assessing and developing the eco-tourism...

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR

IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA

Final

Transboundary Joint Secretariat for the Southern Caucasus

ASSESSING AND DEVELOPING THE ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL OF THE

PROTECTED AREAS IN GEORGIA

Contract number: 2008.65.550 / 2013.11.001

Version: Final 12.01.2014

Issue/Version No.: Final

Contract No.: 2008.65.550 / 2013.11.001

Date: 7.11.2014

Contact Information: Paula Ruiz Rodrigo Österreichische Bundesforste AG Consulting Pummergasse 10-12 3002 Purkersdorf

Austria

T: +43 2231 600 5570 F: +43 2231 600 5509 [email protected] www.oebfconsulting.at

Authors: Janez Sirse / Lela Khartishvili

Financed by: Transboundary Joint Secretariat

http://www.oebfconsulting.at/

ASSESS ING AND DEVE LOPING THE ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL OF THE PROTECTED AREAS IN GEORGIA

TOURISM STRATEGY - F INAL

ÖSTERREICHISCHE BUNDESFORSTE AG i

CONTENT

CONTENT ........................................................................................................................ I ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................... III LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... IV LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................................V ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................... VII 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 8 2 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 9 3 PROFILE OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA .................................................... 11 4 BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TOURISM IN IMERETI CAVES ................................... 15 4.1 TOURISM VISITS TO IMERETI CAVES .................................................................. 15 4.2 MAIN MARKETS AND PROFILE OF VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES ............................. 17 5 SWOT AND VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA ............. 21 5.1 SWOT – STRENGTH, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS EVALUATION.... 21 5.2 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF TOURISM IN IMERETI CAVES ..................................... 25 6 TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA ........................... 27 7 TOURISM PRODUCTS AND POTENTIALS IN PAS .................................................... 29 8 TOURISM TRENDS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN PROTECTED AREAS ..................... 31 8.1 KEY TOURISM TRENDS ...................................................................................... 31 8.2 TOURISM TRENDS IN PROTECTED AREAS ............................................................ 31 8.3 TOURISM GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN PAS AND KARST CAVES ................................... 33 9 MARKET POTENTIAL FOR IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA .................................. 35 9.1 MARKET SEGMENTATION ................................................................................... 35 9.2 MARKET POTENTIAL FOR IMERETI CAVES ............................................................ 36 10 VISION AND OBJECTIVES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI CAVES PA ......... 37 11 STRATEGIC PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA ............ 39 11.1 SBU – STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT PRINCIPLE AND TOURISM PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI CAVES ...................................................................... 39 11.2 STRATEGIC TOURISM PRODUCT STRUCTURE IN IMERETI CAVES PA IN 2013 AND

2020 ............................................................................................................... 44 11.3 DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT PROJECTS ....................................................... 46 11.4 HR – HUMAN RESOURCE, EDUCATION AND TRAININGS ........................................ 48 11.5 IMERETI CAVES PA BUDGET AND REVENES.......................................................... 50 11.6 PROMOTION AND MARKETING ............................................................................ 50 11.6.1 INFORMATION AND PROMOTION MATERIALS ....................................................... 51

11.6.2 PROMOTION, MARKETING AND SALES ................................................................. 52

11.7 ORGANIZATION OF PA’S MANAGEMENT AND STAKEHOLDERS’ COOPERATION .......... 54 11.8 QUALITY STANDARDS AND BRAND DEVELOPMENT ............................................... 55 11.9 REVENUE POLICY .............................................................................................. 56 11.10 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM POLICY ......................................................................... 60 11.11 SAFETY AND SECURITY ..................................................................................... 62 12 ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................... 64 13 EFFECTS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI CAVES ...................................... 69 13.1 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECTS ....................................................................... 69 13.2 CHALLENGES AND RESTRICTIONS ...................................................................... 69 13.3 MONITORING OF REALIZATIO OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN ......................................... 70 14 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 71 15 BASIC LITERATURE AND SOURCES ..................................................................... 73 16 ANNEXES ......................................................................................................... 74



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ANNEX 1 WORKING MATERIA ABOUT IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA COLLECTED

DURING ASSESSMENT PHASE ............................................................................ 74 1 IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA ...................................................................... 75 1.1 BASIC PROFILE OF PROTECTED AREA ................................................................. 75 1.2 ANALYSIS OF IDOLS, COMPETITIORS AND STAKEHOLDERS ................................... 80 1.3 SWOT ANALYSIS FOR PROTECTED AREA .............................................................. 82 1.4 ANALYSIS OF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL TOURIST PRODUCTS............................... 86 ANNEX 2 ILLUSTRATION OF TOURISM EXISTING AND POTENTIAL PRODUCTS FOR IMERETI

CAVES AND OKATSE CANYON ............................................................................ 88 ANNEX 3 EVALUATION OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF NEW TOURISM

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES ..................................................... 97 ANNEX 4 PROPOSAL OF SELECTED INTERNATIONAL MARKETING PARTNERS AND

CHANNELS FOCUSED ON NATURE AND ADVENTURE TOURISM ............................. 100



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ANNEXES

ANNEX 1 WORKING MATERIA ABOUT IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA COLLECTED DURING ASSESSMENT PHASE ............................................................................ 74

ANNEX 2 ILLUSTRATION OF TOURISM EXISTING AND POTENTIAL PRODUCTS FOR IMERETI

CAVES AND OKATSE CANYON ............................................................................ 88 ANNEX 3 EVALUATION OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF NEW TOURISM

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES ..................................................... 97 ANNEX 4 PROPOSAL OF SELECTED INTERNATIONAL MARKETING PARTNERS AND

CHANNELS FOCUSED ON NATURE AND ADVENTURE TOURISM ............................. 100



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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: LOCATION OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA AND SATAPLIA NATURE RESERVE12

FIGURE 2: PLAN OF PROMETHEUS CAVE ........................................................................... 13

FIGURE 3: TOURISM TRENDS IN PROTECTED AREAS.......................................................... 32

FIGURE 4: LEVEL OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF 11 NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES .............................................. 45

FIGURE 5: THE STRUCTURE OF VISITORS ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCES THAT THEY EXPECT IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013 AND IN 2020TOURISM STRATEGY

IMPLEMENTATION MODEL – RESOURCES AND POLICY .................................... 46



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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1: BASIC INFORMATION OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA (STATUS END OF 2013)14

TABLE 2: NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF EMPLOYEES IN IMERETI CAVES (STATUS MID OF 2014)14

TABLE 3: NUMBER OF VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES FROM 2009 TILL 2013 .......................... 15

TABLE 4: THE PROPORTION OF DOMESTIC VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES FROM 2009 TO 201315

TABLE 5: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES BY MONTHS IN 2013................... 16

TABLE 6: SEASONALITY OF VISITATION TO IMERETI CAVES AND TO PAS IN GEORGIA IN 201316

TABLE 7: INTENSITY OF VISITATION TO IMERETI CAVES AND PAS IN GEORGIA BY MONTHS IN

2013 ........................................................................................................ 17

TABLE 8: MAIN COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF FOREIGN VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013 ............................................................................................ 17

TABLE 9: MAIN MOTIVES FOR VISITING IMERETI CAVES IN 2013 (IN %) ............................. 18

TABLE 10: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS TO GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHEN VISITING IMERETI CAVES FOR 2013 ........................................................................... 18

TABLE 11: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS WHEN VISITING

IMERETI CAVES FOR 2013 ........................................................................... 18

TABLE 12: MAIN OBSERVATIONS OF VISITORS ABOUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WHILE VISITING IMERETI CAVES ........................................................................... 19

TABLE 13: MAIN OBSERVATIONS OF VISITORS ABOUT NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES WHILE VISITING IMERETI CAVES ........................................................................... 19

TABLE 14: PRICE LIST FOR SATAPLIA NATURE RESERVE AND PROMETHEUS CAVE (IN GEL) ... 20

TABLE 15: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR IMERETI CAVES .............................................................. 24

TABLE 16: VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES25

TABLE 17: IDENTIFICATION OF MAIN TOURISM RELATED STAKEHOLDERS IN IMERETI CAVES

PROTECTED AREA ...................................................................................... 28

TABLE 18: IDENTIFICATION OF EXISTING TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES (STATUS MID YEAR 2014) ................................................................. 30

TABLE 19: MATRIX OF TOURISM COMPATIBILITY AND PROFILES OF ECO-TOURISTS

ACCORDING TO CATEGORY AND MANAGEMENT PURPOSE OF PAS .................... 34

TABLE 20: IMERETI CAVES SBU NATURE .......................................................................... 40

TABLE 21: IMERETI CAVES SBU CULTURE & EDUCATION .................................................... 41

TABLE 22: IMERETI CAVES SBU SPORTS & ADVENTURES ................................................... 41

TABLE 23: IMERETI CAVES SBU HEALTH ........................................................................... 42

TABLE 24: IMERETI CAVES SBU PLEASURE ....................................................................... 42

TABLE 25: IMERETI CAVES SBU BUSINESS – MICE ............................................................ 43

TABLE 26: IMERETI CAVES SBU FUN & ENTERTAINMENT .................................................... 43

TABLE 27: EVALUATION OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF 11 NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SEVRICES IN IMERETI CAVES PA (TOTAL SCORES RANGE FROM 1 TO 100) ................................................................................................. 44

TABLE 28: THE STRUCTURE OF VISITORS ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCES THAT THEY EXPECT IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013 AND IN 2020 ............................... 46

TABLE 29: OVERVIEW OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS, TOURISM PRODUCTS AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN IMERETI CAVES IN THE PERIOD 2014 – 2020 ....... 47



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TABLE 30: OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND COMMERCIAL REVENUES OF IMERETI CAVES FOR

2013/2014 AND ESTIMATION OF BUDGET AND COMMERCIAL REVENUES AFTER INVESTMENT PROJECTS, NEW PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMING FULL TOURISM FUNCTIONS ................................................................................. 50

TABLE 31: BASIC PHASES IN BRAND DEVELOPMENT .......................................................... 56

TABLE 32: IMERETI CAVES ENTRANCE FEE ....................................................................... 58

TABLE 33: IMERETI CAVES ADDITIONAL OFFER................................................................. 58

TABLE 34: IMERETI CAVES ADDITIONAL OFFER FOR HOTEL ................................................ 58

TABLE 35: COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF INTENSITY OF VISITATION IN IMERETI CAVES WITH POSTOJNA CAVE FOR 2013 ......................................................................... 61

TABLE 36: ACTION PLAN FOR IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA FOR THE PERIOD 2015 - 202064



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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ABTA Association of British Travel Agents

APA Agency for Protected Areas

ATOL Air Travel Organizers’ Licencing in UK

BKNP Borjomi Kharagauli National Park

CBD Convention on Biodiversity

CNF Caucasus Nature Fund

DMO Destination Management Organization

ETDC Ecological Tourism Development Centre

ETIS European Tourism Indicators System for sustainable destinations

FAM Familiariazation trips (for TO/TA and/or journalists)

GCAA Georgia Civil Aviation Agency

GITOA Georgia Incomming Tour Operators Association

GNTA Georgia National Tourism Administration

GTA Georgia Tourism Association

HR Human resource

IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature

MICE Meetings, Incentives, Congresses, Events

MoE Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources

NACRES Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Research

NACHPG National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia

NGO Non - Governmental Organization

NP National Park

ONS Office for National Statistics of UK

PA Protected Area

SBU Strategic Business Unit

TA Tourist/Travel agency

TIC Tourist Information Center

TJS Transboundary Joint Secretariat for the Southern Caucasus

TO Tour operator

UNDP United nations Development Programme

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

USAID United States Agency for International Development

UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organization

WB World Bank

WWF World Wildlife Fund

ASSESS ING AND DEVELO PING THE ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL OF THE PROTECTED AREAS IN GEORGIA


ÖSTERREICHISCHE BUNDESFORSTE AG 8

1 INTRODUCTION

The project „Assessing and development the eco-tourism potential of the protected areas in Georgia”has a task to prepare “Tourism development and management plan for Imereti caves protected area” as a sample for market oriented tourism development strategy for protected area in Georgia.Imereti caves were selected by APA as one of seven PAs that were assessed by the project. The "Tourism development and management plan for Imereti Caves"is a strategic guiding document

for protected areas administration in the field of tourism contributing to objectives of PA management.It includes proposals of tourism products and services, required facilities, staff capacities and cooperation with stakeholders, required investments for infrastructure and tourism products and services, expected revenues and required operational costs. This document is prepared on the basis of “Strategy of tourism development in protected areas in Georgia” as the main deliverable of the project. Imereti tourism development and management plan is

thus on one side application of national tourism strategy of protected areas to one selected protected area and on the other side a model for preparation of such tourism development and management plans for other protected areas in Georgia.

