

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E-visa facility launching in Georgia

29.01.2015. In a move which will give a major boost to the tourism sector, the Georgian Government will launch the electronic visa (e-visa) facility from February, 2015, announced the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

This initiative is part of the strategy which the Government’s economic team set in order to maintain the long-term stability of the GEL. The measures are about encouraging export, tourism and direct foreign investments’ (FDI) inflow in Georgia.

We want to increase the number of tourists visiting our country. For this purpose electronic visas will be launched in Georgia. This will simplify the procedures of visiting Georgia for the tourists,” Garibashvili said.

Meanwhile, the Government is working on the investment project ideas which should be implemented in different regions of Georgia.

"We have already created a very attractive offer for the investors. This offer includes creating the favorable conditions for the investors in different regions of Georgia. The projects that are planned to be implemented are about building the hydro power stations, developing and promoting the local production, etc. Now we are in the process of establishing communication with the businessmen, who should be interested in investing in the regions. We will do our best to encourage the private business,” Garibashvili said.

New program to help Georgian tourism micro-entrepreneurs

24.01.2015. A large-scale project will soon be implemented in two of Georgian regions to help poor communities and micro-entrepreneurs in tourism sector. The World Bank, as the administrator of grant funds provided by the government of Japan through the Japan Social Development Fund, and Biological Farming Association Elkana have signed today a Grant Agreement on a 2.5 million USD project - Empowering Poor Communities and Micro-entrepreneurs in Georgia Tourism Sector.

The agreement was signed by World Bank Acting Regional Director for the South Caucasus, Joseph Melitauri, and Director of Elkana, Mariam Jorjadze. This three year project will be implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, the Municipal Development Fund, and the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia.

The overall objective of the project is to generate employment and increase household income of poor and vulnerable communities in the Kakheti and Imereti regions, where there are ongoing World Bank-financed regional development projects to support tourism development and urban regeneration. The Japanese funding will now support communities to start/grow small and micro enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism and organic food processing sectors and implement small community works in vicinity of cultural heritage sites.

"The New York Times": A wine revival at the foot of the Caucasus

12.01.2015. (Hvino News). The New York Times in its Travel section has published "52 Places to Go in 2015", including Georgia at 25th place, and specially mentioning several wineries and other wine-related destinations:

Georgia has all the makings of the next great wine destination: the world’s longest-running unbroken wine tradition (underground fermentation in clay vessels), hundreds of indigenous grape varieties, stunning landscapes and a band of vintners espousing natural methods. Its output has all become easier to sample, too, thanks to wine bars in the capital, Tbilisi (Konka, Vino Underground), a marked wine trail in Kakheti and wineries (Pheasant’s Tears, Iago’s Winery, Winery Khareba) serving traditional and modern Georgian cuisine. Those varietals will be feted this year at four major events: the New Wine Festival, Wine City Tbilisi at Tbilisifest, Telavino and the Tbilisi Cheese Festival...

The piece on Georgia in The New York Times is authored by Robyn Eckhardt, a freelance food writer based in Penang, China.

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"The Telegraph" on Georgian wine-making

09.01.2015. Britain's The Telegraph has named Georgia as one of the most extraordinary destinations in the world.

“You might not have heard of Kakheti but you’re almost guaranteed to have enjoyed its most famous invention: wine. The Georgians have been making wine for 8,000 years and there’s recently been a revived interest in traditional wine-making techniques, with some of the country’s best wines now appearing on the wine lists at The Fat Duck, Hibiscus and Nobu.

Highlights of Kakheti include the 3,000 year old Uplistiske Rock City with its industrial-scale wine presses; the Ikalto Monastery where Orthodox priests kept meticulous viticulture records; fortified sacramental wine cellars larger than the churches they supplied; and the vineyards and wine cellars of Lagvinari, Georgia’s premier wine producer”, – the The Telegraph article says.

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Electronic visa applications available from February 1

09.01.2015. Head of the National Tourism Administration George Chogovadze has announced that the Georgian government will present an online form for visa applications on February 1. According to Chogovadze, in 2014 Georgia was visited by 5,493,492 international travelers, 1.9 percent more than in the previous year but falling below predicted numbers.

