USAID/Zrda and Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA) are implementing a joint information campaign as a response to the situation caused due to COVID-19 pandemic!

The joint initiative includes volunteers’ involvement in the information campaign to deliver updated regulations to the HORECA business representatives operating in the project target regions and municipalities.

In the frames of the activity, on July 9 the selected volunteers launched the door-to-door information campaign in USAID/Zrda target regions and municipalities across the country.

USAID/Zrda supported the launch of Georgia Rediscovered campaign in Shida Kartli, historic heartland of Georgia hosted by Georgian Tourism Industry Alliance. The campaign included presentation of Shida Kartli Crafts Workshop Guidebook sponsored by USAID Zrda and Wheel-throwing masterclass at the Giorgi Tatulashvili Museum-workshop.

As a response to COVID-19 impact on tourism sector, USAID/Zrda and Georgian Tourism Industry Aliance aim to promote domestic tourism by encouraging local visitors to rediscover the gems of their own country – Georgian culture, gastronomy and crafts. The tour is supported by the US Embassy to Georgia and USAID Zrda Activity under Enhance Artisans/Crafts Makers’ Business Skills in Shida Kartli implemented by the Georgian Heritage Crafts Association.

All aspects of the tour - transportation, gastronomic master classes and outdoor activities - are arranged in accordance with the existing COVID-19 safety protocol.

These are the beautiful roses from the USAID/Zrda-supported greenhouse in Samegrelo. Zrda supports economic growth in rural communities. This greenhouse, like many businesses, is facing temporary challenges due to COVID-19.

We delivered these roses to hospitals in Zugdidi and Rukhi, where doctors and nurses are working around to clock to treat cases of COVID-19.

We thank all of Georgia's medical professionals who are working tirelessly to keep people healthy and safe during COVID-19. We're also helping Georgia prepare for life after the pandemic. Through the Zrda Activity and other programs, we're partnering with the private sector to help Georgia's economy recover from the crisis.

While the world is focused on the rapid response to COVID-19, USAID/Zrda continues to support the beneficiaries who need it the most! Even company Click Events shared a wonderful idea with Zrda and as a part of the social responsibility initiative purchased flawless yellow tulips from the project-supported Aleksi Mekantsishvili, living in the ABL Bredza village of Gori Municipality!

USAID/Zrda in cooperation with the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC) presents the “Regional Tour Guides Short-term Training Program” results! The event aims to promote course visibility among the relevant stakeholders to ensure its sustainability and institutionalization.

Since 2019, Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), in cooperation with Zrda, has closely worked with different stakeholders (Zugdidi State Teaching University, Kachreti VET “Aisi”, Gori VET “Gantiadi”, and Akhaltsikhe VET “Opizari”) to develop and deliver certification training courses for tour guides.

The certificate handover of the first round of trainings provides an opportunity to create market linkage opportunities among course graduates and tour operators. Furthermore, this will be an opportunity for the VET colleges to present their course results and demonstrate areas for continued collaboration and next steps with The Ministry of Education (MOE) and Georgian National Tourism Association (GNTA).

USAID/Zrda in cooperation with the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia to support the customs service and security measures improvement in Historical-Architectural Museum-Reserves in Uplistsikhe and Vardzia, Shida Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti Regions!

In the framework of the cooperation in Uplistsikhe Historical-Architectural Museum-Reserve, Zrda-supported First Aid and CPR trainings were conducted for the museum staff, outfit/uniforms were handed over as well as the First Aid fully equipped facility was arranged.

From now on Uplistsikhe Museum-Reserves staff is ready to provide emergency immediate care when a person is injured until full medical treatment is available.

December 2-7, USAID/Zrda supported 5-day intensive workshop held in Babaneuri village, Akhmeta municipality finished successfully resulting i. The workshop brought together almost all the organizations operating in the region that had never met together before, thus setting the practice of common discussion and cooperation of the touristic and community sector representatives.

Subsequently, all the participants, as well as other invited organizations and institutions, including Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration (TPLA), local self-government, NGOs, representatives of Agency of Protected Areas (APa), touristic businesses, community council, as well as Kakheti DMO, Governor’s office and Akhmeta representative in Parliament among others had chance to discuss the current important issues for Tusheti and regional development. The parties agreed to meet on regular basis to work on the Tusheti Work Plan 2020 development together and collaborate on all the problematic and highly important issues for the region in the future.

The practical workshop was conducted by internationally acclaimed experts Leo Orellana and Caroline Ferolend.

USAID/Zrda actively collaborates with the Tusheti Protected Landscape Administration. The goal of the partnership is to support institutional empowerment of the administration, increase community’s involvement and effectiveness of the projects to be implemented in Tusheti. — at ბაბანეურის მარანი • Babaneuris Marani.

USADI/Zrda in partnership with the “Gastronomic Association of Georgia” to supported and hosted the very first Georgian national selection for the world’s most prestigious gastronomic championship with a 30 years of history “Bocuse d’Or”. The event took place at EXPO GEORGIA 11th PAVILLION on November 2-3, 2019.

The selection process aimed, to choose the best of the best out of the 8 participants teams that will travel to Bocuse d’Or continental contest in Tallinn, Estonia in 2020.

USAID/Zrda invited public and private sector tourism stakeholders from its targeted regions, including: Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti and Kakheti Destination Management Organizations (DMO), Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA), Georgia’s Farmers Association (GFA), Kvemo Kartli local government representative and Sisian Tourism Center from Armenia took part in a study tour in Czech Republic and Slovakia to get first-hand information on DMOs and successful destination management approaches in Europe, community-led tourism and tourism work to effect the country’s rural economy, impacts and challenges.

To replicate the best international practices, during the study tour scheduled on October 13-18, the Georgian delegation visited numerous super touristic sites such as: the family breweries, farms, wineries, met with the local officials involved in the tourism industry, as well as received useful information regarding the new approaches in the tourism development industry itself and set priorities to better position and market the Georgian regions in future.

On October 19, 2019 the first in Georgia Khachapuri Festival was held in Samegrelo, near the administrative boarder, at the Rukhi Trade Center. This outstanding gastronomic event attracted over 25 amateur and professional khachapuri contest participants from different regions of Georgia as well as experts of the field.  The Festival featured workshops of nationally acclaimed chefs – Guram Baghdoshvili and his Meskhetian Khachapuri, Esma Kunchulia and her story of Gurian Pie, Dali Tsatava and her research on the revival of Georgia’s gastronomic culture coupled with the story on Khachapuri’s path to UNESCO, Ana Mikadze and her cheese making master class.  The event also included competitions in khachapuri making among different khachapuri sorts by regions to identify competition winners in categories like People’s Choice, Best Khachapuri, Most Innovative Khachapuri, Most Original Khachapuri and others. 

The festival was attended by more than 5000 visitors and employed 70 people. The exhibition-shopping part of the event was represented by local farmers, craftsmen and entrepreneurs who saw good benefits out of sales by gaining significant income (GEL 25,000) and new customers. On Saturday and Sunday, all hotels and guest houses in Zugdidi and Anaklia were occupied and approximate turnover of the hotels exceeded GEL 40 000. 

This feast of Georgian gastronomy was organized by the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Destination Management Organization (DMO), with support from the USAID Zrda Activity in Georgia, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Government, Georgian National Tourism Administration, Rukhi Trade Center, and Gastronomic Association of Georgia.