New Hotel Opens in Georgia’s Kakheti Region
A new hotel named Akhalsheni Wine Resort was opened in Gurjaani municipality, Georgia’s eastern region of Kakheti, on Sunday.
GEL 7.5 million was invested in the project, which was co-financed by the Ministry of Economy’s Produce in Georgia project, the Bank of Georgia and European Union financial program.
The new hotel belongs to Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking (KTW), which will popularize the 8000-year-old Georgian winemaking traditions for tourists.
Georgia’s Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, took part in the opening ceremony. He noted that the hotel is located in the micro-zone of Alazani Valley and Papari fields with a beautiful view of Caucasus mountains and added that this high-standard hotel “would contribute to attracting tourists to Georgia’s oldest wine-making region.”
He highlighted that over the past year, the number of tourists in Georgia increased by 28% and there is a potential to triple this by 2025.
“This will affect our country’s welfare. Quality of life will be improved and new jobs will be created,” he said.
The Georgian PM then thanked KTW and its head Zurab Chkhaidze for carrying out investments and projects in support of Georgian viniculture and winemaking traditions.
“KTW carries out projects and invests throughout the country and I’d like to thank Zurab Chkhaidze for his patriotism. It is also noteworthy that local tourism is moving to a new dimension. Requests for such hotel complexes significantly increase by the year,” he added.
Kvirikashvili also noticed that even more significant projects will be carried out in Kakheti in the near future.
He claimed that the government and investors plan to set up a music program in Tsinandali, which will be similar to the Verbier Festival, an international music festival that takes place annually in the mountain resort of Verbier, Switzerland.
Stressing that it is high time that Kakheti had a separate airport, Kvirikashvili spoke of his belief that, through the negotiations with the private sector, charter flights will soon become available to the region.
He also talked about the importance of the development of railway traffic in Kakheti.
"The construction of a new railway is a costly feat. In Kakheti, there is an existing railway, and we are considering extensive restoration works. Development of tourism without railway is unimaginable," he stressed.
The PM once again noted that Georgia has great tourism potential due to its amazing nature and called on citizens to take care of their homeland.
“Georgia is a country of progress and synergy. Our country has a history of 8000 years of winemaking and the oldest traditions in this regard,” he added.
Thea Morrison