Interest from Asian markets is growing rapidly, according to Lasha Japaridze, Executive Director of Hotel “Banguriani” in Mestia. In an interview with bm.ge, he said the hotel is already receiving early bookings for the upcoming summer season. Japaridze believes that the influx of Chinese tourists is successfully compensating for the decline in European visitors, though the development of the resort is still hindered by poor local roads and infrastructure.
“Let me start with the summer season of 2025. Hotel Banguriani saw very high activity, we were fully occupied and hosted many international and local visitors. The decline in European tourist flows is very noticeable, but the Chinese and broader Asian market is balancing this out. The Asian market has expanded significantly, and demand is very strong. For the past month, we’ve already been receiving bookings for next summer.
First of all, I want to emphasize that Mestia and Svaneti have enormous potential as ski resorts. We have excellent ski slopes, and interest is very high in that direction. However, we continue to face infrastructure challenges, and I believe much more can be done - both central and local roads need improvement. The roads leading to the hotel, as well as the road to the ski lifts, need to be fixed. This requires close coordination and cooperation between the private sector and local authorities,” said the hotel’s executive director.
For reference, a differing perspective on the shift in tourist segments comes from the founder of Hotel “Paliani,” Ekaterine Gvelesiani, who argues that claims of the Chinese market offsetting the decline in European tourists are inaccurate.
