Linkages Between Tourism and Community-Driven Economic Activities: Shaping Sustainability in Mountain Regions

Abstract

The project presented in this article was inspired by the research results of the international interdisciplinary project ‘AMIES II - Scenario Development for Sustainable Land Use in the Greater Caucasus, Georgia,’ launched by the University of Giessen and funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. One of the main conclusions drawn by AMIES II was that rapid tourism development in the study area, the Kazbegi District, has triggered significant economic growth. However, allied economic fields which should be growing in tandem to chart an inclusive development course do not enjoy the same expected growth. Hence, the research team argued that there is need for a thorough study of this fragmented development to unlock the potential of tourism’s interlinkages for synchronized development.