Some companies working in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) sector say the Middle East conflict has brought short-term benefits to Georgia, even though longer-term expectations remain negative.
Guram Avaliani, Business Development Director at BTL Georgia, told BMG that a portion of business events originally planned in Middle Eastern countries has been relocated to nearby regions - including Georgia - due to the ongoing war. Companies prefer switching locations over canceling corporate events altogether, leading to an inflow of projects from countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
According to Avaliani, this reallocation has boosted demand for Georgia in the next couple of months, giving MICE agencies new opportunities. However, he emphasizes that the positive impact is temporary and does not reflect the overall trend in the industry.
In the medium and long term, Avaliani predicts negative effects for Georgia as a business tourism destination. The country is still perceived as being in a volatile region, surrounded by geopolitical tensions. As a result, major corporate clients - especially from Europe - may hesitate to plan future events in Georgia due to risk factors. Past experience with the Russia–Ukraine war has also shown that regional instability can significantly weigh on Georgia’s corporate tourism sector.
Avaliani hopes the conflict will not last long and that Georgia’s tourism industry, which has already learned to adapt to crises, will navigate this uncertain period successfully.
