Georgia has opened a $15 million aviation complex in the eastern Kakheti region, with the government saying the project will support tourism, local economic activity and pilot training.
The Ambassadori Aviation Village, a 16-hectare facility in Kachreti, was inaugurated on September 5 by Ambassadori Group, a Georgian business conglomerate. The project includes an airfield, flight school, aviation club, aircraft hangar and residential facilities.
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the investment would strengthen the local economy and support Georgia's tourism ambitions.
"Today, a new chapter is being written in the history of Georgian aviation," Kobakhidze said at the opening. "The investment project in the value of USD 15 million, the Ambassadori Aviation Village, will make a significant contribution to strengthening the local economy and fully unlocking the country's tourism potential."
The main runway is 1,185 metres long and 18 metres wide, while the hangar can accommodate up to 12 aircraft, according to the Economy Ministry.
Kobakhidze said the complex would also give young Georgians an opportunity to pursue careers in aviation.
"High-caliber pilots will be trained here and will obtain internationally recognized licenses," he said.
He also welcomed the arrival of almost 30 crews of European pilots, saying their presence reflected Georgia's growing role in international aviation.
The project was financed through a $15 million investment by Ambassadori Group, including a 10 million lari loan approved with support from the Georgian Economic Development Corporation, a government body established in April to attract foreign investment.
Georgian Dream Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili said the facility was designed to promote small aviation, develop aviation tourism and establish Kakheti as a destination for private and recreational aviation.
"What is happening today here in Kachreti is a logical continuation of this process, where the private sector responds to the opportunities created by the state with its own initiative and investment," Kvrivishvili said.
She said the complex could attract foreign pilots and aviation enthusiasts who would travel through Georgia, stay in different regions and spend money on local services.
The opening came as Georgia seeks to expand its wider aviation infrastructure. Kvrivishvili said Georgian airports handled 8.5 million passengers in 2025, while traffic in the first seven months of 2026 had already surpassed 4.6 million.
The government is also overseeing a $150 million expansion of Tbilisi International Airport, which is expected to raise annual capacity to as many as 10 million passengers.
At Kutaisi International Airport, construction is underway on a new 3.5-km runway, while the government is preparing plans for a new international airport at Vaziani. Officials are also pursuing tenders for a new domestic airport in Kakheti and a new terminal in Mestia.
The opening ceremony was attended by senior Georgian officials, including Kvrivishvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, as well as business representatives and aviation industry figures.
Participants included Gocha Kamkia, general director of Ambassadori Island Batumi, Peter Sodermans, Georgia's honorary consul in Luxembourg and a pilot, and Nichita Raetchi, general manager of Aviation Village.
The ceremony also brought together participants in an aviation expedition from Luxembourg involving 26 private aircraft. The expedition was organized by the honorary consul of Luxembourg with support from Georgia's Foreign Ministry.
The Georgian Aviation University and Ambassadori Aviation Village signed a memorandum of cooperation at the opening. An air show was also held as part of the event.