Chogovadze stated that a number of factors resulted in fewer visitors than experts forecasted. “First of all, it is the current situation in the region, including the events that unfolded between Russia and Ukraine. However, the tightening of visa regulations may also have affected the number of tourists. In the near future, the Government will introduce an electronic visa application form which will simplify the procedure for obtaining Georgian visas for tourists,” said Chogovadze, further noting that the electronic visa application form is expected to be available from February 1.

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More than 5.4 million visitors embrace Georgia this year

07.01.2015. Georgia is fast becoming a tourism destination by guests from all over the globe, with latest figures revealing more than a 5.4 million visitors spent time in Georgia this year.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed a boost in 2014 year when 5, 493, 492 people crossed Georgian borders. To compare this date the same time period of 2013, the number of visitors to Georgia in 2014 increased by 1.9 percent.

While, number of tourists experienced Georgia’s unique culture, traditions and landscape increased this year and reached 2, 218 050 people complete period of this year. When compared to the same time period of 2013, the number of tourists traveled in Georgia in 2014 increased by 7.4 percent.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed a boost in December when 433, 660 people crossed Georgian borders. This was a 10.5 percent increase on December 2013.

Last month of the year the highest number of visitors came from Turkey, followed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia and Ukraine.

The Ministry said the data showed a positive trend where more visitors from European Union countries continued to visit Georgia.

The number of visitors from Latvia, Latvia, United Kingdom, Poland, Kazakhstan, the Middle East, Israel, Belarus and Moldova also increased from year to year.

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Georgia on my mind as the fog of Abu Dhabi clears

by Peter Hellyer

06.01.2015. It’s become a family tradition in recent years to slip away over New Year to somewhere not too far away – no point in spending too many hours on a plane – yet a place that offers markedly different attractions from the UAE. For four years, we’ve chosen Istanbul, for its architecture, for the delights of a Bosphorus cruise and, of course, for the shopping.

This year, we opted for something entirely different and went to Georgia. Once our friends realised that we weren't flying all that way across the Atlantic for a mere three or four days, their response was mainly one of curiosity. Nestled in the south-western Caucasus, this small country clearly has a long way to go in attracting tourists from the Emirates, despite direct flights from Sharjah and Dubai. That said, we were happy to find some other UAE citizens and expatriate residents in the hotel we had selected.

A quick internet check told us some of what to expect: mountains and river valleys and a n abundance of ancient castles, churches and monasteries, for Georgia is overwhelmingly Christian, the religion having arrived there in the 1st century AD. Indeed the Georgian alphabet is said to have been created in the 5th century for the purpose of translating the Bible into the Georgian language.

InterContinental to open new hotel in Tbilisi

05.01.2015 (Hvino Tour News) InterContinental Hotels Group announced that it will open the InterContinental Tbilisi in Georgia in 2016.  The hotel will be the company’s first property in the country, and will operate in conjunction with existing owner partner Adjara Group.

Of the hotel’s 200 rooms, 15 will be suites, including a Presidential Suite. The property will feature a large multifunctional conference hall, ballroom, conference center, and multiple meeting rooms. Also on the premises will be an all-day dining restaurant, InterContinental Club Lounge, lobby bar, spa, and an indoor and outdoor pool.

The building that will house the hotel is a former printing warehouse. Centrally located in the heart of the capital, the hotel will be within walking distance of the city’s major landmarks, neighboring embassies, and business centers.

IHG’s chief executive officer of Europe, Angela Brav, said "We’re thrilled to be signing a property under our flagship InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand in Georgia. We look forward to further expanding our presence in this region,” Brav said.

Georgia-EU: Has Georgia made the grade?

19.12.2014. The European Parliament yesterday ratified the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia. 490 deputies voted for the document, 76 were against, 57 deputies abstained. During the vote in the hall of the European Parliament were the current president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, and ex-President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has been put on the wanted list in his country.

Economic expert Irakli Lekvinadze said what Georgia expects from the Association except the opening of borders. "This is a very important agreement for us, both politically and, of course, in economic terms. One of the points of the agreement is free trade, and for us this is very important. In the first place, of course, those companies that export their products from Georgia to Europe will benefit: before September 1, they paid customs tariff, from September 1 this tariff does not exist. This will affect those Georgian companies that export wine and various fruit concentrates to the EU, providing additional revenue. This is one of the benefits that we got in Georgia after ratification of the treaty," the expert said.