Imereti caves Protected Areas includes Prometheus cave natural monument, Sataplia Managed Reserve and Nature Reserve, Okatse Canyon Natural Monument. Sataplia Nature Reserve was established already in 1935 to protect the geological, speleological and botanical monuments. There

are 5 caves in the reserve. Sataplia is touristically very well organized offering visit to the cave, Jurassic park, educational, rock and Kolchic forest trailsand scenic glass viewpoint all together 3.110 m long. Prometheus Cave was discovered in June 1984. It is estimated that the whole length of the cave is about 20.000 meters but research was done only in 3.700 m while tourists have a cave trail of 1.420 m long. The cave is very attractive for domestic and international visitors and offers after 1.420 m of walking also a 380 m long boat trip to the exit of the cave. In the area there are also several

smaller caves that can be organized for tourist visitation.Okatse Canyon is newly developed tourism natural monument with visitor center and walking and viewing platform over the gorge that was officially open in September 2014. Prometheus Cave and Sataplia are the most tourism oriented natural protected monuments in Georgia. There were 145.375 domestic and international visitors to both monuments in 2013, with nearly equal visitation – 72.954 visitors in Prometheurs cave and 72.421 in Sataplia. The share of

international visitors is constantly increasing and reached 23% of all visitors in 2013. When preparing this document for Imereti Caves authors considered also “Tourism development marketing plan for Imereti”, prepared by GNTA in 2012. Tourism development and management plan focuses on the period to the year 2020. It is structured in chapters analyzing present situation of protected area, with tourism products and services,

organization and employment situation, relations with main tourism stakeholders and assessment of development potentials. There is detailed presentation of present tourism visitation, market situation and potential demand. Document brings vision, mission and main objectives and elaboration of strategic tourism product development based on marketing concept. Next chapters describe strategy implementation model with main projects, HR needs, marketing, policy measures and sustainability implementation policy. The document ends with estimation of basic economic and other information of

investment projects till 2020 and with action plan. The document has several annexes that bring additional information and explanations to findings and proposals of good practices from various fields of tourism development in PAs from developed countries.

The “Strategy of tourism development in protected areas in Georgia” is as any other document based on some conditions and estimations as well as internal and external factors with different possible effects in implementation time. Therefore, monitoring of implementation of the strategy gives also the

signals when and where to adopt strategy or implementation policy to keep the direction that leads to the long term vision.




2 METHODOLOGY

“Tourism development and management plan for Imereti Caves protected area” is a sample case of national tourism development strategy for protected areas in Georgia applied to one selected protected area. APA selected for this sample case Imereti Caves PA. With this document and additional guidelines for tourism development and management planning in PAs in Georgia APA would like to introduce more organized and result oriented development of tourism in PAs due to the need to manage more efficiently tourism flows and to benefit from tourist visitation of PAs.

Imereti caves document was done in 3phases: inception, 1st assessment phase and final-strategy development and management setting phase. Each phase results were discussed and evaluated at workshops and meetings with beneficiary and other stakeholders. In short inception phase project team was informed about basic challenges and problems of tourism development in protected areas in Georgia bythe client and beneficiary and important institutions.

Experts also collected basic documents, materials and data. The 1st phase was focused on assessment and evaluation of eco-tourism potentials in PAs in Georgia

where natural and other potentials and existing tourism products have been analysed, SWOT analysis have been performed and stakeholder cooperation model discussed in order to establish partnership of PAs, tourism suppliers and local population. Special emphasize has been given also to demand and market situation.

This assessment was done for 7 selected PAs during the field trip of expert team and among these 7 PAs was also Imereti Caves Protect Area - Prometeus Cave natural monument, Sataplia Managed Reserve and Nature Reserve, Okatse Canyon Natural Monument. Field visits took place from 5th to 27th August. Project team met PAs administration, directors, rangers, instructors, employees in visitors’ centres, representatives of municipalities and tourism organizations, tourism suppliers as guest house

owners, restaurateurs, producers of food and souvenirs, tour operators and travel agencies, tour guides, drivers, etc. The experts’ observations and findings from field visits were combined and improved with available documents related to PAs as well as with documents and literature covering this subject and collected from various sources. These working materials of assessment of 7 PAs are attached as an annex to 1st phase project report. Working documents of assessment of Imereti caves protected area are attached to this document in Annex 1.

Assessment analysis of 7 PAs and findings with some preliminary conclusions were presented and discussed on workshop on 18. September 2014. The participants discussed and added their views and proposals for improvement and next steps. The 2nd phase of preparation of Tourism development and management plan for Imereti Caves Protected area started with refinement of assessment findings that resulted from preparing the proposal of "The strategy of tourism development of protected areas in Georgia". During the 2nd field

visit to Imereti caves PA from 19. – 24. October 2014 these refined findings were discussed and finalized, strategy objectives defined, implementation policy discussed and investment projects prepared. Imereti caves protected area has all together 21 natural and managed reserves and monuments:

1. Sataplia strict nature reserve

2. Sataplia Managed reserve

3. Promethe Cave natural monument

4. Tetri Cave natural monument

5. Khomuli Cave natural monument

6. Tsutskhvati Cave natural monument

7. Navenakhevi Cave natural monument

8. Nagarevi Cave natural monument

9. Iazoni Cave natural monument

10. Sakazhe Cave natural monument

11. Tskaltsitela Valley natural monument

12. Okatse Canyon natural monument




13. Okatse waterfall natural monument

14. Gabzaruli Lake natural monument

15. Satsurblia Cave natural monument

16. Salkota Cave natural monument

17. Didgele Cave natural monument

18. Melouri Cave natural monument

19. Bgera Cave natural monument

20. Gliana Sakazhe Cave natural monument

21. Mukhura waterfall natural monument During the assessment and further discussions it was concluded that besides already open Sataplia nature and managed reseve, Prometheus caves and recently open Okatse canyon there is speleological research performed in 8 other caves that could be potentially tourist caves. Among them

priority is given to Navenakhevi, Satsurblia and Melauri caves which can be developed and open for visitors in the period covered by this tourism development plan. This 2nd phase was realized in very intensive and interactive cooperation especially with Imereti caves

PA administration and with Tskaltubo municipality leaders and Tourism and resort management centre of Tskaltubo.

Final phase of the project was elaborated with presentation of draft document “Tourism development and management plan for Imereti caves” on workshop on 7th November with APA headquarters and Imereti Caves PA administrations in the conference hall in Prometheus administration building. Project team used several methods in project implementation: desk research, field visits, quantitative and qualitative methods, workshops, focus groups and interviews. Assessment was done by SWOT analysis and supporting templates and questionnaires. Simplified value chain analysis was done for

Imereti Caves too. Strategy formulation was based on SBU – Strategic Business Units methodology was used for focusing on product development based on expected experiences of visitors and attractiveness-competitiveness portfolio method for prioritizing tourism potential product development was used. Throughout project preparation experts’ team used standardized forms and templates that enable to follow the process of development of this document and can be used also in other cases.




3 PROFILE OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA

Georgia has more than 100 years long tradition of protection of nature and its richness. The first overall protected area was Lagodekhi Strict nature reserve dating back to the year 1912. The last one was Pshav-Khevsureti Protected Area (110.205 ha) which was officially constituted as PA in April 2014. At the end of 2014, Georgia has 87 protected areas with different categories according to IUCN

criteria: 14 strict nature reserves (140.672 hectares), 11 national parks (352.459,219 hectares),41 natural monuments (2.257,74 hectares), 19 managed nature reserves (70.392,78.255 hectares) and 2 protected landscapes (34.708 hectares). Protected nature represents 600.490,04 hectares – 8.62% of whole Georgian territory. Imereti Caves Protected Areas was first established in 2011 based on Sataplia Strict Nature Reserve. It is located in west side of Georgia in Imereti region and includes four municipalities – Tskaltubo,

Khoni, Terjola and Tkibuli.Imereti Caves Protected Areas can be described as speleological

underground mystery. Additional unique attraction is dinosaur’s footprints in Sataplia

With unique natural attractiveness without competition in an area, Imereti caves are easily accessible

from the main transit road connecting West and East Gerogia, from Kutaisi international airport and gives additional tourism product to those tourists in Tskatubo health and spa resort, Black Sea resorts and to visitors of UNESCO cultural heritage in Kutaisi: Bagrati cathedral and Gelati monastery.

The total area of Imereti Caves Protected Areas amounts to 518.1 ha and includes Sataplia Nature Reserve (330 ha), Sataplia Managed Reserve (34 ha), Prometheus Cave Natural Monuments (46.6 ha), Okatse Canyon and Waterfall Natural Monuments and and other 16 Natural Monuments.

The administrative building is located in Sataplia Managed Reserve and is administring Imereti Caves Protected Areas.

Sataplia Nature Reserve was established in order to protect the geological, speleological and

botanical monuments. The Nature Reserve is situated at a height of 500 meters above sea level. The climate is subtropical. Annual amount of precipitation reaches 1900 mm. Five karst caves can be found in the territory of Sataplia Managed Reserve, there is a domed hall 100 meters away from the entrance, in the center of which the sizes and beauty of erected stalagmites and downward from above stalactites can be seen. Sataplia cave is situated at a height of 360 meters above sea level.

Sataplia Cave was first discovered in 1925 by Petre Chabukiani, who worked as an environmentalist in Kutaisi. He also found the vestiges of settlement of primitive man and discovered the dinosaur footprints. The cave was named after Mount Sataplia, an extinct volcano 494 meters in height. Since ancient times this mountain has been ideal location for bees and surrounding villages have a long tradition in beekeeping and accumulating honey in the rockcracks.

98% of Sataplia PAs is covered with subtropical young forest of Colchic type. In the forest dominate

beech groves with box-tree underbrush and hornbeam groves with Oriental hornbeam underbrush. Among coniferous plants natural yew trees (Taxus baccata) can be found in the PA. 67 species of wood plants are described in the territory of the Nature Reserve, out of which 30 are tree species and 37 bush species; among them 59 species are deciduous and 8 evergreen. Nearly half of wood plants are relict. It is remarkable, that rare and threatened 9 wood plants species of Georgia’s Red List are widespread in the Nature Reserve, beside 3 endemic to Caucasus and one to Georgia. Sataplia Nature

Reserve is inhabited by 12 species of mammals, 5 species of reptiles, 4 species od amphybians and 30 species of birds. Constant temperature of +14C° is maintained into the Sataplia cave during the

winter and summer periods. Due to interesting microclimate of the cave the live organisms adapted to the darkness inhabit there (freshwater mollusks, blind crayfishes, spiders, bats, etc.). Total length of the Sataplia cave is 900 meters. Track length is 310 meters. In the cave can be found stalactites, stalagmites, “stone curtains”, arch ceiling and domed hall.

Sataplia Managed Reserve Infrastructure includes visitor center that contains 8 rooms hotel, conference hall and cinema room with 3D screen; conservation building of dinosaur footprint, exhibition hall, glass panoramic view-point, cafes, souvenir shops, well-arranged cave and marked




trails. Visitors can observe fossilized dinosaur footprints, karst caves, rock trail, Colchis forest and panoramic viewpoints.

Source: APA website and Imereti caves brochures

FIGURE 1: LOCATION OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA AND SATAPLIA NATURE INFRUSTRUCTURE AND TRAILS

Prometheus cave is located 14 km away from Sataplia, in the village of Kumistavi of the Tskaltubo

region. The cave was discovered in June 1984. It is situated at a height of 147 meters above sea level. There is the Orpiri cave on the opposite side, which is up to 35 meters long and it ends by the same exit. 600 meters away from Orpiri cave the Opicho cave is located. Spring flows out in the cave, which forms a lake nearby after passing 8 meters. There are 17 halls found in the cave, 6 of which are open to visitors. Although 3.700 meters have been explored, only 1.420 meters are suitable for visitors, with the tours ending at a 380-meter long river flowing through the cave.




Prometheus Cave infrastructure includes visitors center and well-arranged cave. Visitors have an opportunity to observe the cave on foot as well as by boat.

Source: APA website and Imereti caves brochures

FIGURE 2: PLAN OF PROMETHEUS CAVE

Imereti Caves Protected Areas Administration has one of the best-arranged infrastructure in Sataplia Managed Reserve, Prometheus Natural Monument and Okatse Canyon. Imereti caves are open for

visitors throughout the year,although the majority – 82% of visitors arrive from May till

October.

Imereti caves protected area is centrally organized as administration unit of APA – Agency

for Protected Areas in Georgia. Imereti caves PA administration covers 3 sites: Sataplia

nature reserve, Prometheus cave and Okatse canyon.. Caves are also the smallest PA in the

countrymeasured by the surface.




TABLE 1: BASIC INFORMATION OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA (STATUS END OF 2013)

Imereti caves PA

Surface (ha)

Total length of cave (m)

Tourist

length of trail (m)

Budget (GEL)

Employees total

Visitors total

Open

for visits

Imereti caves 504 1,460,197 42 145,888

Sataplia 364 900 3.110/310 - 13 72.421 I-XII

Prometheus cave

47 20.000/3.700 1.420+380 - 19 73.467 I-XII

Okatse - - 0 -

Georgia PAs

total 520.273 - 6,215,696 492 350,641

Source: APA and information from Pas

Note: Data for Imereti caves include Prometheus and Sataplia caves. The total number of employees in Imereti Caves is 41 persons as full time and 28 as Freelance in peak

season. Ther are 9 persons employed to serve both natural monuments and 19 for Prometheus Cave and 13 for Sataplia Nature Reserve.

