"Forbes": Georgia's Tourism Strategy is Starting to Pay Off

by Stephan Rabimov

04.10.2017. Georgia takes its tourism seriously, very seriously. Just ask Jesper Black. When the Dutch tourist landed at Tbilisi International Airport becoming the country’s six millionth visitor in 2016 he was whisked away in a Mercedes sedan for a red carpet welcome and private dinner with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. The agency behind the campaign to mark the country’s milestone even created a website for Georgians to vote on which national dish should be served to the six millionth tourist, khinkali dumplings or chkmeruli chicken?

Clearly having jumped from 2.8 million visitors in 2011 to six million in 2016 is a big deal in this former Soviet Republic situated between Europe, Russia and the Middle East. And suddenly it feels as if it’s on every traveler’s radar. In 2015, Georgia ranked 25th on the New York Times’ 52 Places to Go. New flight routes have launched from cities around Europe and this year Georgia made Conde Nast Traveler’s list of hottest upcoming wine destinations.

"The Telegraph" (UK): Casinos, craft beer and holy caves – is this Europe's most surprising country?

by  Liz Dodd

08.09.2017. Georgia’s splendid food, breathtaking nature and rich culture have long made it a sought-after destination for adventurous travellers. But the country - which this year opened up to British travellers with new direct flights from Gatwick to the capital Tbilisi (courtesy of Georgian Airways) - has far more to offer than khachapuri and red wine. Thriving amidst its Orthodox Christian cathedrals and farmsteads is a culture of gourmet coffee, clubbing and casinos. Where else could you dance the night away in a Soviet-era sewing factory, then recover on a tropical beach or in a cool mountain cave town? Here are seven surprising reasons you should go to Georgia.

1. You can visit Europe's most zany seaside town

Georgia’s Black Sea coast enjoys a bizarre, subtropical microclimate that feels more like Bali than Belarus. The best place to soak it all in is Batumi, an enticingly zany seaside town where casinos and skyscrapers - one with a Ferris Wheel stuck to the front - pop up in the middle of its lovingly renovated 19th-century boulevards. Just outside town the Botanical Gardens carpet the hillside with palm trees and plants from South America, Mexico and south-east Asia. In summer it can be suffocatingly humid and thunderstorms are frequent, so pack a raincoat alongside your swimwear.

Georgian Tourism Administration awarded for best marketing in Korea

06.06.2017. Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA) has received the Best Tourism Marketing Award at the 32nd Korea World Travel Fair.

This is to certify that the above organisation is honoured with the best tourism marketing award of the 32nd Korea World Travel Fair at COEX from June 1 to June 4, 2017 for its great contribution to the tourism industry development with positive PR and marketing,” reads the certification given to the GNTA.

Together with the GNTA three Georgian travel agencies – Georgia Travel Group, VisitGeorgia and GeorgiCa Travel – participated in the fair as well.

The Embassy of Georgia in the Republic of Korea provided the Georgian delegation with administrative and logistical assistance.

Maya Sidamonidze: "The country has a huge tourism potential but its fifth is not used"

16.05.2017. Georgia's tourism industry is facing many challenges including education, staff, infrastructure, communication problems (electricity, water), - Maya  Sidamonidze, former chairperson of the National Tourism Agency, said in the air of  radio Commersant.

As Sidamonidze explains, these problems must be solved gradually in order investors to become more interested in investing in the region.

According to Sidamonidze, it is also important to diversify the attractiveness of regions as there are regions that work well on the season, but there are regions which potential is not used.

"There is a huge potential in Racha, Guria, there are many regions where tourism business can’t be developed   because of lack of infrastructure. There is a great tourist potential in the country, but its fifth is not used, " Sidamonidze believes.

In her words, the private business faces  problems concerning taxes.