The FINANCIAL — Turkey and Egypt remain the most popular destinations for Georgians this summer. Ukraine, Baltic countries and Germany lead the list of countries with the largest number of tourists visiting the country, according to Intercontinental, one of the leading tour operators in Georgia.
Intercontinental, has started the summer season with its new website www.tours.ge. Nino Makhviladze, Director of the company says that the new website will offer customers tour packages and current sales online.
“Tours.ge is the new webpage of our company. It has many interesting and important functions. Our customers will be able to choose and reserve their desired holiday package online. The most innovative step of our webpage is that our clients will be able to see up-to-date assessment scales of hotels. Georgian customers will be systematically kept informed of any novelties or new sales on trips being offered by our foreign partners. This service will facilitate the process for our customers as well as for our partners.
For Georgians the most popular destinations remain Turkey and Egypt. “This is due to their cheap prices, geographic proximity and quality of service,” Makhviladze says. She notes that the company is maximally trying to fit both the demands and means of its customers.
“The global recession affected the tourism business as well as studying programmes. Demand for them has reduced almost by half. Regardless of the economical crunch, studying programmes are influenced by presidential grant programmes. In 2008 25 students were sent on study programmes. In 2009 only 11 students were sent. The most popular destination for study programmes is Great Britain, followed by Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Germany.”
“Despite the global crunch Intercontinental is actively involved in organizing summer tour packages. We have already nominated charter flights in the direction of Antalya. Our partner Turkish companies are sending us special offers and sales for summer tours.”
“After the end of the Turkey holiday season we will start charter flights to Egypt and start the holiday season there. Direct flights will be available to Sharm el Sheikh.”
“The number of foreign visitors to Georgia has sharply decreased in 2009. Demand has decreased by 30%. This is due to the economical crunch and also last August’s events that have cast a shadow on this part of the world as a holiday destination.
“Turkey and Egypt remain the most visited destinations by Georgians. This is because of their cheap prices, geographic proximity and quality of service. However Europe remains the most desired destination for Georgians.
“Ukraine, Baltic countries and Germany are the most active countries according to the number of their tourists in Georgia. The main reason for this is that Georgia has many similarities to Baltic countries. As for Germany, this is the leading generative country in terms of tourists abroad.”
Demand for weekend tours is fairly popular during the summer period, as spending a weekend in the countryside is suitable for those businessmen otherwise remaining in the capital at work during holiday season.
Intercontinental is a member of the Georgian Tourism Association. Makhviladze says that GTA is actively negotiating with the Georgian Tourism Departments, in order to collaborate on a special project that will help to encourage customers to take summer tours. Development of the concrete working plan of the project is under way.
Written By Madona Gasanova
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