Tourism activity in Kutaisi is showing a negative trend, with booking cancellations increasing and creating challenges for hotel and apartment owners, according to Kristine Meskhadze, founder of the 7Doors hotel, who spoke on BMGTV’s program Women’s Narrative. She said the city has experienced a noticeable shortage of tourists in recent months.
Meskhadze noted that Wizz Air’s temporary suspension of flights to Israel and some Middle Eastern destinations, due to tensions between Israel and Iran, may further affect visitor numbers. However, she stressed that tourist activity in Kutaisi has already been very low for the past three months, even before these disruptions.
According to her, the city lacks a clear strategy to attract visitors. While many new hotels and apartments have opened in recent years, supply now exceeds demand. “Show me even one hotel or apartment in Kutaisi that cannot handle the number of bookings,” she said, highlighting the shortage of guests.
Meskhadze believes a data-driven approach to tourism management is needed, including a platform that would provide real statistics on visitor flows and markets. Although guest feedback at 7Doors remains positive, she said the current situation prevents expansion or new investments, leaving businesses waiting for tourism demand to recover.