Georgia to launch e-visa scheme with 102 countries

17.12.2014. Georgia is preparing to launch an electronic visa (e-visa) facility in the near future, allowing tourists from 102 countries the possibility to apply for a Georgian visa in simple steps, say official Tbilisi.

E-visa’s would boost Georgia’s tourism sector and offer hassle-free travel to foreign nationals, in light of the country’s new visa rules which had created "some difficulties” for tourists, believed Giorgi Chogovadze, head of the National Tourism Administration, which is responsible for the tourism sector development in the country.

"The date of the service launch has not yet been defined. However we have to test the traffic of the users that will be able to use the electronic travel authorization scheme,” Chogovadze told industry insiders while presenting his vision and goals for developing the country’s tourism sector.

Chogovadze was confident the government was actively working to correct current deficiencies to simplify issues relating to the new visa regulations, which came into force on September 1, 2014.

Over 300 executives to meet for aviation event

16.12.2014. A decision by United Airports of Georgia to host the Routes Silk Road event for the second year running is largely due to the success of the 2014 event [read more here] and a number of key routes which were negotiated during Routes Silk Road 2014. Air Arabia and Aeroflot commenced new routes from Tbilisi International Airport in October 2014 (to Sharjah and Moscow respectively). Etihad Airways is due to begin flights from Tbilisi to Abu Dhabi in October 2015. Furthermore, UAG is currently in the process of active negotiations with two airlines to begin routes from Kutaisi International Airport.

Routes Silk Road is the route development forum that connects CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia and was held for the first time earlier this year. The event, which will once again take place in the beautiful and historic capital of Georgia, will offer attendees the perfect platform to do business and improve air transport networks to, from and within the region. Over 300 senior level executives from airlines, airports, tourism authorities and other aviation stakeholders are expected to attend to discuss air service development.

Georgian tourism companies join national airline in protest

12.12.2014 (Hvino News). A rally held by Georgian Airways in protest of the unlimited flow of Russian airlines to Georgia, was joined by Georgian tourism companies on December 11. The companies stated that the country lacks regulations that support the local industry.

Georgian Airways released an eight-point list of demands on December 10, out of which only one was met. Two Russian companies Aeroflot and S7 will be able to carry out 10 flights a week instead of 14.

However, Georgia Airways leadership claims that the decision will not solve the problem and insist that all their demands are fulfilled. These include the rejection of the July 8 decree that allows Russian companies to undertake unlimited flights to the Tbilisi-Moscow-Tbilisi route, restoration of flights between the two countries that existed in 2006, negotiations with Russian representatives in Georgia, separation of the National Aviation Agency from the Ministry of Economy and making it a separate entity, hiring qualified staff for the agency and resuming the status of a flagman to Georgian Airways. Otherwise the company threatens to block the airport.

“Georgia’s airport is owned by a Turkish company, while the sky is going to be possessed by Russian companies. There is no space left for Georgian companies,” General Director of Georgian Airways Iase Zautashvili said.

Georgian Airways strike gains momentum

12.12.2014. One of the country’s top tourism agencies is publicly supporting the Georgian Airways strike as airline officials threaten to "paralyze” Tbilisi International Airport if its demands are not met.

The Georgian Airways protest is gaining momentum and has affected flights in and out of Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi.

The founder of one of the top tourism company "All Tours” Maia Mchedlidze said her company and others were in solidarity with the demands of Georgian Airways, who today pledged to ramp up their strike if their demands remained unanswered.

Mchedlidze noted that local tourism companies operated in harsh conditions as there were no regulations to enable them to compete with foreign companies.

"We make charters through Georgian Airways therefore we are dependent on each other,” she said.

"Our problem is that foreign tourism companies are trying to swallow us. Egyptian and Turkish aviation companies are entering Georgia with very low prices, they decrease their prices and we are forced to do the same, which, due to our limited resources, causes great problems for Georgian tourism companies. Their resources however enable them to act like this,” Mchedlidze said.