【Record】Mr. David Pipinashvili, Minister Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Georgia in China delivers a speech at the forum of Tourism as a Catalyst for the Revitalization of the World Economy

Moderator: Our theme this time is that the tourism industry drives the revitalization of the world economy and promotes the recovery of world tourism. Our five guests come from different countries and different industries. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, they were unable to introduce themselves. Let's get straight to the point. If you open the map app of your phone, you can find where Georgia is. It's just in the mountains of Caucasus, in the middle of Eurasia. Therefore, in terms of tourism development, it's well positioned to attract tourists from Europe in the west and Asia in the east, including China. Of course, as a tourism destination country, Georgia may have a lot of new places that we don't know much about. More of what's good, what's interesting and what's delicious are waiting to be explored. It is a great honor for us to invite Mr. David Pipinashvili with us this time. And now let's invite Mr. David Pipinashvili to tell our listeners a little bit about Georgia, or how Georgia, as a tourism destination, can attract tourists from both Europe and Asia, as well as what is the impact of tourism on the future recovery of the Georgian economy, or the rebuilding of tourism in the Asia-Pacific.

Mr. David Pipinashvili, Minister Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Georgia in China

David Pipinashvili：Thank you very much. You're right. Georgia lies between Europe and Asia, and because of its geographic position, it has served as a very important transportation junction in the Caucasus region over the past few centuries, and also played a crucial role on the ancient Silk Road. We have a quite pleasant climate as well. Many sites were listed by the UNESCO as cultural heritage, and we also have a competitive reception capability. Georgia's tourism has been growing, which helps promote the economic recovery of Georgia as well. Before the pandemic, tourism created a lot of jobs in Georgia, and the number of tourists was huge as well. For example, in 2010 there were only 2 million international tourists, but in 2019 the number reached 9 million. It is due to our international tourist strategy that the number of foreign visitors can reach 11 million in 2025, and we can attract more tourists from Asia and Europe. We have made a 10-year plan which contains many measures including strengthening infrastructure and promoting international transportation. Besides, we also have related market strategies and activities which can help promote the development of international market.

During the pandemic, Georgia kept its borders open, and after the pandemic, as you can see, Georgia is a very safe travel destination of Europe. We also have adopted many measures to offset the impact of the pandemic. For example, we have an emergency supporting system in response to the pandemic, and our government has cut taxes for enterprises including hotels and other industries. This year, we have provided many subsidies and even granted 4 million dollars of loans in order to support the development of these industries. Other measures are in place as well. For example, we have two free flow bases, and we'll provide land for these investors free of charge, and cut and exempt taxes and fees for them until 2026. Meanwhile, we'll provide free licenses for their hotels.

In light of the dynamics of the pandemic, Georgia has re-opened its borders including both the land and the aviation borders, and gradually resumed international air service. We have now opened our borders with Germany, France and Estonia. Georgia also has a fantastic visa policy, allowing people of 50 countries to enter Georgia free of visas. We also allow E-visa clearance, and Chinese residents can obtain our E-visas within five workdays, and don't need to go to our consulate in person. Georgia is also a very attractive tourist country, and our government will also make efforts to help tourists discover the diversity and beauty of our country. We also sincerely hope they can come back often. Thank you!

Moderator: Well, thank you so much, Mr. Pipinashvili. From the description of Mr. Pipinashvili just now, we have a better understanding of Georgia now. Georgia is a travel destination. You expect that about 11 million tourists will visit your country, and will there be more tourists from Europe than from China and other Asian countries?

David Pipinashvili: We have both European and Asian tourists. There are perhaps more European tourists now, but we hope, in the foreseeable future, the number of tourists from China and other Asian countries will increase as well.

Moderator: I have never been to Georgia myself. I hope I can have an opportunity to visit Georgia in the future, and I also hope more Chinese tourists can go to Georgia.

David Pipinashvili: So do we! We hope there will be a direct flight between China and Georgia.

Moderator: Thank you, Mr. Pipinashvili. Thank you for sharing with us. What impresses me most is that Georgia is very safe both in its pandemic response and its environment. The natural environment there is beautiful. We hope more and more international tourists, including Chinese tourists, can go to Georgia.