世界发展银行-Georgia-Beyond-Arrivals-_-Emerging-Opportunities-for-Georgian-Firms-in-Tourism-Value-Chains_61页_11mb

Summary of Document Content

Core Content

This document explores emerging opportunities for Georgian firms in the tourism value chains, emphasizing the need to shift from traditional, low-spending markets to higher-value-added activities. It highlights how Georgia's tourism sector can benefit from integrating into global value chains (GVCs) by leveraging digital technologies, improving competitiveness in wine and food tourism, and enhancing safety and regulatory standards in nature and adventure tourism.

Main Points

1. Tourism Trends in Georgia

• Georgia has a strong natural and cultural base, including high mountains, a coastline, and vast nature reserves, combined with a rich cultural heritage and renowned hospitality.
• Tbilisi is the most visited region in Georgia, attracting tourists due to its status as a wine destination, vibrant nightlife, and cultural sites.
• Tourism in Georgia has grown rapidly, especially in wine and food tourism, which increased by 77% between 2015 and 2018.
• Nature and adventure tourism also saw significant growth, increasing by over 80% and accounting for almost 19% of all tourists in 2018.

2. Emerging GVC Structures in Tourism

• Before the trip: Engaging online communities through digital platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat is crucial. Georgian firms can monetize these interactions and leverage user-generated content (UGC) and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM).
• During the trip: Information availability and integrity are key for attracting millennial and free independent travelers (FITs). The current reliance on traditional tour operators weakens support for FITs.
• After the trip: Both small and big data can be used to improve services and create value. Georgia needs to enhance data analysis and visualization capabilities to fully benefit from these opportunities.

3. Wine & Food Tourism

• Georgia has the potential to reposition itself as a destination for "curious" markets seeking authentic and local experiences.
• The National Wine Agency and GNTA are promoting wine and food tourism as a key offering.
• To capitalize on this, the government should enhance coordination between public and private sectors, provide financial support and training to SMEs and artisans, and promote dynamic initiatives to protect and promote Georgian food traditions.
• An eco-conscious offering is also important, given the growing demand for sustainable and organic products.

4. Nature & Adventure Tourism

• Georgia's mountain tourism has grown significantly but is threatened by safety and regulatory shortcomings.
• The lack of standardized procedures, guidelines, and training for search and rescue (S&R), mountain equipment operations, and risk management is a major concern.
• A large portion of Georgia's tourists come from low-spending neighboring countries, which may limit the potential for high-value-added activities.
• To strengthen competitiveness, Georgia needs to:
  • Develop operational guidelines for S&R teams.
  • Establish maintenance and procedural standards for technical infrastructure and equipment.
  • Improve avalanche forecasting and risk assessment capabilities.
  • Implement a helicopter availability scheduling system.
  • Expand training for adventure tourism roles (e.g., ski instructors, mountain guides).
  • Create a licensing and certification framework.
  • Address insurance gaps for value-chain actors in nature and adventure tourism.

Key Recommendations

Key Information

• Georgia's current tourism is focused on low-spending neighboring markets, with the majority of international visitors coming from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey.
• The share of tourists from top global markets (e.g., the US, India, China) is still low, at only 7.3% in 2018.
• Georgia's tourism growth has been driven by domestic demand, remittances, and capital inflows.
• The tourism sector contributes significantly to Georgia's GDP, employment, and exports.
• To compete in emerging GVCs, Georgian firms must develop digital skills, improve service quality, and strengthen regulatory frameworks in key tourism segments.

Conclusion

Georgia has the potential to move up the tourism value chain by focusing on higher-value-added segments such as wine and food tourism and nature and adventure tourism. This requires strategic repositioning, public-private collaboration, and targeted policy reforms and investments to ensure safety, quality, and competitiveness in these areas. By embracing digital transformation and enhancing its tourism offerings, Georgia can attract more high-spending tourists and secure a stronger position in global value chains.