2016 Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards Winners Announced

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.

The award ceremony was opened by First Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili, who spoke about importance of the project for the Georgian tourism industry and how necessary it is to encourage companies working in this field. He handed a special award for "CONTRIBUTION TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT" to Mariam Kvrivishvili.

Other speakers included Maryna Chayka, Co-Founder and CEO of the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards, who made a moving speech in broken Georgian- to the delight of the audience- and Giorgi Chogovadze, Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration who spoke about the tourism sector and how it is booming, and gave a special diploma for contribution to the development of tourism between Ukraine and Georgia to Ukrainian Magazine ‘International Tourism Magazine.’

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.

Nominees were chosen first by online voting, with the final winners selected by a Jury Board consisting of experts of the world and local travel, culture and hospitality market. The voting process was 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 Accommodation: 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 Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Borjomi (other nominees included: Tbilisi Marriiott, Hilton Batumi, and Divan Suites Batumi)

Best Standard Accommodation: 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 Accommodation: 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 Accommodation: Divan Suites (other nominees included: Castello Mare, Hilton Batumi, Admiral and Sheraton Batumi). “It is a great honor for us,” said the representatives of Divan Suites Batumi. “We are happy to contribute as we do to the Georgian tourism industry and my team and I thank you for this recognition.”

Best Outbound Tour Operator: Easy Travel (other nominees included: Interco, Captain+, and 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 Accommodation: 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. “Georgia- you’re on the road to great success! We’re all in this together- this is an amazing part of the world and it’s to be celebrated!” said Stuart Nelson, Hotel General Manager at Hilton International.

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.

Katie Ruth Davies