TABLE2: NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF EMPLOYEES IN IMERETI CAVES (STATUS MID OF 2014)

Im

ereti

caves P

A

ad

min

istr

ati

on

Em

plo

yees t

ota

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Man

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t

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ice

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on

men

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on

En

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eer

Pro

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dvlp

Marketi

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/

Vis

ito

rs s

ervic

e

Ran

gers

To

ur g

uid

es

Cash

ier

Oth

ers

Prometheus

3 1 2 1 0 2

5 8 2 2

Sataplia

5 5 2 3

Total 42 3 1 2 1 0 2 10 13 4 5 Source: Information from APA and Imereti caves PA administration

There is a plan to employ first staff for Okatse canyon in 2015. Imereti Caves are understaffed but they solve the problem with seasonal worlkers. Problem with staff is especially in tourism/hospitality services. PA+s administration underlines also the need for

education and trainings in marketing, sales and branding, tour guiding, foreign languages (English and Russian) and project preparation.




4 BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TOURISM IN IMERETI

CAVES

4.1 Tourism visits to Imereti caves

Statistical evidence of visitation to Imereti caves protected areas dates back to 2009. This statistics is based on registration of visitors buying entrance tickets and is thus very reliable compared to overall statistics for protected areas in Georgia where there are no entrance fee to form the basis for statistics.

Imereti caves became in last years the leading protected area in Georgia regarding tourist visitation. In 4 years from 2009 on the number of all visitors to Sataplia nature reserve and Prometheus cave increased by 3 times. This increase was especially significant when opening Prometheus cave open for visitors with modern and attractive facilities and organization. Today, both nature monuments register nearly the same number of visitors – around 72.500 summing up in total of about 145.000 domestic and international visitors.

The statistical figures corresponding to the number of visitors to Imereti Caves during the first 10 months of 2014 show a significant increase of 152.065 domestic and international visitors. This number is so far larger than the number of visitors during the whole 2013. Among these visitors 66% are domestic and 34% international who registered a high increase of their share compared to the corresponding 29% in 2013.

Major share of visitors in Imereti Caves are domestic visitors 71% but their share dropped sharply in last 4 years; in 2009, the share of domestic visitor was 97%! Domestic market is very important for development of Imereti caves protected areas. It is more important for Sataplia Nature Reserve mainly because of schools excursions. The share of international visitors in Prometheus cave – 34% is much higher than the average of all PAs in Georgia – 28%.

TABLE3: NUMBER OF VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES FROM 2009 TILL 2013

Domes

tic

Interna

tionalTotal

Domes

tic

Interna

tionalTotal

Domes

tic

Interna

tionalTotal

Domes

tic

Interna

tionalTotal

2009 48.141 1.361 49.502 0 0 0 48.141 1.361 49.502 62.997 5.764 68.670

2010 23.116 322 32.438 0 0 0 23.116 322 32.438 105.215 21.294 126.509

2011 67.815 7.338 75.153 24.558 3.604 28.162 92.373 10.942 103.315 255.477 48.246 302.643

2012 48.598 8.427 57.025 31.044 8.356 39.400 79.642 16.783 96.425 230.955 67.995 294.074

2013 55.832 16.589 72.421 48.225 25.242 73.467 104.057 41.831 145.888 255.540 101.078 356.618

Georgia PAs totalPrometheusSataplia Imereti caves total

Year

Source: APA – Agency for protected areas According to APA statistics visits to Sataplia and Prometheus caves represent 41% of all visitors to PAs in Georgia in 2013. This share dropped from 2009 when there were 72.1% of all registered visitors in PAs in Georgia in Imereti caves – in Sataplia nature reserve. This only shows positive trend of improving attractiveness of Georgian PAs for international and domestic visitors.

TABLE4: THE PROPORTION OF DOMESTIC VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES FROM 2009 TO 2013

Year Staplia - Domestic (5) Prometheus – Domestic (%)

Imereti Caves - Domestic (%)

2009 97,3% 0,0% 97,3%

2010 71,3% 0,0% 71,3%

2011 90,2% 87,2% 89,4%

2012 85,2% 78,8% 82,6%

2013 77,1% 65,6% 71,3% Source: APA – Agency for protected areas




Imereti Caves are open for visitors all the year. Both natural monuments – Sataplia and Prometheus are closed for visitors one day a week – but not the same day, one each Monday the other each

Tuesday. The most frequented month is June when pupils from schools visit Imereti caves as a part of their education and tourism excursion. These visits affect especially Sataplia where 41% of all domestic visitors in 2013 came to Sataplia in June 2013.

In Imereti caves, 81% of all visitors come from May till end of September – in 5 months. This is even higher concentration than for whole PAs in Georgia where share of visitors in these 5 months is 78%. If we eliminate the effect of school visitation to Imereti caves in June, we see that the most frequently visited month in Imereti caves and in all PAs in Georgia is August. On the other hand international visitors come mainly in the months before – May, June July and after summer –peak season even in October when they are on touring in Georgia and make nearly obligatory stop in Imereti caves. The

fact that Imereti caves are open for visitors all year and the share of visits in 7 months reaches only 19% represent important possibility to increase the overall visitation to Imereti caves protected area.

TABLE5: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES BY MONTHS IN 2013

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

January 200 115 315 356 213 569 556 328 884 2.114 669 2.783

February 427 165 592 305 158 463 732 323 1.055 2.995 760 3.715

March 834 447 1.281 586 368 954 1.420 815 2.235 4.411 1.737 6.148

April 1.273 950 2.223 935 938 1.873 2.208 1.888 4.096 7.745 3.796 11.541

May 5.786 2.326 8.112 3.553 3.174 6.727 9.339 5.500 14.839 22.978 12.170 35.148

June 22.828 3.060 25.888 16.054 3.718 19.772 38.882 6.778 45.660 55.473 9.483 64.956

July 6.262 3.000 9.262 7.675 2.789 10.464 13.937 5.789 19.726 34.869 19.640 54.509

August 8.310 2.200 10.510 11.846 1.212 13.058 20.156 3.412 23.568 38.815 22.576 61.391

September 3.974 1.985 5.959 7.118 961 8.079 11.092 2.946 14.038 23.391 16.648 40.039

October 3.268 2.000 5.268 4.000 1.834 5.834 7.268 3.834 11.102 19.736 9.577 29.132

November 2.000 644 2.644 3.000 1.119 4.119 5.000 1.763 6.763 11.875 3.202 11.775

December 300 67 367 1.000 42 1.042 1.300 109 1.409 3.326 975 4.290

Year 2013 55.832 16.589 72.421 48.225 25.242 73.467 104.057 41.831 145.888 227.728 101.233 325.427

Georgia PAs totalSatapliaMonth

2013

Prometheus Imereti caves total

Source: APA – Agency for protected areas

TABLE6: SEASONALITY OF VISITATION TO IMERETI CAVES AND TO PAS IN GEORGIA IN 2013

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

Domes

tic

Internati

onalTotal

January 0,4% 0,7% 0,4% 0,6% 1,3% 0,8% 0,5% 1,0% 0,6% 0,9% 0,7% 0,9%

February 0,8% 1,0% 0,8% 0,5% 1,0% 0,6% 0,7% 1,0% 0,7% 1,3% 0,8% 1,1%

March 1,5% 2,6% 1,8% 1,0% 2,2% 1,3% 1,3% 2,4% 1,5% 1,9% 1,7% 1,9%

April 2,3% 5,6% 3,1% 1,7% 5,7% 2,6% 2,0% 5,6% 2,8% 3,4% 3,7% 3,5%

May 10,4% 13,7% 11,2% 6,3% 19,2% 9,2% 8,3% 16,4% 10,2% 10,1% 12,0% 10,8%

June 41,2% 18,0% 35,7% 28,5% 22,5% 27,1% 34,8% 20,2% 31,4% 24,4% 9,4% 20,0%

July 11,3% 17,7% 12,8% 13,6% 16,9% 14,3% 12,5% 17,3% 13,6% 15,3% 19,4% 16,7%

August 15,0% 13,0% 14,5% 21,0% 7,3% 17,9% 18,0% 10,2% 16,2% 17,0% 22,3% 18,9%

September 7,2% 11,7% 8,2% 12,6% 5,8% 11,1% 9,9% 8,8% 9,7% 10,3% 16,4% 12,3%

October 5,9% 11,8% 7,3% 7,1% 11,1% 8,0% 6,5% 11,4% 7,6% 8,7% 9,5% 9,0%

November 3,6% 3,8% 3,7% 5,3% 6,8% 5,6% 4,5% 5,3% 4,7% 5,2% 3,2% 3,6%

December 0,5% 0,4% 0,5% 1,8% 0,3% 1,4% 1,2% 0,3% 1,0% 1,5% 1,0% 1,3%

Year 2013 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 100,0%

Georgia PAs totalMonth

2013

Sataplia Prometheus Imereti caves total

Source: calculated on the basis of data from APA – Agency for protected areas




Such seasonality has an impact on intensity of visitation in peak months, on satisfaction of visitors and employees and on sustainability of natural and social environment. It is evident that 863 visitors per

day in June in Sataplia as well as 659 visitors per day in June in Prometheus cave are very high. If we consider that both monuments are open for visitors 10 hours per day in June it means that in Sataplia each hour there are 86 persons and in Prometheus 66 persons on the trail or in the cave which are too

big numbers for groups. These figures require improvement of management of visitors flows at least for June. It is also interesting to observe that Imereti caves with 1.522 visitors per day contribute 70% of all daily visitor to all PAs in Georgia – 2.165 visitors per day in June.

TABLE7: INTENSITY OF VISITATION TO IMERETI CAVES AND PAS IN GEORGIA BY MONTHS IN 2013

TotalVisitors/

dayTotal

Visitors/

dayTotal

Visitors/

dayTotal

Visitors/

day

January 315 10 569 18 884 29 2.783 90

February 592 21 463 17 1.055 38 3.715 133

March 1.281 41 954 31 2.235 72 6.148 198

April 2.223 74 1.873 62 4.096 137 11.541 385

May 8.112 262 6.727 217 14.839 479 35.148 1.134

June 25.888 863 19.772 659 45.660 1.522 64.956 2.165

July 9.262 299 10.464 338 19.726 636 54.509 1.758

August 10.510 339 13.058 421 23.568 760 61.391 1.980

September 5.959 199 8.079 269 14.038 468 40.039 1.335

October 5.268 170 5.834 188 11.102 358 29.132 940

November 2.644 88 4.119 137 6.763 225 11.775 393

December 367 12 1.042 34 1.409 45 4.290 138

Year 2013 72.421 198 73.467 201 145.888 400 325.427 892

Month

2013

Sataplia Prometheus Imereti caves total Georgia PAs total

Source: calculated on the basis of data from APA – Agency for protected areas

4.2 Main markets and profile of visitors to Imereti caves

International visitors count 23% of all visitors to Imereti caves and are increasing faster than

domestic visitors. Main foreign markets are neighbouring and Russian speaking countries, East European and Baltic countries, Israel and Germany. International visitors came to Imereti Caves in 2013 from 15 countries – also from long haul USA and China markets.

TABLE8: MAIN COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF FOREIGN VISITORS TO IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013

Imereti caves PA

Visitors total

Foreign visitors

Country 1

Country 2

Country 3

Country 4

Domestic Visitors

Imereti caves 145,888 41,831 Ukraine Israel Poland Russia 104,057

Georgia total 350,642 101,642 249,000

Source: APA and information from PAs

After opening Kutaisi International Airport the number of visitors to Imereti region has significantly increased due to new airlines mainly operated by low cost carriers. GNTA reports that there were 68.568 arrivals of international visitors to Kutaisi airport in 2013. From the airport website we can see that 5 air carriers operate from Kutaisi airport: WizzAir, S7, URAL, Bellavia and Georgia Airways flying to 8 destinations. All these international visitors start their travel in Georgia by visiting Imereti caves.

With more low cost air carriers number of international visitors would increase even faster.




GNTA estimates that majority of international visitors are individuals organizing their trip by themselves. The share of organized visitors that arrived in organization of TOs/TAs does not exceed

30% of total visitors. In spite of this fact, estimations for Imereti caves say that 70% of their visitors are group visitors. Besides groups of school children international travellers usually use Georgian TO to organize their touring in Georgia. From Tourism development marketing strategy for Imereti

(GNTA, 2012) we learn that TO regularly include in their tours to Imereti cultural monuments and in 60% also Imereti caves. Therefore, we must conclude that group tourism market is very important for Imereti caves, which has also the consequence for promotion and marketing – besides marketing oriented towards individual customers B2C marketing oriented towards corporate partners B2B is more important. B2B marketing includes in the case of Imereti caves schools, TOs/TAs, Hotels and accommodation

providers in Tskaltubo and Kutaisi and national and international speleological associations. Main motives to visit Sataplia reserve and Prometheurs cave are nature experience and education.

TABLE9: MAIN MOTIVES FOR VISITING IMERETI CAVES IN 2013 (IN %)

Name Motive 1 Motive 2

Sataplia & Prometheus cave Nature - 67% Education - 37%

Source: Calculated on the basis of APA survey for Imereti caves

Visitors to Sataplia Reserve and Prometheus Cave come mainly in groups as school children or in organization of Georgian tour operators when touring in Georgia.

TABLE10: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS TO GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHEN VISITING IMERETI CAVES FOR 2013

Name Individuals Groups

(TO/TA) Total

Sataplia & Prometheus cave 30% 70% 100%

Source: Information from Imereti caves PA administration

According to estimations of Imereti Caves administration students and school children are the biggest groups of visitors, then come individuals, families and couples.

