Georgian tourism businesses are desperate to achieve lifting of restrictions

Organizers of protests demanding to lift coronavirus restrictions in the tourism sector have lost hope of reaching an agreement with the Georgian authorities. They are preparing a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court. Hotel owners complained about the lack of guests.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 24, the Georgian alliance of tour operators held a rally with the demand to lift the ban on the operation of ski resorts, restaurants, and public transport. More than 300 people took part in the protest.

In their open letter, activists from the tourism sector note that Georgia must open winter resorts, restaurants, and museums starting from February 1. Otherwise, "the tourism industry will not survive."

The organizers of the protest actions admit that they are desperate to persuade the authorities to listen to them.

Levan Kokiashvili, the spokesman for the Georgian Gastronomy Association, notes that the authorities are guided by the opinion of epidemiologists, but "the economy does not obey them, so people are in great need."

David Gabadadze, a staff member of a travel company, says that during the pandemic, the Georgian authorities do not provide assistance to the tourism sector. The state promises to allocate the amount of 200 laris (about 67 US dollars) per month during six months only to persons who lost their jobs during the pandemic.