Adjara’s Tourism Department to Launch New Projects to Improve Tourist Services

The Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara is launching three new projects this year. Projects: ‘Recommended by the Department of Tourism,’ ‘Training and Consulting Center’ and ‘Guide Licensing’ aim to develop the tourism sector and improve services in the region.

The project ‘Recommended by the Department of Tourism’ aims to improve hospitality services, establish international standards and encourage technical standards.

Participation in the project is voluntary, and those wishing to take part are asked to fill out an application in the Department of Tourism or on the website www.recomend.ge.

After selecting the applications, participant food and accommodation facilities will undergo a technical check which will be carried out with the globally recognized HotRec, Hot Star Union 21 principles.

Facilities passing the check will be awarded ‘Recommended by the Department of Tourism’ status which will stand as a guarantee of quality and reliability for tourists.

The ‘Training and Consulting Center’ will be established on the basis of the Tourism Department Services and the Tourism Product Development Department. It will provide current employees in the tourism sector with training, and food and accommodation facilities with training and consulting services.

One-day training seminars will be held for selected staff at least five times a month. Trainings will be conducted by guests, as well as experienced staff of the leading local hotels and restaurants.

The main goal of the Training and Consulting Center is to improve the service quality and establish international standards in the tourism industry. The Consultation Center will hold its first meeting on January 12th.

The project ‘Guide Licensing’ is to provide the best quality service of tourist guides in the region and to grant a special status to those who excel.

The first stage of licensing tourist guides includes licensing city guides, guides of mountainous Adjara and the protected area Mtirala National Park.

The procedure of tourist guide recognition is preformed once a year, in autumn. Eager participants are asked fill out an application in the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara or on the website www.recomend.ge.

Selected candidates will be tested, interviewed and asked to organize demonstration tours, after which they will be awarded licenses. The project will contribute to increasing the value and quality of tourist guide services in the tourism sector.

“All three projects are important for the development of the tourism sector,” said the Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara, Mamuka Berdzenishvili. “If in the past year we were able to train 300 people, we believe this figure will increase to 1000 through the Training and Consulting Center. Training so many people every year will certainly yield results which will help to improve the overall service. The projects ‘Guide Licensing’ and ‘Recommended by the Department of Tourism’ will be the quality to which tourists can refer when selecting a particular hotel, restaurant or guide.”

All related information and application forms of the new projects will be published on the website of the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara www.recomend.ge which will be launched in the first half of January.

The Department will publish quarterly newsletters for participants, in which new projects and participation procedures will be described.

Ana Akhalaia