TABLE11: DISTRIBUTION OF VISITORS DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS WHEN VISITING IMERETI CAVES FOR 2013

Name Families Couples Individual

visitors Researchers/

Scientists Students

Children/ Schools

Total

Sataplia &

Prometheus cave

16% 7% 20% 1% 28% 28% 100%


Visitors to Imereti caves are rather critical about their experiences. They state several positive characteristics about Sataplia Reserve and Prometheus Cave. Among positive observations are the

nature and landscape, very good location close to main transit road West-East Georgia, hospitable staff which goes together with good services and good-attractive trails.

Name Satisfaction

1

Satisfaction

2

Satisfaction

3

Satisfaction

4

Prometeus cave Nature &

Landscape Trail Location

Visitors center and services Hospitable

staff

Buildings -

facilities




Additional tourism products

and services in PA

Small train

and boat Audio guides

Visitors'

service

Sataplia cave Nature &

Landscape

Glass

Viewpoint Trail Location

Visitors center and services Hospitable

staff

Buildings -

facilities

Additional tourism products

and services

Visitors'

services


TABLE12: MAIN OBSERVATIONS OF VISITORS ABOUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WHILE VISITING IMERETI CAVES

Visitors state many critical observations that PA administration should seriously consider and do all to eliminate them. The first group of critics focuses on organization of infrastructure for tourists: visitors’

center, catering place, parking place, toilets which are not properly organized and equipped. Then come critics regarding lack of staff, guides and too big groups, another group of critics relates to lack of information, resting places while waiting and services especially for children.

Name Dissatis-faction 1

Dissatis-faction 2

Dissatis-faction 3

Dissatis-faction 4

Dissatis faction 5

Prometheus cave

Visitors center and services

Waiting place is not organized and equipped

Catering place too

small

Lack of qualified staff

Not fully utilized visitors center

Additional tourism products and services

Not sufficient number of staff

Too big groups

Sataplia reserve

Visitors center and services

Visitors center is far from main entrance

Bad, not enough

toilets

Lack of guides

Additional tourism products and services

Not sufficient

information about opening time

No picnic area

Café does not function

No playgrounds for children

Trails need maintenance

Availability of

information & promotion

Tourists not informed in

advance about the length of trail

Lack of

interpretation desks

Transport accessibility & Parking

No regular public transport

Public transport timetable is

not reliable

Parking not organized

No shelters for rainy or sunny days

Sign posting on roads Lack of signs

Tourism products and services in

community/destination

Limitted tourist offer

especially for kids


TABLE13: MAIN OBSERVATIONS OF VISITORS ABOUT NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES WHILE VISITING IMERETI CAVES

Faster and more efficient tourism development in PAs in Georgia is one of the sources for financial sustainability of APA and PAs in realization of their mission to conserve, protect and manage nature, natural values and natural heritage. Economic effects of tourist activitiesare estimated to 16% of




overall budget of APA and PAs in 2013. Major revenues are coming from Imereti cave – 90% of all tourism revenues in all protected areas in Georgia.

Imereti caves collected 918.984 GEL revenues from tourism activities in 2013 and they will rise toapproximately1,2million GEL in 2014according to provisional statistics and forecast by Imereti caves

administration. Nearly all revenues come from entrance fees – 89%. Average revenue per visitor in Imereti Caves was 6.3 GEL in 2013 including revenues from all services. This average revenue per visitor is even lower than the price of a ticket for an adult – 7 GEL. Imereti caves PA receive other revenues from concession of café and souvenir shop in Sataplia and and souvenir shop in Prometheus visitors center. We present the price list for Sataplia nature reserve and for Prometheus cave in the figure below. It

obvious that the assortiman of products and services offered to visitors does not offer much possibilities to increase revenues of Imereti caves.

No. PRODUCT/SERVICE ITEM PROMETHEUS SATAPLIA

1 Entry ticket

Pupils & students 3,5 3,0

Normal ticket 7,0 6,0

2 Boat trip 7,0

3 Audio guide 7,0

4 Civil marriage ceremony 100 100

5 Conferenece hall / day 100 100

6 VIP Service

1 – 10 persons 100 + ticket 100 + ticket

11 – 20 200 + ticket 200 + ticket

7 Coin mintage price 1,0

Source: APA website, 1. 11.2014

TABLE14: PRICE LIST FOR SATAPLIA NATURE RESERVE AND PROMETHEUS CAVE (IN GEL)

Due to the specific character of the tourism products that Imereti Caves are offering,the local community does not have a lot of benefits of visitation to Sataplia Reserve and Prometheus Cave. Visitors are spending in Imereti caves not more than 3 hours and do not require services from local

communities like accommodation, food & beverage, guiding, agricultural products and others. International visitors are mainly on the tour in Georgia and while staying in the region they are based mainly in Kutaisi or in Tskaltubo health resort. Domestic visitors are mainly excursionists or transit passengers visiting also Imereti caves. Therefore, strengthening local communities and their economic performances by tourism development of Imereti caves should take different forms and measures as in the case of other PAs in Georgia proposed in chapter with stakeholders and their cooperation.




5 SWOTAND VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF IMERETI CAVES

PROTECTED AREA

5.1 SWOT – Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

evaluation

SWOT analysis gives us the overview which strengths and weaknesses are at present time in

operations and what opportunities and threats are in the environment and in the future that could affect operations. During the field visits to Imereti SWOT was discussed in details. Imereti Cave system with Prometheus and Sataplia Caves being open for visitors represent the most important attraction in broader region. There is no competition for these caves in the range of nearly 1.000 kilometers. With further tourism

development of some caves the whole system will become even more attractive for domestic and international visitors. Important strength is also accessibility being close to international airport, main road, tourist resorts

in Tskaltubo and at Black Sea and UNESCO heritage monuments - Bagrati and Gelati monasteries. Both, Satapalia Nature Reserve and Prometheus Cave are also the best equipped with tourism infrastructure and facilities among all PAs in Georgia. Opportunity for further development and

increase of visitation is the fact that Georgia is becoming more and more recognized tourist dertination worldwide with two digit yearly growth of international tourist arrivals.

STRENGTH of IMERETI CAVES PA and SURROUNDINGS

WEAKNESSES of IMERETI CAVES PA and SURROUNDINGS

TRANSPORT / ACCESSIBILITY > Good location, 240 km from capital Tbilisi,

160 km from Black Sea, 20 km from Kutaisi > 30 km from Kutaisi international airport > Close to the main road-international

highway and the cross road of the country - connecting west to the east

> Good access roads to Sataplia reserve and Prometheus cave

> Close to bus and train station in Kutaisi

TRANSPORT / ACCESSIBILITY

> Lack of road and tourism signalization

> Poor public transport - no reliable scheduled public transport

> Bus stations are scarce and information is limited

> Very limited accessibility for disabled people

> Rather bad road to Okatse > Few low cost air carriers to Georgia

> Limited parking places in Sataplia and Prometheus

> Access roads and parking to be developed for new tourist caves

> Poor internet accessibility

NATURAL & CULTURAL ASSETS > Prometheus Cave has 17 halls, 6 halls open

to visitors > Rich diversity of geological, speleological

and botanical monuments in the PA (colchic forest, timber plants,etc).

> Rich biodiversity in Prometheus Cave (guttered stalactites, stalagmites, petrified waterfalls, hanging stone curtains, inhabited

by organisms: bats, freshwater mollusks, spiders, etc.)

> Distinguished landscape full of caves and canyons, unique Colchis wetlands, gorge

of Rioni > Several cultural and archaeological

monuments close to the PAs: IX century Ubisa church, X century Motsameta church, Chabukiani memorial

> Two UNESCO heritage sites close to the

NATURAL & CULTURAL ASSETS > Okatse and Sataplia are not easy accessible in

winter time if there is snow > No risk assessment in regard to safety in

caves, glass view platform and canyon walking platform

> Slow rehabilitation of cultural monuments and sites and poor waste management




PAs: XII century Gelati Monastery complex and frescoes and XI century Bagrati Temple

> Strong recognition of Tskaltubo resort and city Kutaisi

> Mild climate

INFRASTRUCTURE > Good and diverse infrastructure facilities in

Sataplia and Prometheus

> Hotel infrastructure (8 rooms for 16 persons) with 1 big conference room (cca 100 seats)

> Visitors centers > Administration buildings > Speleological Museum in Sataplia > Scenic glass viewpoint with bar > Restaurant and Bar close to the Visitor center

> Information and ticket center with small shop at the entrance to the Sataplia

> Audio guides available in several languages

> Postal service > Tourist Accommodation in Tskaltubo and

Kutaisi (guesthouses, hotels, private accommodation, etc.)

INFRASTRUCTURE > Visitor centres and PAs administration

buildings are not fully utilized

> Closed hotel and conference room > Water, electricity supply, and WIFI problems

in Sataplia > No places for tourists to rest > No places for visitors that are not allowed to

enter the cave (children and accompanying parents)

> Poor or no infrastructure for disabled persons > Lack of First aid service > Lack of restrooms

> Poor additional tourism products and services (shopping areas, cultural events, playgrounds, lack of entertainment offer, etc.)

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT > Sataplia PA and Prometheus cave are open all

year round > Visited by 150 000 visitors in 2013.

Prometheus #1 destination place (visited 75 000 >tourists) in the region

> Prometheus developed tourism product: hiking trail - 1.420 m cave trail with 6 halls in Prometheus plus 380 m water trail by boat (moderate difficulty)

> Prometheus tourism product: civil marriage

ceremony in Hall of Love

> Sataplia developed tourism product: walking trail 3.3 km., 2 hrs, easy walking. Trail to visit the conservation building for dinosaur footprints, the unique karst cave, exhibition hall, Colchic Forest, and the wild bee habitat area. Suitable for families and children.

> VIP service for visitors

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT > No tourism development and management

plan > Lack of professional-skilled hospitality staff

(tourist guides, tourist and marketing specialists)

> Poor results of concession practice > Seasonality, peak season is in June > No scheduled tours > Limited number of visitors / Restriction due

to capacity per day in Prometheus(40 persons

per group, which start every 15 minutes)

> Reservations except for TO's groups are not available

> Bad location of TIC in Kutaisi > Lack of promotional material - except APA's

maps > Not sufficient promotion, PR and marketing

> Lack of tourist programmes for children and families

> Poor statistics on local and regional levels > Limited knowledge of foreign languages > No price differentiation > No Quality standardization

> Poor brand image of tourist destinations

COOPERATION > Hospitable people with interest in tourism

development

> Imereti caves PA is member of ISCA –

International Show Caves Associaition > Some examples of good cooperation with

national and international TO/TA > Local administrations interested in tourism

development > International funds are interested to

contribute to the PA and region development

> Good cooperation with local municipality and DMO in Tskaltubo

COOPERATION > No local or regional HORECA associations

(hotels, guest houses, restaurants,...)

> Low integration of local population in tourism

development > Very weak cooperation in implementation of

tourism development marketing plan for Imereti region prepared by GNTA

> Weak cooperation with Kutaisi municipality and tourism department

> Lack of local NGOs and public initiatives




> Good cooperation with GNTA in establishing joint TIC at Kutaisi airport

OPPORTUNITIES IMERETI CAVES PA and

SURROUNDINGS

THREATS of IMERETI CAVES PA and

SURROUNDINGS

TRANSPORT / ACCESSIBILITY > Further buiding of highway from Tbilisi to

Black Sea

> More low cost air carriers to Kutaisi airport > Development of regular scheduled transport

from Tskaltubo Health Resorts to Sataplia and Prometheus

> Development of regular transport from Kutaisi to Sataplia and Prometheus

> Development of accessibility for disabled

people (for wheelchair users, elders, baby strollers, etc.)

> Dzedzhieti – Okatse road

rehabilitation/development

TRANSPORT / ACCESSIBILITY > Road conditions and maintenance > Natural catastrophes (flods, etc) affecting

accessibility

NATURAL & CULTURAL ASSETS

> Potential resources for PA: Solkota cave, Sarkumali cave, Gumbri cave Satsurblia cave, Satevzia cave (Khoni), Deviskhvreli (village Lashe), Sagvarjile (Terjola), Shvalieti Cave (Kvirila Valley), Darkvetis Ekhi, Mgvimevi Cave, Samgle Cave, Samertskhle Cave,

Satobavi Cave, Sadzrokhia Cave, Sachinke Cave

> New tourist adventure park – Martvili Gochkadili & Okatse

> Use of natural resources for healing and spa in Tskaltubo (water, peloid mud, climate,..)

> Landscape and country side in Imereti

introduced to tourism development > Sustainable management of environmental

impacts > Higher awareness of natural and cultural

heritage

NATURAL & CULTURAL ASSETS

> Natural catastrophe with dramatic effect on caves (because of earth quake for example)

> Degradation of natural & cultural assets due to excessive use

INFRASTRUCTURE > To restructure and use more efficiently

tourism hospitality and administration buildings in Sataplia and Prometheus

> More hotel rooms in Sataplia and camps in each nature monument

> Use of renewable energy sources: Solar system installation on old and new infrastructure

> Improved signs and interpretation boards installation

> Development of recreational facilities > Development of rest facilities

> Playgrounds for children > Improved standard for parking > Parking slots for bikes > Improving water supply system in Sataplia > New tourism facilities in Tskaltubo, Sairme,

Kutaisi etc.

