Sanctions against Russia will definitely affect us and it will become clear in about a month, - Levan Kokiashvili, head of the Georgian Gastronomy Association, told TV-Program Business Morning. He notes that the pandemic crisis, added by the Russia-Ukraine war, is creating a difficult situation in the hospitality sector.
"It is difficult to talk about tourism now that people in a neighboring country are fighting for life and freedom. However, if we look at the current situation and its impact on Georgia with a cold mind, we will see that serious problems are ahead. Whether we like it or not, Russia is one of our biggest contributors to tourism. The same can be said for Belarus. It is not a small country and lots of citizens come from this country. In addition, the share of Ukraine in the sector was large, where it is clear that now they do not think about tourism or travel, but the fact is that all this will affect Georgia," - said the head of the Georgian Gastronomy Association.
According to Kokiashvili, the massive influx of Russians and Belarusians into Georgia puts both ordinary citizens and businesses at great risk.
"It's time to make wise decisions and establish a visa regime for Russian and Belarusian citizens to control who enters the country. It should not be so easy for them to set up an LLC. The entry of unsustainable and unreliable companies will hinder development of those companies that have endured many problems, bankruptcies and somehow come to the present day, but the government does not understand these risks, "- said Levan Kokiashvili.
Last month, 20,876 visitors arrived from Russia in Georgia, while 3,446 visitors - from Belarus, which is 77.3% more compared to the pre-pandemic figure and 744.6% higher compared to the same period of the last year.
