Summer season reservations in Mestia remain low, with only about 20% of rooms booked so far, according to Sophio Chkhvimiani, co-founder of Hotel Shgedi. Speaking to BM.GE, she said the existing bookings mostly come from tour operators, including several organized groups from China.
Chkhvimiani noted that the winter season had a difficult start due to the lack of snow in December and early January, which led to mass cancellations. However, once ski slopes opened in mid-January, demand recovered. “From 25 January through February, we were about 80% full. There were exceptions on days when the road was closed, causing further cancellations. Road conditions are definitely a problem,” she said, adding that the winter season is now essentially over and demand has dropped.
According to her, Svaneti is mainly visited by mid-budget tourists, while high-spending travelers are rare. She emphasized that infrastructure challenges, especially poor road conditions, significantly hinder the region’s tourism development.
“Infrastructure really needs improvement. Roads are the number one issue, and many guests avoid the trip because of it,” Chkhvimiani said.
She added that the region lags behind Gudauri, Bakuriani, and Goderdzi in terms of large-scale events and promotional activities. When events are held in Mestia, hotels fill up completely, but such activities remain infrequent. As for pricing, the hotel has introduced a 10% rate increase, affecting packages that include breakfast. “A double room with meals now costs 230 GEL,” she noted.
