Looking back at the challenges in 2011, the government states that the key concern has been to advance the development of tourism infrastructure and offer visitors new products. These attempts, according to the Georgian National Tourism Agency (GNTA), have encouraged the growth and diversification of international tourists.

“In 2011, approximately 2.8 million international travelers came to Georgia, up 39% from 2010. [This] is a good sign for increasing the amount tourists in the coming years,” said Maia Sidamonidze, the Head of the GNTA, at a conference this month, as she summed up Georgia’s tourism achievements of 2011.

The event, held at Holiday Inn Hotel Tbilisi was also attended by high officials from the government including the Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri and the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Vera Kobalia.

Assessing the results of the year, Sidamonidze noted that the figures, as well as marketing activities implemented by GNTA towards promoting the tourism potential of Georgia give the agency the right to call 2011 “a successful year.”

While speaking of the new projects and services offered by the GNTA, Sidamonidze told the guests about the new tourist products including the Meetings Incentives Conferences and Events (MICE), extreme, speleo, mountainous, alpinist, bike and wine tourism packages which are possible to experience in different regions of Georgia.

“This year we opened Anaklia, the resort on the coast of the Black Sea and Mestia, the ski resort in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region which are new destinations for domestic and international tourists,” she noted.

Sidamonidze also underscored the importance of Georgian Wine and Culinary Day, the first-time event held this October aimed at popularizing Georgian wine and related Georgian products. She noted that the GNTA implemented the marking of tourist routes and installed the signs to tell tourists about the routes they should use that would be an additional advantage for them.

According to the GNTA, the top five countries which sent tourists to Georgia in the last eleven months are Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia and Iran. The average expenditure of an international visitor staying in Georgia for five-days ranges from $310 to $590.

At the event, state officials noted the increased revenues derived from tourism. According to Nika Gilauri, nearly three years ago, the revenue from the tourism sector did not exceed $65 million, while this year, Georgia’s economy brought in $750 million from this sector.

Next year the government plans to continue work on improving the tourism infrastructure of Georgia and seeks to tap the potential for different tourism destinations. In particular, the nearest agenda includes an increase in the number of tourists to 3.5 million in 2012. Georgia expects 5 million by 2015.

“On this purpose there is need for the immediate development of hotel infrastructure including low budget hotels that will promote the growth of small and medium sized businesses,” Vera Kobalia said. She added that the government will prepare investment packages for local and international investors to attract more financing.

Maia Khubuluri, the General Director of Caucasus Travel, an incoming tour operator, said that the number of hotels is insufficient even now. “A lot has been done for the development of infrastructure but the number of international travelers is increasing and developing the hospitality business means increasing Georgia’s profile as a tourist destination,” Khubuluri told Georgia Today adding that the problem is especially acute in the regions.

Currently, the capital Tbilisi offers approximately 2,400 beds in 52 facilities, including guesthouses and rooms rented by private families, according to the GNTA.

Georgian hotel investors have begun to attract global franchising operators over the last two years. In 2010, there were six franchises operating in Georgia including Marriott, Sheraton, Radisson and Holiday Inn. Over the next four years, six global brands are expected to enter into the Georgian market. GNTA forecasts that by 2014, up to12 international hotel brands will be present in Georgia.

Tamuna Guledani, the Sales and Marketing Director of the Sheraton Metekhi Palace Hotel in Tbilisi and the Sheraton in Batumi, says that not a single international tour operator will promote your city or country if you don’t have a lot of hotel brands. “With just two Sheraton and two Radisson hotels - Georgia will not manage to develop even the MICE tourism,” Guledani told Georgia Today.

Throughout the Q&A session of the meeting, several problems arose including the service level in hotels and restaurants which also needs to be improved.

Sidamonidze is confident that at the moment, all of the country’s resources are not being fully utilized. “It’s necessary to develop better infrastructure, [luckily], this process advances very rapidly,” she told Georgia Today.

Source: www.georgiatoday.ge