Linkages Between Tourism and Community - Driven Economic Activities - Shaping Sustainability in Mountain Regions (2018-2020)

The interdisciplinary research project generally intends to unfold the possible scenario/model how the tourism development can promote socioeconomic improvement in mountainous regions of Georgia. With this in mind, the project serves primary aim to study the spatial peculiarities and barriers/obstacles of integration process of local community-driven economic activities with local tourism supply chain to promote the establishment of relevant linkages and synchronized development of economic fields in the mountain regions of Georgia. Admittedly, as the study generally seeks to bolster sustainable and inclusive tourism development, great emphasis will be placed on using community-based participatory approach.

The research project idea and the need of its implementation is inspired and derived from the research results of international interdisciplinary project “AMIES II - “Scenario Development for Sustainable Land Use in the Greater Caucasus, Georgia” funded by Volkswagen foundation. Based on the joint collaboration between the German (Justus Liebig University Giessen) and Georgian Universities (Tbilisi‐ based State Universities (ISU, TSU, AUG). AMIES II was conducted in one of the most visited resort places in mountain regions of Georgia- Kazbegu District (Municipality). As the research revealed, the rapid expansion of tourist sector (hotels and other accommodation, food joints, etc.) in the areas under investigation triggers notable economic progress, albeit the development is still fragmented and incomplete. Hence, this fact alludes to the inevitable need for thorough study of this phenomenon.

Research Areas: Kazbegi District/highland townlet; Mestia District/highland townlet.

Principal Investigator - Prof. Dr. Joseph Salukvadze
Project Coordinator - Temur Gugushvili, PhD Candidate
Young Scientist - Gvantsa Salukvadze, PhD Candidate

Applicant Institution: Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) Partner Institution: Justus Liebig University Giessen Foreign Research Consultant: Prof. em. Dr. I.-U. Leonhäuser

Consultants (TSU):
Prof. Dr. Nino Pavliashvili (Department of Human Geography);
Prof. Dr. Joseph Khelashvili (Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management);
Prof. Dr. Nino Durglishvili (Department of Sociology),

The project is generously funded by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation