Assessment of a Tourist Potential of the Alazani River Riparian Forests and Development of an Action Plan

20 Apr 2015 Lagodekhi, Georgia, Asia Ecotourism

Kakhaber Sukhitashvili


Other projects

20 Sep 2011

The Ecological Assessment and Conservation Planning of the Alazani River Basin Riparian Forests Vegetation - Georgia (South Caucasus)

2 May 2013

Mobilize Communities Living near the River Alazani Riparian Forests and Prepare them to Assist Conservation of the Target Area

The aim of the project is to estimate tourism capacity of Alazani riparian forests and surrounding communities. The project will start on 1 th May 2015 and will finish 30 December of 2015. Main goal of the proposal are to identify main Natural and Cultural heritage held in target area and mobilize local communities to start local level agro and eco tourism activities. We believe that after finishing the project local population and other stakeholders will have more information and they will ready to be more mobilized.

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Goal of the project is assessment of the tourism development capabilities of the Alazani riparian forests (and communities nearby) and promote to improve awareness of the local population about tourism.

1. Project presentation in Telavi Civic Engagement Center, where the representatives of Akhmeta,Telavi, Gurjaani, Kvareli, Signagi, Dedoplistskaro and Lagodekhi municipalities will be invited. Stakeholders will get full information about the project. The event will be transmitted by media.

2. Organize meetings with viticulturists, bee-keepers, owners of wineries (those who have wine tourism) and owners of hunting lands. The survey will be conducted how attractive their tourism product is for tourists and whether it’s sellable or not; How they promote it; Whether they have access to the tourist companies or not; What is their opinion about future perspectives of tourism, etc. Strong and weak points will be revealed at the meetings, as well as information about opportunities and threats will be gathered, that will enable us to create a complete picture on the issues of ecotourism development.

3. Arrange a meeting with tour operators and independent guides, who guide tourists in the target area and it’s surroundings. Particular emphasis will be made on the local residents, who are well acquainted with history, geography and nature study of the target area and are able to guide tourists after some training.

4. Conduct social survey with attorneys of local communities about economic and social/cultural potential of the villages.

5. Deliver courses of seminars for those interested in tourism in the target region.

6. Prepare, publish and distribute in the region 2016 year calendar. This calendar will be decorated with the pictures of plants and animals of the river Alazani riparian forests, as well as information about local secular and religious holidays will be included.

7. Create web-site about the river Alazani riparian forests social and cultural environment, tourism products and recent service.

8. Prepare the summery document of the project ,,Assessment of tourism potential of the river Alazani riparian forests” and submit the document to the National Tourism Agency and integrate the document to the project of the river Alazani riparian forests management plan.

9. At the end of the project we will organize a final presentation, where local and national media will be invited to disseminate information about the project results. The report will be prepared also after completing the project, which will be sent to all interested parties.

10. We will purchase environmental and tourist library for the community centers to strengthen their development.

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