Chaotically Developing Tourism and Abolished Department of Tourism in Georgia

Nino ArveladZe

Tourism is the most dynamic, rapidly developing and profitable fields all over the world. It occupies a significant place in nearly all states’ GDP in modern era.

Countries have well formed strategies, policy, programs and conception that enable them to increase the number of tourists annually. What is the situation like in Georgia in this respect? ‘No tourist services such as shops, restaurants, cafes, and public toilets are visible. While the town center offers beautiful building facades, there is not much behind the facades yet. There is only one hotel in Signagi’. – Unfortunately this is the way Signagi is characterized. However, the state has spent significant amounts on the ‘development’ of this town and tourists can only see painted facades. It’s a pity, but in fact tourism is developing chaotically in Georgia. The present article is a confirmation of the opinion. Our magazine has quite often reflected the issue of tourism development. Georgia wishes to find its place on the world tourism map, although due to number of obstacles this sector presents an insignificant share in Georgia’s economy. It’s worth noting that the problems remain the same. On July 3, magazine ‘Business and Legislation’ with the support of ‘Elit Electronics’ arranged a conference at Sheraton Metechi Palace Hotel entitled ‘Tourism and Georgia’. Experts of tourism discussed Georgia’s tourism trends. Georgia doesn’t possess relevant legislative basis, infrastructure and services corresponding to European standards. There is a lack of trained staff and shortage of qualified people in the sphere, just like in many other sectors.
The following problems should be uncounted while talking about tourism in Georgia – destroyed infrastructure inherited from the Soviet times; existing relevant legislation basis can be sharply criticized, there is no united policy and program for the development of tourism in Georgia. According to the expert of tourism issues, Nika Kvaratskhelia irrelevant tourism infrastructure remains the major problem that discourages the interest of tourist towards Georgia. The same applies to the lack of qualified staff –managers and personnel. What should be done to turn tourism into one of the prior directions of Georgia’s economy? Nika Kvaratskhelia believes that first of all we should improve legislation basis, conception should be worked out; local as well as foreign investors should become interested in the development of tourism. Otherwise it will never play important role in Georgia’s economy. As Nika Kvaratskhelia remarked, by means of applying right management, Georgia can attract about 10 million tourists. Tourism income totally amounts to USD 750 million. What has caused such a high growth and what is happening is Georgia? As Nika Kvaratskhelia states, tourism peak in Georgia was in 1988, when Georgia hosted about 5 million tourists. About million 54 thousand tourists visited the country in 2007. According to Nika Kvaratskhelia, young and enthusiastic government made a sharp change in 2004 and increased the number of tourists from 380 thousands to million 54 thousands. However, Georgia faced another challenge – building or completed hotels in the country are either small or of medium size. There were 152 000 bed rooms in 1988.nowadays the indicator reaches only 14 000. Such development of tourism has been caused by three important conditions – increase of people’s well being in the world, increase of growing budget of time and people’s appeal to travel. 6 billion people live in the world. Only 850 million, around 15%, have traveled from one country to another, which means that the world tourism will further develop. The richest people of the world live in Europe. So Europeans make the biggest share of the travelers. Well being of masses increase everywhere. The same applies to time budget. Working time decreases and the number of holidays’ growth. Nika Kvaratskhelia discussed the tendencies of cultural tourism development in Georgia and mentioned that this sphere is considered to be prior in number of countries. Georgia views tourism as priority direction, but we should keep in mind that prior directions require special attitude. The approach that yet can not be seen in Georgia. Nika Kvaratskhelia declared that we should develop cultural tourism in Georgia as the country possesses all necessary conditions – 12 000 monuments, 5000 of them are protected by state, including Mtskheta, as a museum town, Gelati and Bagrati are considered to be one monument. Village Ushguli in Svaneti is included UNESCO World Heritage Sites. No one argues that the development of tourism requires special program. ‘They say the plan exists, although nobody has seen it yet. Strategic Plan for Development has been created with the help of American experts in English language and it has never been the subject of wide discussion. I found the program that emphasizes the issue of the department. It implies that according to the above mentioned program Department of Tourism and Resorts under the ministry of Economic Development of Georgia is not well formed. American experts believe that tourism is not well represented in the government. However the reforms that should be implemented within Department of Tourism and Resorts decline its role. ‘- Nika Kvaratskhelia says. He has also expressed critical opinions regarding Georgia’s tourism legislation. All experts require defining laws and rules to have more space for free interpretation and to limit bureaucracy. Scientific forces are involved in tourism in Germany. A University professor is obliged to prepare a special course on the country’s region studies. A scientists working in the sphere of tourism practically participates in this field. European states have adopted number of common laws with the purpose of supporting cultural tourism. It’s a pity that Georgia does not take any measures to harmonize there laws. As for American experts, they believe Georgia’s cultural tourism has a great future. Human resources play an immense role in the development of cultural tourism. It requires specially trained people, speaking foreign languages, who will present local population to tourists. American experts retell a case, when they decided to see Vadzia. Despite a short distance, it took them a long time to reach the destination – the roads were uncomfortable, guide was not well prepared and ticket seller decided to end a working day earlier. In their opinion, ‘guides are unqualified in Georgia. they may get lost in mountains themselves. They don’t show anything despite agreement in advance’. The fact shows one again that there is no relevant legislation in Georgia – rights and obligations of guides are not defined. If Georgia wishes to integrate in Europe, then it should correspond its laws to European