Lasha Berekashvili, Director of Travel To Georgia and head of the Young Guides Association, is calling on the government’s economic team to take active steps to stimulate domestic tourism. Speaking on BMGTV’s program “Tsertili,” Berekashvili discussed the challenges facing Georgia’s tourism sector amid the Middle East conflict and emphasized that domestic tourism must become a strategic tool for balancing external shocks.
He pointed to Turkey’s successful model, where the government incentivizes locals to travel at symbolic prices during low seasons. As an example, he cited Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern: “A foreign tourist pays about €40, while a local pays 1 lira.” This policy keeps hotels, guides and restaurants busy even when inbound tourism declines. According to Berekashvili, Georgia could replicate this approach by introducing symbolic prices for locals during low-activity periods, boosting internal travel and supporting the private sector.
In contrast, Berekashvili criticized recent price hikes at Georgia’s protected areas, noting that from April 1 ticket prices for citizens increased significantly across sites like Martvili Canyon, Okatse, Prometheus Cave and Sataplia. He warned that higher fees discourage Georgians from traveling domestically, contributing to a growing trend of residents choosing cheaper holidays abroad.
He urged the government to adopt long-term tourism flow management, arguing that accessible, symbolic pricing would encourage family travel within Georgia and ultimately benefit both local businesses and the national economy.
