Minister of Economy: We Aim for Tskaltubo Resort to Start Operating in 2024
"Businesses sector should have a clear vision of how the Tskaltubo Resort will be developed. In this regard, the first and foremost focus is on developing a general plan that will involve the NGO sector, experts and other stakeholders. Our goal is the resort to start operating by 2024," - Natia Turnava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, said when speaking to journalists after the public presentation of the Tskaltubo development concept.
She noted that the government will offer the state-owned property in Tskaltubo to the business at market price in the near future, adding that according to official evaluations today, the price of 15 state-owned buildings there is 47.5 million GEL.
The Minister added that Bidzina Ivanishvili, with his charity initiative, is the person who provided new energy and motivation for everyone interested in Tskaltubo Revival Project, including the businesses and investors who already own the hotels and sanatoriums there, but could not manage to invest in the project due to various reasons.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the Georgian Dream party, released the statement on October 29, saying that since the state does not have the resources to develop Tskaltubo, he has decided to completely redeem all 22 hotels and 9 baths of the resort and rehabilitate them completely.
"I have decided to sell all 22 hotels, nine baths in Tskaltubo and rehabilitate them completely," the letter reads.
He believes Tskaltubo has the potential to become the health and tourism capital of the region in the coming years, “and it will surely become”.
At the same time, he has a concrete offer to the business sector.
“I am publicly offering to Georgian business - I am ready, at any stage of project implementation, including planning, designing, construction, to alienate these facilities to any investors. Naturally, I will not seek any profit, the maximum price will be the prime cost of the facilities. At the same time, I am ready to give these projects to the interested business at a discount, or even at a significant discount. By this action, I want to make the business steadier on the one hand and on the other hand, to encourage the state to develop infrastructure under the guaranteed investment,” the letter reads.
Ivanishvili insists that after the implementation of the mentioned project, a total of 15,000 - 20,000 people will be employed in the Imereti region, which will inevitably lead to sustainable economic growth and prosperity throughout the region.
By Ana Dumbadze
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