EU, Sweden and Austria Announce Euro860,000 for tourism development initiatives in mountainous Georgia

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Friday, July 10

Gakharia: “Let's discover Georgia and the places we have heard and read about, but we have never seen.”

“We are launching a new program ‘Travel for Georgia’ in connection with domestic tourism,” PM announced.

In the frame of the GRETA project (Green Economy: Sustainable Mountain Tourism and Organic Agriculture), the EU, Sweden and Austria have launched the Tourism Development Initiative (TDI), a call for proposals for grants in the area of tourism development in the municipalities of Mestia, Lentekhi, Tsageri, Oni, Ambrolauri, Sachkhere, Chiatura and Tkibuli.

Tourism Development Initiative (TDI) support per applicant or group of applicants will be granted between Euro5,000 and Euro50,000 with the co-financing share at minimum 10% of the total budget. The duration of a project must be at least 6 months and may not exceed 24 months. All TDI activities must be finished by 30th September 2022.

Deadline for submission of the application form and supporting document for this call is August 3rd.

Ambassador of the EU to Georgia Carl Hartzell stated that tourism is a key opportunity for the development of Georgia’s mountainous regions. “The EU, together with Sweden and Austria, is launching this call within the framework of the GRETA project to support the recovery of tourism operators and to allow them to develop and expand their services and activities for the future,” he said, adding that the focus will be on environmentally friendly, community-based initiatives.

Ulrik Tidestrom, Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia emphasised: “With this joint Team Europe effort, Sweden is proud to support sustainable tourism development in Georgia. Tourism is a rapidly developing sector which is a significant contributor to Georgia's economy and generates jobs and incomes for people in Georgia.”

According to him, with this call for tourism development initiatives, parties aim for empowering and giving more opportunities and hope to entrepreneurs in sustainable mountain tourism in the selected municipalities.”

Austrian Ambassador to Georgia Arad Benko underlined that Sustainable Mountain Tourism is the priority sector for Austria in cooperation with Georgia, and in the middle of this crisis ‘we see that support to this field has become essential.’

Benko announced that the objective of the TDI is to facilitate an improvement of the business environment and create income-generating opportunities in sustainable mountain tourism for reducing poverty and exclusion in the selected mountain areas of Georgia, namely Racha-Lechkhumi, Svaneti and Upper Imereti.

GRETA, a four-year project of Sustainable Mountain Tourism & Organic Agriculture, focuses on the support of Georgian small and medium enterprises to professionalise and scale up. The project is co-funded by the EU and the two EU member states Sweden and Austria.

Note that Mountain Resorts Development Company of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development will open the summer season in Gudauri, Bakuriani and Svaneti on July 10th. During the summer season all the ski lifts in Bakuriani and Gudauri will be open daily from 11:00 to 17:00. Mestia-Hatsvali connecting and Zuruld ropeways will be operational in Svaneti from 10:00 to 16:30.

In order to develop and popularize mountain resorts, it is necessary for winter resorts to become four-season. In this direction, a 6000 meter international bicycle lane has been arranged in Bakuriani (Didveli). The bicycle lane is also functioning in Gudauri, the length of which is 5000 meters. The trails are designed for both professional and amateur cyclists. For vacationers in Bakuriani (Didveli), the first additional attraction of ski resorts in the South Caucasia, the so-called ‘Toboggan,’ mountain sledge will work.

In order to popularize the ski resorts of Georgia, a functionally and informatively perfect application has been created, which unites four mountain resorts under one brand: Gudauri, Bakuriani, Goderdzi, Svaneti. The app is a unique guide, so it provides customers with comprehensive information about mountain resorts, both in winter and summer.

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the mountain resorts of Georgia, the Mountain Resorts Development Company has created relevant regulations, which include: disinfection with a disinfectant solution at the end of the rope day, admission of 4 people with facemasks in gondola (closed rope) on a chess principle. As for the open chair type ropes - 3 people will be allowed on the 6-seater ropeway, and 2 people on the 4-seater ropeway, in case of a family, plus a child. Consumers are required to cover a distance of 2 meters, treat their hands with disinfectant after paying at the cash register, and undergo thermal screening before entering the ropeway.

Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has announced a new state program to promote domestic tourism ‘Travel for Georgia.’ At the gov’t session he urged the public to be actively involved in the program.

“Thanks to the pandemic, we have the opportunity to rediscover our country and prepare to be the best guides for foreign visitors when international tourism is fully open. Therefore, we must actively use this time, we must help the field, tourism,” the PM said.

It was also announced that from Monday, the 13th, the ban on cultural events in open spaces will be lifted.