Library

Professor Emzar Jgerenaia

Marina Metreveli Georgian parliament committee’s leading specialist in branch economy and economic policy. Doctor of Economics, professor, member of world tourism organization’s university education department. Actual member of an international tourism academy. Honored worker of Georgian tourism.

In terms of our state’s future development, tourism is one of the crucial fields of activity in Georgia. The role of tourism increases notably with the realization of Georgia’s transit function. From the standpoint of country’s strategic prospects Georgia has a chance to become developed touristic country. Interpreting the role of tourism in such a way imposes high responsibility not only on the specialists of that field but on whole society also.
Apparently, every industry of the modern world, especially such a versatile and scaled field like tourism, demands serious scientific and theoretical basis. Otherwise, rational and balanced progress of the field would be impossible and inconceivable.
Therefore, it is very hard to find those few specialists who would devote their experience and knowledge to the development of the mentioned field.
One of the rare professionals, who made an important scientific and educational contribution in the formation of tourism as professional field in Georgia, is Doctor of Economics Marina Metreveli.
She is the author of 25 scientific studies. Most important books out of them are “Tourism”, Tbs, 2003;
“Tourism and preservation of the environment – basics of ecotourism”, Tbs, 2004; “Theory of Tourism” – translation and adaptation by M. Birjakov from “Induction of Tourism”, Tbs, 2004;
“English-Georgian Explanatory Dictionary of Tourism Terms”, Tbs, 2006;
“Kakheti – Handbook for Tourists” – Tbilisi, 2007;
“Tourism and Hospitality” – Tbilisi, 2008.
Several issues are addressed and analyzed, in a professional manner, in the above-mentioned studies, concerning routine of business, its organization and economy, including such aspects that reflect Georgian tourism specifications and prospects.
“English-Georgian Explanatory Dictionary of Tourism Terms” by Marina Metreveli bears enormous importance for the development of tourism field in the country. There is no need to emphasis the complexity of full lexicographical provision of any field. Together with pure routine work with the dictionaries (data finding, sorting, classifying, definition qualifying) it comprises finding solution to highly normative tasks, like finding Georgian equivalents to the corresponding terms that actually may request work of full committee.
The complexity of the task increases when dealing with the creation of tourism dictionary and to my mind, there is no need to emphasis the currency of the last.
The work is based on the modern works and dictionaries recently published in foreign countries in tourism and customer service fields. Rapid evolution of tourism results the need to more precisely analyze the terminology and make relevant changes in it. Author took into consideration these factors while working on the research data.
The method of compiling the dictionary has been based on a task to avoid automatic translation of Georgian terms or their direct use. Therefore, the explanations often had to be changed coming out from our country’s peculiarities. However, author still tried to take definitions of world tourism organization as a basis of every term.
This book is one of the most comprising and scaled branch dictionary that speaks of Georgian tourism’s strong basis and its bright future. The importance of the dictionary increases with the appendixes, with the supplemental information concerning tourism business.
Handbook “Tourism and Hospitality” by Marina Metreveli, is a timely and necessary source for the training of professional staff in the field of tourism. The book in a poplar language manner describes economical state, influencing factors and development tendencies of the field both in Georgia and abroad.
Especially important factor is that the mentioned book represents the work, which comprises materials concerning touristic potential, past, present and future prospects for development of Georgia, world regions and countries. This is necessary not only for the training of professional staff in tourism, but also for creating ground for the development of tourism science in Georgia. Author successfully has handled this task for several years.
The book represents reviewed and supplemented work of the textbook “Tourism”, published by the author in 2003. Its content and structure is built according to the author’s educational program. It includes control questions and cases according to the subjects that, gives the student an opportunity of self-studying. The book explains almost every specific term with a very simple and reader friendly language. This makes it easy to work on a book and creates basis for learning special disciplines in tourism. It is worth of mentioning that there is large amount of recourses in the internet that gives an opportunity to a reader to receive additional information on specific issues. Such a large amount of the information about theoretical and practical issues of international and local tourism may result huge interest of university students.
Preserving optimal state of environment is the unique condition for the existence of humankind in terms of technical development and intensive use of natural resources. Attending upon environment, natural resources and cultural heritage and preserving them is the subject of great importance not only on local but global scale also.
World’s cultural and natural heritage is one of the main factors for the development of ecotourism. It is an important recreational resource; in case of wise use, it can be a source of country’s economical ascension and harmonious development of the regions.
Ecology is in tight connection with all the branches of economy and tourism by itself. Ecotourism- one of the areas of tourism – bears a great importance for a stable development of tourism business. The main priority of tourism activity is a carful attitude toward the environment. In other words, it creates economical stimuli for preserving environment.
Conception of ecotourism covers wide range of traveling – from cognitive tours for pupils to regular traveling in national parks and preserves.
Experts of world tourism organization forecast that in the XXI century many countries will benefit with the development of ecotourism, especially developing countries. This will further the development of economy in these countries, especially in highlands.
An objective of the work is to acquaint students of tourism faculties, working specialists and other interested people with the importance of ecologically stable environment for the progress of tourism. The book introduces the following subjects: the role of ecotourism in this business, as one of the main conditions of tourism’s stable progress; how the tourism influences environment and what may be the results; the role of local population, government and private sector in the development of ecotourism in the region; planning eco-tour and, the safety of tourists and tourism service management. In the appendix of the book, there is listed information about activities of governmental, non-governmental and private organizations and investors and of the ecotourism product produced by them. At the end of the book, reader can find explanatory dictionary for tourism terms.
The handbook reviews the customs and traditions of population living near the Vashlovani and Lagodekhi preserves.
Creation of preserves helps to preserve customs and traditions and develop tourism in this beautiful region. Traditional rites and customs described in the handbook help tourists in the west of Georgia, specifically in Kakheti to easily contact with the local population. The book helps them to adapt to the strange cultural environment and even partially replenish information deficit.
Some of the traditions described in the book are already in the past; some of them are almost forgotten. However, most of the customs and traditions are still presented in the life of the population. Reviewing them as a whole helps traveler to see and observe general shapes of the traditions and their changes.
This large scaled, dynamic and progressing tourism field of global epoch found a strong scientific-theoretical ground in the form of these books. We are dealing with an event when high-level theory precedes practice. Now, it is up to state to ensure development of this field. It is on behalf of the country to make sure that policy-defining steps correspond to the challenges of the scientists.
Books of Professor Marina Metreveli did an important service to the tourism professional and amateurs. Everybody who is interested in tourism will find these books useful.