Georgia is one of the rare countries with unique potential for developing ecotourism, the founder of the Restaurant Association Shota Burjanadze told radio Commersant.
In his words, natural resources, traditional gastronomy and local culture make Georgia an attractive destination for ecotourism, but it’s essential to strike a balance between ecotourism and nature conservation.
"There are probably few countries in the world that have such potential for ecotourism development as Georgia. Despite Georgia is a small country, it has diverse climate zones, including subtropical and even alpine tundra.
To some extent, the mass tourism development may be an obstacle in the country, but our country’s potential is definitely worth using in terms of ecotourism".
Unique gastronomy is also something to mention, which is based on folk traditions and tastes, that is, Georgian gastronomy was not created by chefs, for example, the Caesar salad was created by a specific Italian.
"With the development of ecotourism, tourists will not only admire what they find in the capital, but also will visit the regions, try dishes prepared by local residents. The Tourism Department has already taken steps in this direction, and this is very good. It is very important to strike a balance between tourism and nature conservation, so that the harmful effects of mass tourism do not increase," Shota Burjanadze points out.