> More capacity for long stays in Imereti region

INFRASTRUCTURE > Lack of financial resources for development

and maintenance > Limits to growth because of more strict

environmental protection standards > Limits to growth because of safety standards

implementation for sport/ adventure activities > Lack of project ideas and project prepared for

investment > Lack of HR to implement project plans

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

> Extension of existing and introduction of new

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT > Tourism development without a strategy and




Source: Information of PA, project workshop and various documents

TABLE15: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR IMERETI CAVES

There are weaknesses that affect tourism image and quality of overall satisfaction of visitors to Imereti caves. With implementation of tourism development marketing strategy of Imereti region

tourism is becoming more and more developed in this region, the infrastructure is improving, the entrepreneurship of many small tourism suppliers are getting more and more professional and the diversity and quality of tourism products and services are improving generally in the region and in Imereti caves too.

tourism organized caves in Imereti Caves PA tourism offer

> Possibilities for travel around by horses, bicycles and even by foot: 8 trails around

Prometheus Caves are investigated > Trails for biking for example connecting

caves can be developed: - Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti (7-8 km) - Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti – Okatse (20 km) - Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti – Okatse –

Martvili (25 km)

> Offer for people with special requirements (blind, deaf, on wheelchair, family with baby strollers, elderly, etc.)

> More promotion and marketing of Imereti caves PA

> Development of Okatse-Martvili adventure

park > Plans to establish PA in Racha-Lechkhumi

> Incentives to develop traditional products/souvenirs (made by stone, honey, …).

> Possibilities to develop community based and agro/rural tourism

> Develop wine tasting service in caves > Improvement of the image of Imereti region

as tourist destination

marketing plan > Slow development and preparation of project

plans > Not enough support for tourism development

and entrepreneurship in tourism > Not enough professional – skilled staff

interested to work in Imereti caves PA and in tourism

> Lack of promotion and marketing > Overcrowded areas due to lack of visitor

monitoring /visitor management

COOPERATION

> Participation in and cooperation with Tskaltubo resort DMO

> Cooperation with GITOA and TOs/TAs > Cooperation with big companies and

institutions for cross marketing (Khareba for example)

> Development of PPP - Public Private

Partnership in joint investment > Possible development and cooperation with

Friends of Imereti caves PA association > Integration of local entrepreneurs - guest

houses, taxi drivers, traditional products in tourism in PA

> Strengthen cooperation with Universities and

Research Institutes

> Enhance the involvement of local communities in tourism (education programs, businesses, etc.)

> Intensify cooperation with local media: “Kutaisi”, “ImeretisMoabe”, “PS”, “AkhaliGazeti”, "KutaisuriVersia", "Chveneburebi" (Journal); Scientific Journal

“Gantiadi”; TV: "Rioni"; Radio: "DzveliKalaki" (old City)

COOPERATION

> Slow development of stakeholders‘ cooperation model – DMO or other forms

> Centralized system of management of PAs > Low response of stakeholders for cooperation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imeretis_Moabe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhali_Gazeti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisuri_Versia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chveneburebi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantiadi

http://www.radiodk.ge/





With so many advantages that Imereti Caves have and with such unique attractiveness management of Imereti caves PA, APA intends to make the best use of potentials and opportunities from the point

of view ofpromotion of nature protection, visitors' satisfaction and financial sustainability of PAs.

5.2 Value chain analysis of tourism in Imereti caves

Value chain analysis shows the individual processes and the whole chain, from the first step of getting information about tourism attraction/offer of Imereti caves until the final process of PA administration to revisit the cave and recommend the visit of cavesand how this affects the experience of visitors. Analysis of visitors’ value chain of tourism in Imereti caves gave us the following evaluation (scores 1

– very bad, 2 – bad, 3 – average, 4 – good, 5 – very good):

DECISION PROCES

SCORE

DESCRIPTION

Information about Imereti caves No web site information No promotion materials available No promotion & marketing activites

Booking-buying the trip to Imereti caves

No advance booking available Booking available at TO in Georgia Booking available on the spot

Travel to Imereti caves Transport vehicle and driver available, knowing the way Bad sign posting on the roads Rather good roads to natural monuments

Arrival and welcome Parking availbe, often too crowded Visitors center and limited information available Often longer waiting time for visit of caves

Visit of nature monuments/caves High attractiveness of caves and monuments – unique dinosaurus footprints Good infrastructure in the caves and on trails Good guiding

Availability - Consumption of additional products and services

Very limited offer of additional products and services No suggestive marketing of additional products and services

Post sales – revisits/recommendations to visit

the caves

No souvenirs or products to take home for memory No loyalty activities and suggestions by staff

1

3

4

3

5

1

1

SOURCE: Evaluation is done on the basis of information of PAs administration and project analysis

TABLE16: VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES




Information: Each travel starts with collecting the information about target destination. We can say that Imereti caves practically do not have any information available for potential visitors. They have

only 2 short basic information on the back side of the map of Sataplia and Prometheus. Imereti caves administration does not have website, neither is web site of APA strong enough to expose the most tourism oriented PA in Georgia. With google search you don’t get Sataplia or Prometheus or Imereti

Caves as search result. Imereti caves do not attend tourism fairs, don’t have advertising on main roads or systematic work with media and especially with TOs. There are no leaflets in hotels or bigger guest houses in Kutaisi and Tskaltubo. Imereti Caves are simply on of the most important attractions in Imereti region that nearly all accommodation providers know and suggest to visit to their guest. Imereti caves are members of ISCA - International Show Caves Association which gives them the only international exposure except some relations with partner caves’ organizations in Poland and Czech

Republic. Booking is the decision to visit Imereti caves. Majority of visitors are coming to Imereti caves when visiting Imereti region because of culture or simply stop over when touring in Georgia, because of staying in Kutaisi and Tskaltubo resort. Booking is done mainly through Georgian TO when planning their tour throughout Georgia (even in the case of arrival as individual to Georgia).

Travel to Imereti cavesis simple for majority as they are coming with local TOs and drivers who know the roads which sometimes lack of signs and directions. For individuals it is a problem that can be solved by asking for direction few times after leaving the main road. Arrival and welcomeis well organized in parking place which is often too small and visitors’ center where visitors buy tickets and get basic information. Visitors centers and waiting areas are sometimes

too crowded and do not offer any activity to visitors – especially for children while waiting for guided tour. Visits of nature monumentof Sataplia or Prometheus give visitors very good experience, are highly attractive and well guided. Periodical comments regarding too many groups or too big groups in the caves or trails and too long trail for walking in Sataplia not explained before do not spoil very good impression of visitors.

Consumption of additional products and services practically does not exist which proves also the structure of revenues. Majority of complaints of visitors focus on this segment which at the same time shows also a lost opportunity to increase revenues of PA from tourism.

Post sales – revisits/recommendations by Imereti caves PA administration does not exist; there

are few postcards, souvenirs, products and similar to remind visitors about the caves; there are no loyalty instruments for visitors; and there are no activities to work with Georgian TOs to keep having Imereti caves in their tour programmes, to inform them about news, to stimulate them to increase visitation of groups to the caves. Overall value chain analysis show too big variations in the phases-chain elements of travel experiences of visitors to Imereti caves. But there is unique attraction as basic tourism product and

improvement of overall satisfaction requires mainly more efficient use of existing facilities, small investment in programmes and services and permanent capacity building, education and trainings in hospitality and marketing business.




6 TOURISMSTAKEHOLDERS IN IMERETI CAVES

PROTECTED AREA

Protected areas with increasing tourism visitation represent opportunity for development of local

communities and population. Usually, increased visitation stimulates inhabitants of local communities to develop and offerfacilities and services for visitors of PAs.Increased tourist visitation can also have negative effects to local communities and population with more crowds, more noise, more cars, more waste, more use of basic infrastructure – roads, parking places, water, electricity, etc. Therefore, tourism development must be based on mutual interests and benefits of PAs and local communities and population. Cooperation of PA and stakeholders in the neighbourhood must be established to share resources and benefits.

Stakeholders’ groups have different expectations and views in tourism in protected areas. Local municipalities and population see the opportunities for local businesses, employment, improvement of quality of life, earning foreign currency and redistribution of income; additionally they expect promotion of conservation of natural and cultural heritage, sustain cultural identity, provide education opportunities, health benefits and greater understanding, awareness and appreciation of nature.

Tourism brings also better access to services. Tourism enhances respect for local traditional, cultural values, local events and self-esteem. Protected areas management expects from tourism promotion of conservation and heritage appreciation, generation of revenues for their operations, creation of employment and income, development of long term sustainable economic activities, building alliances with local communities and population, management of resources, fostering research, creation of positive experiences and

generating satisfied and loyal visitors. Tourism operators, products and service poviders expect to run their business with profit, exploit market potentials, develop products and services to target markets, expect loyal visitors and support visitors and assist them to understand nature, natural values and natural heritage. Tourist expect to enhance personal experiences, feel personal accomplishment, improve health,

participate in social experiences, meet other people, exploit family history, tradition, bonding, group team building, reaffirm cultural values, promote nature conservation and preservation and spend good time.

In all these interests there are some that are diverse, conflicting and generallyspeaking there are too many interests as tourism is an economic activity witha very big number of small suppliers on one

side and an even bigger number of consumers that have different preferences, expectations, culture and habits on the other side. Thus, a mechanism to coordinate interest of suppliers must be established which usually takes the form of DMO – Destination Management Organization or association of suppliers. Main tourism related stakeholders for Imereti caves are Georgian TOs/TAs that are ground operators for groups of tourists. Another very important stakeholders are hotels and bigger accommodation

facilities in Tskaltubo, Kutaisi and Batumi and other Black Sea resorts. It is the most important for Imereti caves to be in touring programmes of TOs. It will become also very important to organize scheduled or shuttle transfer from Kutaisi and Tskaltubo hotels to one and another cave. It will be also important for Imereti caves to participate and cooperate with GITOA and Tsklatubo resort DMO.




MAIN TOURISM RELATED STAKEHOLDERS OF IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA

MAIN TOURISM & HOSPITALITY STAKEHOLDERS

> Tskaltubo health resort with hotels and sanatorium > Kutaisi hotels and guest houses (in Kutaisi and

surrounding)

> TOs & TAs > Kutaisi International airport > Kutaisi public transport company > Kutaisi and Tskaltubo taxis

CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS AND SITES

> Bagrati Cathedral (UNESCOWorld Heritage Site) > Gelati Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

> Motsameta Church > Museums in Kutaisi and in Vani

TOURISM ORGANISATIONS

> Tskaltubo DMO - Tourism and resort management centre of Tskaltubo

> GITOA

> TIC in Kutaisi

ASSOCIATIONS, NGOS, CENTERS,

CLUBS

> ISCA - International Show Caves Association

> ETDC/Eco Tourism Development Centre, Agro Touristic Association KORENA

EDUCATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

> Kutaisi University > Akaki Tsereteli State University > Kutaisi Technical University > Vakhushti Bargationi Institute of Geography -

Department of Geomorphology-Geoecology > Schools in Georgia and from the region

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

> Tskaltubo municipality > Kutaisi municipality – tourism department > Local communities close to Imereti caves: Kunimstavi,

Khomuli, Gumbrini, Banoja, Jimastari, Gordi, Kinchkha, Khvilishi.

CROSS MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS, DONORS & INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

> Khareba wine company > Banks > WB – World Bank

Source: Information of PA administration and various documents

TABLE17: IDENTIFICATION OF MAIN TOURISM RELATED STAKEHOLDERS IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA

Imereti caves have different situation compared to all other PAs in Georgia regarding stakeholders and

their cooperation with PA. Imereti Caves is an attraction where visitors stay only a few hours. Imereti caves do not need accommodation providers, even not a lot of food and drinks providers, neither diversity of local products and services. The main motiv of visitors is to see and experience the caves with underground karst attractions and natural values in one hour or a little bit more. And management of PA can only use this situation of numerous visitation to offer and sell to visitors some products and services that increase total revenues in addition to the present main main source of entrance fees.

Imereti caves in fact cannot offer as many opportunities to local communities as other PAs can. Still, it would be important for Imereti caves administration to offer possibilities to local population and different producers to expose and sell their products on standardized stands near visitors’ centers or near parking places. In order to strengthen links with PA and local communities and population PA

could invite these people to visit the caves, to attend open days of PA, to attend thematic events, etc. It would also be very fruitful to organize yearly meetings with these communities and people and

present them new development of caves, increasing image of caves and Imereti region, to present them, especially to young people professional and business opportunities and to listen to their observation about tourism development in and around caves and about problems that they face with increasing tourist visitation. This will contribute to social sustainability of tourism development in Imereti caves. Association of Friends of Imereti caves PA could be established if there is enough interest from local

communities and population. If there is not enough interest from local stakeholders association could have positive effect as one of promotion tools for Imereti caves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Motsameta_Church&action=edit&redlink=1




7 TOURISM PRODUCTS AND POTENTIALS IN PAS

Protected areas and APA have developed several tourism products and services so far, several with substantial support of international project and organizations. PAs offer to the visitors: information in visitor centres, maps and information materials, rangers and guides. Visitors’ centres offer also expositions, interpretation desks, and in some cases: accommodation, snacks and drinks, shops and meeting rooms with equipment. Some PAs have also small hotels or rooms and restaurants.

