Lasha Berekashvili, Director of the Young Guides Association and Travel To Georgia declares, that many hotels in Imereti are finding it difficult to operate during the low tourism season. He says the cancellation of key airline routes and inconsistent government policies are already harming the region and will soon create a situation similar to Kakheti, where many hotels pause operations during winter.
Berekashvili explains that the closure of the Kutaisi–Abu Dhabi flight significantly reduced tourist inflows, leaving the private sector without the demand it had prepared for. He also criticizes state-funded events scheduled during already busy summer months, arguing that support is needed during low-activity periods. In Telavi, he notes that businesses made investments based on unfulfilled government promises, such as a new airport and the Gombori tunnel.
He also highlights that the removal of NGO-run trainings and seminars from Kakheti has worsened the situation, as these activities previously brought year-round demand. Without these, and without consistent infrastructure development, tourism-dependent businesses are left vulnerable.
Berekashvili strongly criticizes the work of regional DMOs, arguing that USAID-supported structures conduct ineffective marketing on irrelevant markets like New York and Mumbai. He believes their budgets are spent inefficiently, while real opportunities, such as promoting routes directly connected to Kutaisi Airport, remain ignored, leaving the private sector unsupported.
