"Adjara Group" hosts members of “Design Hotels” for annual event "Arena"

For the first time in Georgia, on September 26, at the Opera and Ballet State Theater, "Adjara Group" hosted “Design Hotels” members’ largest and most important annual event "Arena". It was attended by more than 300 hotel owners and representatives, setting the trends in their countries in hospitality and architecture.

Owners of the hotels will spend a few days in Georgia getting acquainted with the country's culture and traditions. All this makes the scale of the event even more significant for Georgia. Valeri Chekheria, CEO of Adjara Group, believes that this event will be of great benefit to the Georgian tourism industry:

"Our guest houses “Stamba” and' “Rooms” are member hotels of “Design Hotels” which organizes annual meeting called "Arena" for its member-owners and then arranges a two-day vacation and this year many hotel owners from various counties visited Georgia for this special occasion. I am sure that lots of consumers will be added to our tourism sector, since these are people who have great influence in their respective countries, creating very good and new trends,“ Chekheria told The Messenger.

Within the framework of “Arena,” there was an exhibition-sale of Georgian farmers' products in the yard of the State Opera and Ballet Theater, where the guests had the opportunity to taste the products produced in Georgia and see the products created by Georgian entrepreneurs.

Co-organizer of the event, Nino Zambakhidze, Chairperson of the Georgian Farmers Association, thinks that along with many other advantages of the event, it is unique to farmers as well, allowing them to find potential clients:

“We present products produced by our member farmers, including those of local entrepreneurs. I think this is a unique opportunity for them to have firsthand experiences with the international market, given that so many “Design Hotel” owners are in Georgia today, I think this is a good opportunity for them to showcase their products internationally. This event promotes export for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs,” Nino Zambakhidze said.

“Design Hotels”, which owned only 10 legendary hotel portfolios in 1993, today incorporates hundreds of distinctive design and architecture hotels worldwide. The members of “Design Hotels” have a modern and innovative look in addition to the idea of local culture.

Serdar Kutucu, chief operating officer of the “Design Hotels”, spoke to The Messenger extensively about both the company he represents and the event:

“Arena is an annual gathering for our member hotels. We work with 343 hotels in 60 countries in 240 destinations. In fact, today and the next two days we will have 210 people coming from 140 hotels here in Tbilisi to discuss ideas and opportunities for the future of hospitality. Our aim is to inspire people to really break the rules and come up with innovation in their businesses.”

He thinks that “Arena” is beneficial for all participant sides:

“I think this event is very important and valuable for both sides, on the one hand for our guests who really see a very sophisticated way of the farmers’ organization here in Georgia, which gives everyone better impression and a very good understanding of how future-forward is Georgia in many areas, especially this one. At the same time, it is also exciting to bring all of our 200 + guests who are all hotel, restaurant owners from all around the world to join the Georgian farmers' market and explore, experience the products that you are offering in this country,” Serdar Kutucu said.

Partners of the event were - Georgian Farmers Association, Chateau Mukhrani, TBC Bank, Borjomi, Bank of Georgia, City Hall, Besini Wine, UN Women, USAID Growth Project in Georgia.

Adjara Group is a leading Georgian company in hospitality and lifestyle development. It has gained worldwide recognition for trend-setting establishments and entrepreneurial projects through developing and managing lifestyle brands. In 2010, the company entered the Georgian hospitality sector by introducing and managing the first local Holiday Inn franchise. In 2012, Adjara Group converted an abandoned Soviet-era sanatorium in the mountainous region of Kazbegi into the first Georgian lifestyle brand of Rooms Hotels. It has since gained global recognition and praise for its unparalleled location, architecture, and design.