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Agenda.ge (9 July 2019)

The government of Georgia is seeking to soften the impact of the Russian flight ban that started on July 8 by giving a helping hand to the tourism industry and hospitality sector of the country.

Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze met with the Georgian Business Association yesterday to discuss how to minimise possible losses for the tourism sector of the country. 

Bakhtadze put forward an aggressive marketing campaign to cement the country's image as a safe destination, and to further enhance the competitiveness of Georgia's economy.

Bakhtadze said that the government will ensure co-financing on bank loan interests for existing small hotels, and the state will serve as the guarantor for the construction of new ones.

He said that tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in Georgia employing many citizens, and it is the government's task to protect the economic interests of its citizens.

PM Bakhtadze put forward an aggressive marketing campaign to cement the country's image as a safe destination, and to further enhance the competitiveness of Georgia's economy. 

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the ban on flights to Georgia, local hospitality sector representatives have become worried about the challenges they will face this summer.

Georgian authorities, including the Minister of Economy, have started to meet the owners of hotels and guesthouses in Georgia to learn the problems and find alternative ways to support small entrepreneurs.

Georgian authorities are claiming that overall the country is a safe destination for travellers from any country, including Russia. Accent on Russian tourists was made after the warnings for them from Russian authorities that travelling to Georgia is no longer safe for them.

Also, a social campaign under the hashtag #VisitGeorgia and #SpendYourSummerinGeorgia started in Georgia in which Georgians as well as foreign visitors share their personal experience of travelling in the country and inviting everyone to support the tourism industry by travelling to Georgia this year.

Foreign embassies in Georgia have also joined the campaign and are promoting the country as a tourism destination, sharing their personal experience of travelling in Georgia on their Twitter accounts.

http://agenda.ge/en/news/2019/1846