The increase in number of visitors and general demand leads to an increased need of more products and services in PAs. Visitors’ services development should follow some principles that take into account in the first place the nature of protected area, expected experience of visitors, motives and behaviour patterns of visitors and intensity of market demand. Below we present standard characteristics – patterns of eco-tourists. Motivations and main activities

performed during the eco-trip have been listed as well. Both figures show that there are motives and activities for hard and soft eco-tourists as well as for

mixed structured eco-tourist group. PAs should take this into account when developing tourism products and services for specific groups. It is also worth to note that eco-tourists care the most about safety (crime, hygiene, accident risk, ..), friendliness of locals, authentic culture and lifestyle, quality of food, prices and quality of accommodation. Less important are: existence of package tours,

presence of world class and known attractions and quality of infrastructure (roads, health centres etc.)

Attractions in PA

> Sataplia nature reserve with cave, colchic forest, cliff and nature trails and glass view

platform > Prometheus cave with astonishing karst cave formations > Navenahevi, Satsurblia, Melauri and several other not explored caves > Okatse canyon

Tourism infrastructure & facilities in PA

ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES

> Hotel with 8 room in Sataplia

VISITORS FACILITIES

> Visitors center in Sataplia > Ticket & info center in Sataplia > Visitors center in Prometheus

> Visitors center in Okatse > Scenic glass view platform in Sataplia > Walking and view platform in Okatse canyon > Parking places in Sataplia, Prometheus and Okatse > Restrooms in Sataplia and Prometheus and Okatse in or close to Ticket & Visitors center

RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS

> Cafes and shops in Visitors centers, at the exit of Sataplia Cave and on scenic glass view

platform in Sataplia

MUSEUMS

> Speleological museum in Sataplia

MEETING FACILITIES

> Conference and meeting rooms in Sataplia hote/Visitors center and in Prometheus administration building

ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS

> Administration buildings in Sataplia and Prometheus and joint with visitors center in Okatse




Tourism products in PA

NATURE PROGRAMMES

> Sataplia cave visit

> Sataplia rock trail > Sataplia nature educational trail > Sataplia colchic forest > Sataplia Jurassic parc with dinosaur footprints > Prometheus cave visit > Boat tour in Prometheus cave

> Okatse nature walking trail

CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES

> Nature educational trail in Sataplia > Speleological museum visit in Sataplia > Speleological research programmes

SPORT & ADVENTURES PROGRAMMES

> Canyoning

> Adrenaline view platform in Okatse > Scenic view platform in Sataplia

HEALTH PROGRAMMES

> None yet

FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

> Small train trail in Prometheus > Wedding in cave

MICE - BUSINESS PROGRAMMES

> Meetings in conference facilities > Wedding in caves

PLEASURE

> Meditation in cave > Shopping

Tourist attractions and products in broader area – destination

> Martvili/GochKadili Canyon, Svaneti, Sport park, stadium and sports hall in Tskaltubo > Tskaltubo health & spa resort , Clinics and hospitals > Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Academy, Kutaisi State University, Quevri wine production > Katskhi pillar

> Kutaisi and Tskaltubo hotels; TOs/TAs; Universities > Wellness & Spa center in Tskaltubo, Khareba wine celler, Shopping in Kutaisi > Casinos, Festivals and concerts in Kutaisi and in Tskaltubo, Sports & Aqua parks in Kutaisi and

in Tskaltubo Source: Information from Imereti caves PA administration, from field visits, workshops and various documents

TABLE18: IDENTIFICATION OF EXISTING TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES (STATUS MID YEAR 2014)

During assessment phase and at workshop we identified wide range of potential tourism products that Imereti caves and other PAs in Georgia could develop to meet experiences and expectations of visitors. We attach in Annex 2 photographic illustration of several potential tourism products for Imereti caves and Okatse canyon. We linked existing and potential products and services according to SBUs – Strategic Business Units and added target market segments in Chapter 11.




8 TOURISM TRENDS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN

PROTECTED AREAS

This topic was in details elaborated in “Strategy for tourism development in protected areas in

Georgia”. Therefore, we present here only key points related directly to Imereti caves protected area.

8.1 Key tourism trends

Tailor-Made Experiences One of the key trends for next years is expected to be tour operators expanding their tailor-made

holiday offerings in response to growing consumer demand for more flexible itineraries but still with all the security and benefits of a package. Consumers are looking for more individual holiday experiences that their friends/family might not have done. Multi-destination travel The rise of multi-centre holidays where holidaymakers may combine two or more destinations in their

trip are also growing in popularity and fuelling the trend for tailor-made holidays. This is particularly

the case for longer haul holidays where travellers look to make the most out of their journeys but is also increasingly popular for breaks in Europe. In Search of Adventure The fast pace of modern life has given rise to an increase in the number of adventure travellers. Tour operators are offering more options to cater for holidaymakers’ growing sense of adventure.

Value Consumers will continue to seek value for money from their holidays, rather than cutting back on going away. One trend expected in next years is for consumers to book earlier to secure good value deals for their holidays. We also expect all-inclusive holidays to experience strong demand in next years particularly amongst the family market.

Package holidays The trend for an increase in package holiday bookings is expected to continue. The trend is likely to be fuelled by consumers valuing the security and cost effectiveness that package holidays provide.

8.2 Tourism trends in protected areas

There is no such thing as the “average protected area visitor”. In reality, markets comprise many segments, each of which has somewhat different characteristics, expectations, activity participation and spending patterns. This reduces adverse impacts on the protected area, increases the economic benefits and makes it more likely that visitors are satisfied. The growth of interest in sustainable tourism and ecotourism reflects a rising tide of social concern about the quality of the natural environment and the effects of tourism. Activities closely associated

with experiencing natural environments are very popular. Some trends complement each other. Some operate at global level, some at the local level. Many represent collisions in powerful, but countervailing values and attitudes. Thus, trends discussed and presented below can interact in various ways. More individual and authentic travel experiences Consumers will demand more individual and authentic travel experiences in future. More people would

turn their backs on artificial ‘travel worlds’ and instead seek authentic holiday destinations and experiences with more interaction with local communities. Consumers will continue to focus on value for money offers and will take advantage of modern technology to use information and recommendations available on commercial and social websites and buy travel products and services.




FIGURE 3: TOURISM TRENDS IN PROTECTED AREAS

Rising educational levels and demand for travel Higher education levels are strongly correlated with demand for outdoor recreation activities, and lead to change in the patterns of recreation and tourism in protected areas. As a result, there is a general trend towards appreciative activities, with more travellers seeking life-enriching travel experience: learning-while-travelling, wildlife viewing, attending festivals, cultural appreciation and nature study.

This type of tourism requires explanatory materials (e.g. guides, booklets, mobile presentations, etc.), interpretive facilities (e.g. in visitor centres) and interpretive guiding (e.g. ecotours). It increases the expectations of service quality in protected areas, and raises political pressure for greater protection of cultural and natural heritage.

Ageing population

Older individuals are staying healthier longer. Older people are increasingly able to lead healthy, physically active lives. So, while the demand for such activities as downhill skiing or mountain climbing decreases with age, elderly people maintain, or even extend, their interest in other outdoor activities, such as walking, nature study, fly-fishing or wildlife observation. A reduced demand for camping sites is offset by a greater demand for more comfortable lodge accommodation. Older visitors need more accessible trails with lesser gradient etc; they have more disposable income, are willing to

pay more for of interpretation, guiding and other services. Accessible travel for all With improved accessibility the €100 billion travel and tourism market for people with disabilities or physical restrictions could develop also in favour of protected areas. In Europe alone, there are 80 million people with disabilities. When including travel companions, the potential size of the “accessible tourism” market is estimated at 133 million people. Worldwide, the number is estimated at between

600 million and 900 million. These figures mean that roughly 10% of the population needs “barrierfree” or “accessible” travel.

Changing roles of women Women are becoming numerically dominant, emancipated and successful in business. Women increase demand for tourism travel and it is often women who choose travel destination. There are differences between the interests of men and women at the individual activitiy level. Men tend to be

more interested in physical challenging activities, women tend to be interested in more appreciative activities, such as nature and culture studies and ecotourism. Many women are interested in protected area recreation opportunities.

More individual and authentic travel

experiences

Rising educational levels and demand for

travel Ageing population

Accessible travel for all

Changing roles of women

Changes in the distribution of leisure

time

Importance of service quality

Changing leisure patterns

Advances in global communications and

information technology

Proliferation of travel options

Personal security and safety

Increasing social and environmental

concerns




Single, young women are not generally strong users of protected areas, but women with young children often choose parks as a good places for child-centred leisure. Older, retired women, especially

those travelling with their partners, show strong interest in the activities which involve visiting protected areas.

Changes in the distribution of leisure time For many people, leisure time is increasing due to shorter working week, increases in the automation of housework and other factors. There are more short leisure trips in a year – 2 to 4 days. Therefore many parks now need to allow for short visits by tourists with limited time, which call for higher quality service and specialized recreation opportunities. Importance of service quality

Tourists are increasingly demanding high quality recreational opportunities and the services that support them. They expect guides to be knowledgeable and good communicators. They want their hosts to make them feel welcome, comfortable and part of the communities they visit. Increased ecotourism means greater demand for specialized recreation and accommodation. Changing leisure patterns

Rising incomes in North America, Europe, Australia and some parts of Asia, older population, more

active lifestyle are driving up the volume of domestic tourism and outbound travel from there countries. If this continues, there is likely to be a further general increase in recreation pressures upon all protected areas, even remote ones, and of demand for higher quality service. Advances in global communications and information technology Many people are now getting access to a huge volume of information about protected areas and travel

options from Internet and other communication technologies. The Internet leads to increased demand for trips to a wider variety of locations, and enables park agencies to provide current, sophisticated information directly to visitors at very low cost. Technology may have far-reaching consequences. For example, local hotels, resorts and so forth can cross-market their web sites with those of nearby protected areas, and so increase the number of short visits by business travelers. And visitors themselves can help promote awareness of protected areas by providing web cam information about the park to the world while experiencing the park.

Proliferation of travel options Visitors are travelling more efficiently, quickly and further afield. The proliferation of long-haul air travel has revolutionized the global visitation of protected areas, with people seeking out world

heritage sites, national parks and other attractions. Indeed, the very existence of protected area, particularly of a national park, is often a lure for tourists.

Personal security and safety Many protected areas have been badly affected by unrealistic security concerns created by misleading media reports. PA managers must expect some naïve visitors who are not prepared for dangers that might occur in natural environment. It is important to take security seriously and to tell people exactly what the situation is. Failure to do so can lead to complicated and expensive results, since it is becoming more common for park visitors to take legal action against park management for safety-

related injury or damage to personal property. Increasing social and environmental concerns People express concern about social injustices and environmental problems. They are increasingly aware of the need for low impact tourism which does not harm the environment. They are often adopting “green consumer” life styles. Protected areas are well placed to take advantage of this trend as they embody the values that such travelers hold.Tourists are attracted to destinations that have a

positive reputation, and are actively avoiding destination that have social or environmental problems. There are also international schemes for recognising the adoption of high environmental standards in

tourism provision, such as the Green Globe 21 scheme.

8.3 Tourism guiding principles in PAs and karst caves

Tourism and recreation in protected areas are highly attractive to more and more visitors. When we speak about tourism development in protected areas we generally talk about ecotourism – responsible travel to nature areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. The terminology recognizes some forms of tourism related to ecotourism like:




responsible tourism, sustainable tourism nature based tourism, adventure tourism, pro poor tourism, etc. The closest to ecotourism is community based tourism for conservation and development.

There are 3 pillars of ecotourism:

> Environmental and socio-cultural compatibility with involvement of local people in tourism

related decisions in conservation and economic planning and operations, > Creation of economic benefits for nature conservation and for well-being of local people and > Promotion of environmental awareness and acceptance of nature conservation as a tool for

sustainable development, resource use and land management Extended definition of ecotourism includes also culture and says that ecotourism is a form of tourism that fosters learning experiences and appropriation of the natural environment, or some

components thereof, within its associated cultural context. It has the appearance of being environmentally and socio-culturally sustainable, in line with best practice thresholds, and preferably in a way that enhances the natural and cultural resource base of the destination and promotes the viability of the operation. (Weaver & Lawton, 2001). General scheme of category of protected area and applicable tourism visitation in some categories was

developed on the level and purpose of protection, primary management objectives and basic profiles

of eco-tourists visiting protected areas. Tourism activities in protected areas are strictly forbidden in some IUCN categories of protected areas and in some allowed under certain regulations and principles. There is also differentiation among 3 eco-tourist groups: hard eco-tourists with strong environment commitment individual visitation, soft eco-tourists with weak environment commitment, multipurpose and group travel and third mixed – structured group of eco-tourists who have the characteristics of both groups – strong environment commitment, social networking and multipurpose

travel.

IUCN

category Short description

Tourism as objective 1)

eco-tourist profile 2)

Hard Soft Mixed

I. Strict nature reserve & wilderness:

I.a Strict nature reserve - - - -

I.b Wilderness area 2 yes - -

II. National park 1 yes yes -

III. Natural monument 1 yes yes -

IV. Habitats managed area 3 yes yes -

V. Protected landscape 1 - yes yes

VI. Managed resource protected area 3 - yes -

1. Type of objective for specific category of protected area (scientific, education, protection, sustainable use, maintenance of

cultural attributes and tourism & recreation): 1 – primary objective; 2 – Secondary objective; 3 – Potentially applicable

objective; - not applicable

2. Eco-tourist profiles: Hard eco-tourists; Soft eco-tourist; Mixed structured eco-tourists;

Source: Figure is combined from different IUCN and Weaver & Lawton 2001 documents and organized for the purpose of this study.

