The FINANCIAL — The tourist season has not yet started in Adjara, but Tourist and Resorts Department of Adjara has decided to hold the tourist exhibition in Batumi, on May 8-10.Government of Georgia, has allocated about GEL 130,000 for the event from the budget of Tourism Department.
According to the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjarian Autonomous Republic, this exhibition is aimed at promoting Georgia’s tourism potential, introducing Adjarian region to different countries and putting ground to new business contacts.
“Our government has pledged GEL 130,000 from the budget of Tourism Department to organize this exhibition. The sum includes hiring technical equipment, organizing exhibition stands and covering marketing expenses,” Malkhaz Malakmadze, Head of the Marketing and Advertising Department of the Tourist and Resorts Department of Adjara says.
“However, this sum allocated for organizing the exhibition is not enough,” Malakmadze notes.
“The department of tourism and resorts of Georgia supports this project financially as well as organizationally. Travel companies, agencies and associations, carrier and insurance companies, commercial banks and investment funds, regional administration, development companies, real estate companies, advertising companies and different publishing houses will attend the event,” Malakmadze told The FINANCIAL.
Malkhaz Malakmadze says that the objective of this exhibition will be promotion of tourism in regions of Georgia.
“We are working on new touristic products. Forums, conferences and presentations give good opportunity for strengthening the partnership between representatives of governmental and non-governmental sectors. The exhibition is a good chance for businesses to promote their products,” Malakmadze says.
The idea of holding the tourism exhibition belongs to Tourist and Resorts Department of Adjara.
“While working on long term strategy of Adjarian tourism industry development, one of the most prioritized directions was to develop MICE tourism. It is the kind of tourism, which considers seminars in regions, conferences, festivals, different sport and cultural arrangements, business forums and exhibition-markets. By focusing on this strategy, we decided to organize both tourism and trade-industrial exhibitions,” Malakmadze says.
“It encourages raising Adjarian image as tourism region and attracting new investments. Development of MICE tourism direction, gives a good opportunity to diversify seasonal tourism. At first stage, government supports developing this direction. After attracting the needed investments and making exhibition participant companies interested in our activities we will be able to continue working without active help of the government,” Malakmadze states.
Company Calypso Travel has been named as the winner in tender held by Tourism Department of Adjara.
“Calypso Travel has been successfully working on the tourist market since 2004, and today we take pride in our vast experience providing a full range of incoming tours for individuals and tourist groups from different countries,” Officials of the company Calypso state.
“The exhibition will be held from May 8 to May 10 in the Ice Palace of Batumi,” Inga Malakhmadze General Manager of the Company Calypso Travel says.
According to Inga Malakhmadze, this exhibition had to be held a bit early on European Square.
“Initially, exhibition was planned to be held on European Square, but the government made a decision to change the date and location,” Inga Malakhmadze told The FINANCIAL.
“The nearby territory of European Square in Batumi is under construction. Buildings and subways are being reconstructed. Therefore it would not be convenient to have this exhibition there,” Malkhaz Malakmadze says..
According to the Tourism and Resorts Department of Adjara,, tourism exhibition participants will include Georgian as well as local governing bodies, tour operators and agencies like: Agency of Georgia’s’ protected territories, Kobuleti Tourism Professional Educational Center, Hotel Georgian Palace, Adjarian Municipalities, Museum Union, Adjarian Tourism Association.
“Armenian Tourism Department, Ukrainian Tourism company Inturs Kiev, tourism journal Ukrainian tourism, and Lithuanian Tourism Association are just a few of exhibition participants,” Malakmadze says.
Department of Tourist and Resorts of Adjara says that, before Russian aggression in August 2008, the number of visitors in Adjaria increased by 25.4% in comparison with 2007.
“The number of local visitors rose by approximately 30.2% and by 17.1% in foreigners’ case. After August war in Georgia the number of tourists has drastically decreased and in 2008, 19.1% fewer tourists visited Adjara as to 2007. The total number of tourists in Adjaria in 2008 was 285,000” Malkhaz Malakmadze says.
“The tourist exhibition in Batumi will be successful. It will support the popularization of Georgia’s tourism image, better introduction of Adjarian region to other countries and making new business contacts. Such exhibitions should be organized in Georgia every year. Batumi has its geographical advantages and in future, it can become a center for holding such arrangements,” Malkhaz Malakmadze states.
“It is planned to hold one exhibition during non-tourism season, traditionally in spring or autumn. During this period tourism infrastructure objects will be occupied. The exhibition is visited not only by the participators but also by those who take part in planned cultural arrangements. Exhibition enables people working in tourism to establish new business relations, offer new tourism products. All of that combined supports the development of tourism in the region,” Malakmadze says.
Written By Tako Khelaia
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