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Friday,
August 10- August 24,
2007, #152 (1419)
European tourists in Georgia head mostly for the mountains, says the Tourism Department. The department optimistically claimed that over 400 000 European tourists have visited Georgia so far this year, according to the newspaper Rezonansi. Mountain destinations are plentiful in Georgia, although regions such as Svaneti have suffered from both a lack of infrastructure and security in recent years. The current administration took strides to combat criminal groups in the region, making it relatively safe and secure. Soon, there will be more flights to Svaneti and helicopters will fly regularly from Tbilisi to Mestia. "Svaneti will be able to receive 200 tourists at a time. There will be improved accommodation facilities too," said the deputy head of the department. It is hoped that mountain tourism will develop quickly in nearby Racha too. Eight health resorts are located high in the mountainous of Shovi and Utsera and after renovation they will be able to accommodate more than 70 000 tourists, stated Otar Siradze, governor of the Racha-Kechkumi province. There is also talk
of developing tourism in the mountains of eastern Georgia. |
Georgian
mountains top draw for European tourists