TABLE19: MATRIX OF TOURISM COMPATIBILITY AND PROFILES OF ECO-TOURISTS ACCORDING TO CATEGORY AND MANAGEMENT PURPOSE OF PAS

ISCA – International Show Caves Association provides guidelines for development and management of caves open for tourism visits undertaking works that does not demage the natural structure of caves;

use of materials compatible with caves like cement, concrete, glass and not organic materials;

lightnening not affecting lampenflora, clorophyll, enabling safe visits even in the case of a sudden shortage of electricity; climate conditions and air flow, carrying capacities that sets the upper limit for tourist visitation of caves;role of guides in explaining the natural environment in caves and the role of scientists in looking for solutions in the case of problems. (ISCA website: http://www.i-s-c-a.com/documents).




9 MARKET POTENTIAL FOR IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED

AREA

9.1 Market segmentation

Market for Imereti Caves – Sataplia Nature Reserve, Prometheus Cave and some other caves as well as for Okatse Canyon has some basic characteristics that differ from the market of visitors to other protected areas. First and the most important characteristic is that the majority of this market represents excursionists – one day visitors. Their main interest – motiv is the visit of the

attraction – site or monument, consume some side products and services – maybe linked to food & beverage, shopping, rest, maybe attend an event and then travel further if on a tour or holidays or travel back home. Therefore, we cannot expect the visitors to Sataplia or Prometheus cave to stay longer than few hours. It is also not to expect that these visitors will revisit Imereti caves frequently if there are no new attractions or significant tourist offer. Profile of these visitors is:

> Soft eco-tourist have moderate environment commitment, weak enhancement of sustainability,

have multipurpose trips, have short and physically passive trips to protected areas, expect services, emphasize interpretation of nature and use intermediaries like TO/TA.

> Mixed – structured eco-tourists have a combination of strong environmental commitment, enhancing sustainability, want to be physically active, expect services and desire social interaction; they have also multipurpose trips, are in large groups, use intermediaries like TO/TA and emphasize interpretation of nature.

> Soft adventuretourists blends physical adventures with such enriching activities as culinary pursuits, agritourism, archaeological and wildlife viewing by day, while offering comfortable stays in family-owned accommodations with gourmet experiences by night

> Children from 8 – 17 years already attending school > Working couples with no children (DINKs – double income – no kids): 25 – 50 years old,

with average or above-average household income,

> Couples with small (up to 15 years old) children (families): 25 – 40 years old, with average or above-average household income,

> Older couples no living with their children (empty nesters) 45 – 65 years old, with average or above-average household income,

> Seniors – from 65 years on

> Mainly organized organization of trip by TO/TA > Use of accommodation: Hotel/motel, Ecolodge, Guest House, Camping,

> Travel to/visit of Imereti caveswill be the secondary motiv while travelling for leisure, on multi-sites/countries touring, on business trip, transitting and during that travel they visit also Imereti caves

Market of tourists with overnight stay is very limitted. This segment is focused on some special theme activities like speleological adventure discoveries, nature camps and adventure packages that could be offered by special caves for professionals (Melauri cave), adventureous Okatse canyon, nature camps for youth in Sataplia or Prometheus, spa and health packages in Satsurblia Cave,

meditation packages in caves or in nature and similar. As stated, this market is very limited and does not encourage PAs administration to develop significant accommodation facilities. Profile of these visitors is: > Hard eco-touristswith strong environmental commitment, enhancing sustainability, have

specialized and longer trips, want to be physically active with little available/offered services,

emphasize personal experience and make own trip arrangements.

> Hard adventure tourists tend to involve more physically demanding activities and/or specialised training and usually stay longer in destination, spend more locally

> Youngsters / students: 18 – 26 years old, with average or above-average household income, travelling abroad at least once in 2 years

> Working couples with no children (DINKs – double income – no kids): 25 – 50 years old, with average or above-average household income,

> Mainly individual organization of trip > Use of accommodation: Camping, Bed and breakfast, Lodge/inn, Farm stay, Backpackers

accommodation, Recreational vehicle and Home stay > Will travel purposely – the prime motiv will be to travel to Imereti caves protected area




Domestic tourist marketwill be more important for Imereti caves also in the future. It consists of schools children who visit Sataplia and Prometheus cave for educational purposes in school

programme. Domestic excursionists form the second group and Georgians on holidays in mountains, at Black Sea or in Tshaltubo is the third group.

International tourist marketwill grow faster and will be constantly increasing its share and might exceed 50% in 2020. The major group of international visitors will be the one that will be on tours in Georgia with multi-site visits, fast increasing will be the group of tourist on holidays and healing in Tskaltubo resort and big potential are also holiday makers at the Black sea taking a tour to inland – to Kutaisi and Imereti caves. Increasing will be also the number of international visitors in transit on the main road.

Based on statistics of origin of international visitors in 2013main international tourist marketsare: neighbouring countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan), Russia and Russian speaking countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan), European countries (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands), Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia) and Israel. This market segmentation dictates that organized market so called B2B mainly with TOs will be

the most important in promotion and marketing and in increase of visitation to Imereti caves

protected area.

9.2 Market potential forImereti caves

Tourism demand to visit Imereti cavesis by majority- 77% composed of domestic and 23% of

international visitors. Domestic demand is very important for Imereti caves:

> about 35.000 school childrenvisit each year Sataplia and Prometheus caves out of total of about 50.000 pupilsin one generation

> each year about 25.000 university students visit both nature monuments out of total population of about 120.000 students enrolled on universities in Georgia

These 2 categories of domestic visitors represent more than half of total domestic visitors and have limited growth potential due to the fact that there are not many repeat visitors and that generation size will not grow in the future.

> Individuals, couples and families – about 50.000represent the other group of domestic

visitors which has the biggest potential for growth due to increase of income, increase of

travel intensity and improved transport infrastructure. There is the biggest potential to increase this segment from more than 2.000.000 inhabitants of Kutaisi, Batumi and Tbilisi.

International visitorsto Georgia are fast increasing.In 2013 Georgia registered 5,392,000 international arrivals of tourists (38,3%), same day visitors (39,6%) and transit travellers (22,1%).

International tourists visiting Imereti caves have 3 main source markets: > Imereti – mainly Tskaltubo and Kutaisi will host about 350.000 mainly international

visitors in 2020. Today, Imereti has about 3.130 beds in hotels and other types of accommodation (GNTA) which host about 210.000 international visitors for 1 or 2 nights. According to GNTA Industry report about 210.000 international visitors choose Kutaisi as one of their destinations while staying in Georgia.With rehabilitation of Tskaltubo health and spa resort Imereti will have about 5.000 beds, significant proportion in standardized hotels in

Tskaltubo and Kutaisi. Tskaltubo resort will operate all year round with more than 90%

occupancy rate. > Black Sea visit each year about 960.000 leisure tourists and representanother important

market for Imereti caves. International visitors will be especially interested to make excursions to inland where Imereti – Kutaisi with Bagrati and Gelati cathedrals, Vani and Imereti caves are the biggest attraction for 1 day excursionist from the Black sea.

> Transit passengers accountmore than 10.5 million on the main road from Black Sea to

Tbilisi at Kutaisi (Road Direction of the Ministry of Transport).




10 VISION AND OBJECTIVES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

IN IMERETI CAVES PA

Tourism development in protected areas in Georgia is very intensive. It brings recognition of natural

attractions of Georgia but also a pressure to develop new infrastructure, products and services, to offer more information and interpretation about nature, biodiversity, wilderness and also cultural heritage as well as to manage better challenges of increasing visitation such as bad access roads to PAs, problems with water, electricity or IT, or problems with waste management. Thus APA and PA administrations are all the time balancing between their primary activities related to nature conservation, protection and management and activities that should meet the demand and expected experiences of visitors.

Visitation of protected areas in Georgia will be only increasing in the following years and there is necessary to approach to tourism development in PAs with clear strategy and policy. Time horizon for this strategy, objectives and activities is 2020. It is far enough to set strategic goals but also short enough to be practical in proposed activities and policy as the situation require immediate reaction.

Imereti caves are the leading and most exposed tourism oriented protected area in Georgia. Due to attractiveness of these natural monuments, easy access and reasonably short time to experience this underground mystery Imereti Caves register 41% of all visits to protected areas in Georgia and contribute 90% to the revenues from commercial – mainly tourism activities of all PAs. With these figures, Imereti Caves have the biggest effect on awareness rising and education of people about the value of nature and on financial sustainability of APA originating from commercial – tourism activities.

Imereti caves have the possibilities to increase visitation and revenues faster than other PAs in Georgia. Therefore, there are realistic expectations from Imereti caves PA administration to manage protected area strategically to sustain sustainability, increase the value of nature, increase the number of visitors and increase economic revenues from tourism. PA administration must be aware of realistic development opportunities and its responsibility to use resources as much efficient as possible to achieve expected results.

Vision: Imereti caves protected areawill bethe leading tourism focused protected area in Georgia. They will

offerto domestic and international visitors unique underground karst natural mystery anddiverse high quality services fulfilling personal experiences of nature, education, culture and pleasure.

Tourism in Imereti caves will be one of the pillars of tourism in Imereti region, the mostsignificant source of commercial revenues for APA and one of the most internationally recognized Georgian natural attractions. Mission:

To use natural resources in balanced way to preserve and even increase natural value of Imereti Caves and to contribute to financial sustainability of APA and protected areas in Georgia and to economic development, employment and economic and social welfare of inhabitants in Imereti region. Objectives: General objective of tourism development of Imereti Caves is to operate as successful model of

balanced sustainable and tourism oriented protected area in Georgia with great natural and

educational value and economic efficiency and high internationally recognized tourism attraction. Specific objectives of strategic tourism development in Imereti caves protected areas are: Objective 1: Increase the number of domestic and international visitors

Increase number of visitors from 145.000 in 2013 to at least300.000 in 2020 Increase the share of international visitors from 23% in 2013 to 50% in 2020

Objective 2: Increase revenues from tourism and commercial activities

Increase the revenues from tourism from 918.600 GEL in 2013 to 4.500.000 GEL in 2020




Increase the share of revenues from sales of products and services other than from entry fees.

Objective 3: Increase overall satisfaction of visitors Increase satisfaction of visitors and decrease complaints Increase the length of stay of visitors

Increase the loyalty – the rate of return visitors to PAs Objective 4: Restructure and use efficiently visitors' infrastructure and develop new tourism products and services in Imereti Caves

Complete basic PA's infrastructure Improve efficiency of use of existing tourism facilities Develop and offer new tourism products and services

Connect/Link Tskaltubo health & spa resort and Imereti Caves PA Objective 5: Develop professional HR team in Imereti caves and provide permanent trainings

Organize & mobilize tourism/hospitality staff Provide permanent trainings of Imereti caves PA staff

Objective 6:Contribute to the development of local communities and stakeholders’ cooperation in Imereti region

Provide local communities and local populationopportunities for business development Strengthen knowledge of local population about Imereti Caves PA and protected areas in

Georgia and their commitment to nature and natural values Contribute to organization and cooperation of tourism stakeholders in Imereti region

Objective 7: Implement sustainable principles and measures and provide services assuring security and safety

Strengthen sustainability measures in Imereti Caves PA Provide comprehensive safety and security measures and action plan

Objective 8: Emphasize and mediate education and awareness rising about nature and

natural values to visitors to Imereti caves Increase the knowledge of nature, natural values and PAs among visitors

Objective 9:Contribute to the image of protected areas and tourism in Georgia

Increase the perception of protected areas in Georgia as tourism destination




11 STRATEGIC PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI

CAVES PROTECTED AREA

11.1 SBU – Strategic Business Unit principle and tourism product

development in Imereti caves

SBU is becoming the guiding principle for development of a cluster of tourism products/activites that

leads to satisfaction of main motive and fulfillment of expectations when visiting a certain tourism destination. Respecting this principle leadsinto:a tourism product specialization, the creation of a unique image of tourism destination and a increase of visitors’ satisfaction and loyalty. The idea of SBU evaluation is the prioritization for strategic development as a basis for investment programs, product development as well as for marketing.

Strategic Business Units (SBUs) are based on core motivations/experiences of visitors.Travellers today have a high degree of experience and pay more attention to what they consume and how they experience the product “journey”; more than the geographic location in general, the experience has priority. This has pushed the tourism industry to stop concentrating only on the product and its

characteristics but on what the visitors look for, what kind of experience, how it is perceived emotionally and on the gap between what they want to see and feel and what they really see and feel.

Experiences make the difference in today’s tourism industry. The personal fulfillment of experiences is the core of what people are looking for. In consequence, the motivation-based approach is applied. So the choice of travel destination today is heavily influenced by how people feel about a place, perceptions of a place, the sense of a place and not of physical characteristics of a place. We have identified 7 different SBUs when evaluating tourism situation and potentials in PAs in Georgia that are today or could become important in the future. Today, the most important SBUs in Georgia

are nature, education & culture and sports & adventure. In the case of Imereti caves nature and education and culture are now the mains SBUs and offer products for visitors looking experiences related to nature and to education and culture. These two SBUs will be dominant also in the future but this plan proposes to get also products that will offer experiences for visitors looking for sports and adventures in Okatse canyon, health experiences (mainly for visitors of Tskaltubo resort) that will enjoy in cave health and spa treatments and additionally some pleasure and fun and entertainment

for minor groups of visitors to increase satisfaction of visitors to Imereti caves.