standards. Nika Kvaratskhelia says the state does not work out special programs and does not provide marketing research. Department of Tourism and Resorts does not research the average amount that a tourist spends; it does not work out programs that will persuade interested tourist to spend more to enjoy himself/herself. Neither does it advise to a business tourist the segment he/she it should take up in Georgia. Nika Kvaratskhelia spoke about a new brand – Signagi. The town that became beautiful but still faces number of problems – it has not been totally restored. Experienced experts soon notice Turkish tiles and the brightness of paint and it creates certain discomfort. Signagi has a great potential to become one of the tourist towns. Although, Nika Kvaratskhelia thinks while there is Telavi, Signagi should not be shifted forward. There is no place in Signagi, where a tourist can spend money to enjoy himself. All types of hotels should exist in Signagi. State should research tourism market, work out routs, recommendations and give it to private sector free of charge. Special conditions should be created for the development of Congress Tourism. The opportunity of arranging congresses is never granted to countries. Georgia must get the right for arranging congresses. Prime Minister should declare that the country is ready to host 5000 people congress. None of UN congresses has yet been arranged in Georgia. Besides, competitions for creating new tourist routs are also necessary. Advertisement of Purposeful tourism and new legislation will support the development of tourism.
Lack of trained staff, shortage of qualified people, poor legislative basis and number of other obstacles hamper the development of tourism.
Marina Metreveli, expert on tourism and the leading specialist on the Economic Sectors Committee in the Parliament of Georgia discussed the legislative maintenance in the sphere and education problems. She said tourism sector has a great potential for the development in Georgia and it should be given a priority. Together with relevant infrastructure and qualified staff, corresponding legislative basis and state policy is also required. There is no legislative basis and national development conception for tourism in Georgia nowadays, while Georgian government declared tourism to be one of the priorities of economic development. The absence of legislative basis does not enable the implementation of the right policy in this field. Legal framework of tourism was adopted in 1997. Lots of things have changed in the country since then. Considering the fact that the field is quickly changing and developing around the world, its impossible to develop without legislation and conception. Marina Metreveli spoke about reforms too and noted that reforms are planned regarding the Department of Tourism that will soon be joined to the Investment Agency. According to Marina Metreveli, in case tourism is a prior field, government should have documentary arguments, not a simple announcement. Everyone should make attempts so that tourism brings economic revenues to Georgia. Joining the department of Tourism to Investment Agency, that is a Ltd, will not have positive affect on the field. Minister of Economic Development announced after the government meeting that she considers the work by the department unsatisfactory and this is a major reason of reform.
They don’t pay much attention to the warning at department of Tourism that may be followed by its abolishment. Infrastructure is developing in Georgia without planning – building of hotels in major cities and in the capital is a good example of it. 5 world brand hotels will be located at one street in Tbilisi. Batumi Central Avenue is constantly developing while nobody thinks about the development of tourism and about investments in whole Adjarian region. Tourists do not estimate only weather, food and comfortable rooms. He/she appreciates the unity of material and non material factors. Planning should cover all sectors of tourism industry and should meet all demands of tourists. As Marina Metreveli said, she attended the discussion of the strategic plan worked out with the assistance of American experts. She says she didn’t realize the whole essence of the title then. Later everything became clear. The strategy was put The America-Georgia Business Council and SW Associates Washington, DC – ‘Tourism Development and Investment Plan and Strategy’. It turns out that the decision on joining department of Tourism to Investment Agency was made four months ago. The strategy was discussed in English language, while only 4 foreigners attended the discussion. State document may not be analyzed in a foreign language. The document reads: No tourist services such as shops, restaurants, cafes, and public toilets are visible. While the town center offers beautiful building facades, there is not much behind the facades yet. There is only one Hotel in Signagi’. Huge amount of money has been spent to create a visual site of Signagi. Yet, no tourist services have been created. Tourists only have beautiful views to look at. It’s impossible to develop Signagi separately. The region should be developed as a whole. The revenues and employment resources should be well analyzed. This applies to all regions of Georgia. if we take facts into consideration, tourism is developing chaotically in Georgia. There is no Georgian language scientific or special literature, except for small exceptions. Academic level of teaching tourism has not been analyzed yet as the specialty has just now entered the list of higher education classificatory. In spite of high unemployment level, population doubts about providing services to foreign visitors. Therefore mentality should be necessarily changed by means of state education institutions. According to the data provided by the Department of Tourism and Resources, Georgia hosted about million and 300 thousand visitors. These figures are wrong. We do not have the counticn methodic. Department of border security gives the information on number of peoples that have crossed borders. The figures are multiplied and we get an average indicator. ‘Everyone who crosses a border is not a tourist. It leads us to nonsense’ – Marina Metreveli says. Statistics matters a lot as it defines the profitability of tourism and the level of priority in the country’s economy. President of ‘National Airlines’ George Kodua stated that he offers less expensive tickets to tourists, but there are no cheap hotels that would support the growth of the number of visitors. He had applied to the Department of Tourism and Resorts quite often regarding this issue. However, their cooperation did not proceed.
The fact unfortunately shows once again that tourism develops chaotically in Georgia and it requires great attention. Otherwise, Georgia can never be included in a huge business of tourism industry.