2016 Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards Winners Announced

TBILISI- On December 2, the prestigious The Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi hosted the second Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards which saw over 300 nominees from the tourism industry recognized for their support to growing tourism in the country.

Presenters included Maryna Chayka, Co-Founder and CEO of the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards made a moving speech in broken Georgian and Giorgi Chogovadze, Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration who spoke about the tourism sector and how it is booming.

The glamorous awards ceremony saw a hall packed with General Managers and owners of the best hotels, restaurants, and wineries in Georgia, market leading developers, Government officials, national and local authorities, and representatives of hotel operators, travel agencies and tour operators.

Winners were chosen by a Jury Board consisting of experts of the world and local travel, culture and hospitality market in a process reviewed by an Independent Auditor of the Award BDO Georgia.

The 2016 Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards winners are:

Best Tourism Innovation: Check In Georgia (other nominees included: Welcome to Georgia, Mogzauri, CitySightseeing Tbilisi, and Discover Georgia In Your Way) 

Best Boutique Accomodation: Vinotel (other nominees included: Tiflis Palace and Rooms Hotel)

Best Incoming Tour Operator: Georgian Tour (other nominees included: Capital Georgia, Georgian Destination Management, and Interco Travel)

Best Adventure Tourism: Rafting.ge (other nominees included: Zeta Camping, GeoTour and BHM) 

Best Deluxe Accomodation: Crowne Plaza Borjomi (other nominees included: Tbilisi Marriiott, Hilton Batumi, and Divan Suites Batumi)

Best Standard Accomodation: Courtyard Marriott Tbilisi (Other nominees included: Prestige Palace, Coste, and Laerton Tbilisi)

Best Festival or Event: GEM Fest (Other nominees included: BIAFF, Art Bridge, Tourism&Reality, Kavkaz Jazz Festival, and Kolga)

Best Low Budget Accomodation: Eli Speli (other nominees included: Diwan hostel and BHM)

Best Mountain Resort: Rooms Hotel Gudauri (other nominees included: New Gudauri, Kazbegi, and Appollon)

Best Sea Accomodation: Divan Suites (other nominees included: Castello Mare, Hilton Batumi, Admiral and Sheraton Batumi)

Best Outbound Tour Operator: Easy Travel (other nominees included: Interco, Captain+, turi.ge)

Best Business Event Venue: Holiday Inn (other nominees included: EXPO Georgia, Hotels & Preference Tbilisi, LeoGrand Batumi)

Best Tourism Restaurant Services: Georgian House (other nominees included: Hardrock, DineHall and Chateau Mukhrani) 

Best MICE Tourism: BTL (other nominees included: Georgian Tour and Local Host)

Fastest Growing Company in the SME Segment: Continent Cron Palace (other nominees included: Turebi.ge, CitySightseeing Tbilisi and Inextravel)

Best Wellness & Spa Accomodation: Lopota Resort & Spa (other nominees included: Crowne Plaza Borjomi, Sairme Resort, Kvareli Eden, Tskhaltubo Spa Hotel)

Best Travel Photographer: Shermazana (other nominees included: Daro Sulakauri, Ika Kapanadze, Irakli Shavguridze)

Best Tourism Winery: Winery Khareba (other nominees included: Sarajishvili, Chateau Mukhrani, and Vaziani Company)

Best Sea Location was awarded to Hilton Batumi and the Best Entertainment Venues GINO Paradise Tbilisi, Hard Rock Cafe and Tbilisi Event Hall were awarded with certificates.

The main mission of the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards is to encourage the tourism and hospitality industry in Georgia and to promote awareness of the high-achieving tourism business and brands that create a positive image of the country worldwide.

The Awards Project is supported by the Government of Georgia and the private business sector, co-organised by the GNTA, and Officially Supported by Bank of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall and The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

MORE on this story in Tuesday's Georgia Today Business

By Katie Ruth Davies