Rural Tourism in Georgia in Transition: Challenges for Regional Sustainability

Lela Khartishvili, Andreas Muhar, Thomas Dax and Ioseb Khelashvili
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Lela Khartishvili: Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning; BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. Peter Jordan-Str. 82, 1190 Wien, Austria
Andreas Muhar: Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning; BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. Peter Jordan-Str. 82, 1190 Wien, Austria
Ioseb Khelashvili: Tourism Hospitality Management Department, Faculty of Economics and Business Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. University Str., 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-20

Abstract: Tourism in rural regions of Georgia has a long tradition; however, many structures had been developed during Soviet times under the framework of a centrally planned economy and forced collectivism. Today, Rural Tourism is widely discussed by the national government and international cooperation partners as a means for regional development and as an alternative source of employment in agricultural areas and mountain regions. The purpose of this study is to develop suggestions for the institutionalization of Rural Tourism in the country and to propose relevant actions. Research methods comprised a document analysis, qualitative interviews with various stakeholders, and focus group discussions. We analyzed recent tendencies and challenges of rural tourism development in Georgia with a focus on the concept of community-based tourism and integrated rural development. We also review the challenges of the current structure of tourism marketing on the national level with regard to Rural Tourism products. The key findings of the research include recommendations to create a central leading structure for rural tourism at the national level, which will work on strategic issues and general norms of Rural Tourism. At the same time, we propose the development of destination management organizations, which will integrate general provisions in regional legislation and marketing in close cooperation with local stakeholders.

Keywords: rural tourism; national tourism associations; regional partnership; community-based tourism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:410-:d:197728

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