Each SBU can contain several tourism products – a cluster of complementary products and services offering unique experiences. Development of tourism products focused on the dominant SBU(s) will help developing unique brand of Imereti caves PA, meet expectations of visitors, achieve their satisfaction and loyalty while optimize benefits for PAs and to some extent also for local communities.

After detailed SWOT, value chain, product potentials and market analysis we propose the following tourism product development for Imereti Caves under identified SBUs:




SBU: NATURE

Back to nature, Feel authentic, Going back to origins,

Experience the peace and tranquillity of the natural environment, Seeing wildlife in its

natural habitat, Escaping the urban environment, Learning about natural environment, Absence of crowd, Rest and relaxation

Typical products: National park visits, hiking/bushwalking, wildlife viewing, guided trail walk, bird watching, nature photography, meeting local people, nature park visits

EXISTING PRODUCTS POTENTIAL PRODUCTS MARKET TARGET GROUPS

> Sataplia cave visit

> Sataplia rock trail > Sataplia nature educational

trail > Sataplia colchic forest > Sataplia Jurassic parc with

dinosaur footprints > Prometheus cave visit

> Boat tour in Prometheus cave

> Okatse nature walking trail

> New caves visit > Nature ecological walking

trail > Nature&art education

camps > Recreation in nature > Playgroungs in nature

> Botanical tours > Geological trails > Historical trail

> Soft ecotourists – interested and casual nature visitors

> Special interest visitors (fauna, flora, ethnology,

etc.) > Families > Students

> Children > DINKs (dual income-no

kids)

> Empty nesters

Major attractions in destinations around Imereti caves linked to SBU:

Svaneti, Borjomi Kharagauli National Park, Katskhi pillar

TABLE20: IMERETI CAVES SBU NATURE

SBU: CULTURE & EDUCATION

Deep understanding of local culture and experience of local daily life,

Learn something new, Self-discovery, Meeting new people with similar interest,

Opportunity to be with friends and/or relatives, Having new experience, Being able to tell my friend about my experiences

Typical products: Historical & Archaeological sites, Educational workshops, Meeting local people, Indigenous culture tours, Scientific & research studies, Theme park visits.


> Nature educational trail in Sataplia

> Speleological museum visit

in sataplia > Speleological research

programmes

> Nature educational camps - orientation and survival camps

> Junior rangers and young nature scientists camps

> Art camps > Research and scientific

study and camps > Natural science laboratory

programme

> Learning experience of traditional activities in PAs/NPs

> Ethnological educational

tours > Ethnographical educational

tours > Traditional local crafts,

culture, events > Photographic courses

> Culture focused visitors > Nature visitors with strong

cultural interest > Scientists and Researchers

> Students > Youth and children > Families > Empty nesters




> Photo exhibition trails > Photographic competition

Festival > Story telling programmes

> Myths, legends and history programmes

> Quevri & Wine history


Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Academy, Vardzia, Mgvimevi Monastery, Kutaisi State University, Quevri wine production

TABLE21: IMERETI CAVES SBU CULTURE & EDUCATION

SBU: SPORTS & ADVENTURES

Feel the adrenalin, Experience the limit of your physical strength,

Self-discovery, Having exciting and adventurous experience, Having new experience, Reputation, Opportunity to meet other people with similar interest, Being able to tell

friends about experience

Typical products: Cycling, Four-wheel driving, Canyoning, Rafting, Kayaking, Sport fishing, Horseback riding, Swimming


> Canyoning > Adrenaline view platform in

Okatse > Scenic view platform in

Sataplia

> Canyon hiking trails > Rafting in canyon

> Adventure tours > Kinckha waterfall > Rock climbing > Caving for adrenaline

lovers > Speleological tours

> Cycling

> Adventure parks > Mountain trekking > Zip line > Archery > Demanding nordic walking

trails

> Horseback riding in wilderness

> Mini golf

> Sports and adventure visitors

> Sports and nature

associations & clubs

> Students > DINKs (dual income-no

kids)


Martvili/GochKadili Canyon, Svaneti tours Sport park, stadium and sports hall in Tskaltubo

TABLE22: IMERETI CAVES SBU SPORTS & ADVENTURES




SBU: HEALTH

Be healthy, Live longer, Be fit, Look good, Absence of stress

Typical products: Health and medical treatments, Beauty surgery, Health recovery, National park visits, Soft fitness sport activities (Hiking, Cycling, Cross country skiing, Snowshoeing, etc),

Climate healing, Cave healing,..


> Cave healing & spa > Climate health programmes

> Anti addiction programmes

> Patieints with specific health indications

> Post surgery and medical convalescents

> DINKs (double income – no kids)


Tskaltubo health & spa resort , Clinics and hospitals

TABLE23: IMERETI CAVES SBU HEALTH

PLEASURE SBU:

Slow down life, Enjoy, Lifestyle

Rest and Relaxation, Absence of crowds, Positive previous experience, Reputation, Having new experiences, Opportunity to be with friends and/with relatives; Being able to

tell my friends about my experiences

Typical products: Wellness & Spa programmes, Gastronomic tours, Wine tours and tasting, Meeting local people, Shopping, Sunbathing


> Meditation in cave > Shopping

> Shopping: postcards, T shirts, cups,

caps,..

> Spiritual programmes > Meditation programmes > Wellness (gong therapy, yoga,..) > Bioenergy trail > Fitness > Sunrise/sunset watching

> Sun bath platform > Soft nature walking and hiking trails > Summer kitchen with typical food > Traditional cooking and tasting > Wine tasting

> Soft ecotourists – casual nature visitors

> Young professionals > Social life and network

searching visitors > DINKs (double income –

no kids) > Empty nesters


Wellness & Spa center in Tskaltubo, Khareba wine celler, Shopping in Kutaisi

TABLE24: IMERETI CAVES SBU PLEASURE




SBU: BUSINESS - MICE

Be successful, Having new experience, Reputation

Meeting people with similar interests, Being able to tell my friends about my experiences

Typical products: Conferences, Congresses, fairs and exhibitions, team buildings


> Meetings in conference facilities

> Civil Wedding Ceremony

in caves

> Team buildingprogrammes > Meetings &Incentives

programmes > Fairs & Exhibition programmes

> Workshops > Friends of PA Festival > Science & Research Conferences

> MICE organizers

> International and Domestic Corporations

> Trade and Professional Associations

> DINKs (double income – no kids)


Kutaisi and Tskaltubo hotels; TOs/TAs; Universities

TABLE25: IMERETI CAVES SBU BUSINESS – MICE

SBU: FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

Have fun, Feel ″in″, Having exciting experiences, Meeting new people with similar interest, Being able to tell my friends about my experiences, Share my experiences with

my friends

Typical products: events and festivals, concerts, partying, shopping, nightlife


> Small train trail in Prometheus

> Wedding in cave

> Open days of PA > Events and festivals:

popular events,

celebrations, anniversary

events, etc. > Fun parks for children > Entertainment playgrounds > Concerts > Video & movie

presentations in visitors’

center in Sataplia > Market places and market

days

> Young professionals

> Trend setters and trend followers

> Social life and network seekers

> Students > DINKs > Families > Empty nesters


Casinos, Festivals and concerts in Kutaisi and in Tskaltubo, Sports & Aqua parks in Kutaisi and in Tskaltubo

TABLE26: IMERETI CAVES SBU FUN & ENTERTAINMENT




11.2 Strategic tourism product structure in Imereti caves PA in 2013 and 2020

We concluded that Imereti caves need additional tourism facilities, products and services in order to enable more comfortable visitation of main attraction – karst caves and underground world and to avoid approaching the upper limit of carrying capacities in the year 2020. Additionally we also concluded that additional products and services are needed in order to extend the length of stay and satisfaction of visitors. We formulated these new products and services based on potentials and

visitors’ expectations of experiences when visiting Imereti caves PA. These new products must be attractive, based on their natural and physical characteristics, and competitive, based on characteristics of demand. We evaluated attractiveness and competitiveness of these new products according to their 10 characteristics.Detailed evaluation is presented in Annex 3.Results give us an answer about priority development of new products and servicices and about

weak characteristics that must be improved while preparing projects and developing this new offer to increase attractiveness and achieve the highest competitiveness.

TABLE27: EVALUATION OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF 11 NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SEVRICES IN IMERETI CAVES PA (TOTAL SCORES RANGE FROM 1 TO 100)

PRODUCT ATTRACTIVENESS

(from 1 to 100)

COMPETITIVENESS

(from 1 to 100)

1. Nature Walking Trail 57 66

2. Prometheus cave 3 new halls 51 53

3. Satsurblia spa cave 48 56

4. Navenakhevi visitors cave 47 53

5. Melauri adventure cave 58 54

6. Recreation 51 68

7. Playgrounds 51 62

8. Pleasure & Wellness 57 62

9. Nature&Art camps 58 64

10. Events 53 71

11. Wine ageing & tasting 37 55

Source: Tables in Annex3

Evaluation of attractiveness shows that, at present, average scores of new caves only contribute to natural value and attractiveness while their cultural, educational values still need to be developed.

New caves have also mainly limited possibilities for further development. There are also no other tourism facilities or offer in neighbourhood. From the point of view of competitiveness scores are higher but still not high because of a need for investment and the need for additional employees. New caves contribute more to the image of Imereti caves and will increase satisfaction of visitors but not in the short run. In this respect “soft” tourism products and services like playgrounds, recreation, nature camps, pleasure and event will bring results faster.




It is important to emphasize that all these products will increase satisfaction of visitors, also satisfaction of employees and will not affect natural environment significantly and will be acceptable

also for inhabitants in local communities.

Source: Data from Table 12.

FIGURE 4: LEVEL OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF 11 NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES

Based on evaluation of existing tourism products and services in Imereti caves and motives of visitors to Imereti caves we grouped products in SBU that offer experiences to the visitors that they expect

during their travel. Today, experiencing authentic nature is the prevailing motive of visitors to Imereti caves (for 63%), followed by education and culture with (37%). This high share of the last group of visitors is because of school groups visiting caves as a part of their education programme in schools.

Future development of Imereti caves will be focused on strengthening the main motive- nature - to increase the attractiveness of natural monuments, expose their value and to position Imereti caves on domestic and international market as nature productsand finally to increase the visit numbers to the PA. To increase the value of nature PA administration will develop cave health programmes and wellness programmes in a natural environment. Additionally, PA administration will develop some

programmes to increase satisfaction of visitors and to extend their time when visiting the caves. These new products will also contribute to increase revenues from other sources than only from entrance fees. We don’t expect that these new products offering health, pleasure and entertainment experiences to visitors will contribute more than 10% of overall satisfaction with experience in Imereti caves. Okatse canyon together with Martvili adventure sports programme will address other market target

group than Imereti caves. In this sense, is the decision of APA to organize this nature sports and

adventure center as separate administration fully in accordance with product specialization and target marketing.




TABLE 28: THE STRUCTURE OF VISITORS ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCES THAT THEY EXPECT IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013 AND IN 2020

Imereti caves

Plea

sure

TOTA

L

No

of

visi

tors

Imereti caves 2013 100 145.888

Imereti caves 2020 100 300.000

Hea

lth

Busi

ness

-

MIC

E

Nat

ure

expe

rien

ce

Cult

ure

&

Educ

atio

n

Spor

ts &

Adv

entu

re

Fun

&

Ente

rtai

n-

men

t

63

65

37

27 5 5

Source: Calculated on the basis of APA guest surveys, Information from Imereti caves PA administrations and own estimations

Source: Data from Table 13.

FIGURE 5: THE STRUCTURE OF VISITORS ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCES THAT THEY EXPECT IN IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA IN 2013 AND IN 2020TOURISM STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION MODEL – RESOURCES AND POLICY

11.3 Development and investment projects

Future development of Imereti caves protected area need investment in basic infrastructure, tourism facilties and products and in speleological research and safety and sustainable visitors’ flows. We identified together with PA’s administration the following investment project to be realized in the period untill 2020.

Estimation of total value of identified project is 2.851.600 GEL and total number of all additional employees based on realization of projects in Imereti caves is 21. There are some crucial investment in Imereti caves:

> running water system and supply in Sataplia in order to be able to use PAs’s and tourism facilities in Sataplia

> connecting biking trail on a special track from Tskaltubo health resort to Prometheurs cave in order to connect two most attractive tourist places in Imereti region also for bikers with a safe trail

> opening new caves for visitors > restructure PAs administration buildings and visitors centers for more tourism/revenue

generation use

> develop tourist products to increase satisfaction and extend the length of stay of visitors > research and development projects




TABLE29: OVERVIEW OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS, TOURISM PRODUCTS AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN IMERETI CAVES IN THE PERIOD 2014 – 2020

Basic infrastructure

1 Water reservoirs and system instalations in Sataplia 800,000

2 Defence wall for Sataplia and Prometheus 22,000

Transport, Welcome and Information infrastructure:

3 Restructuring of visitors center in Prometeus cave 50,000

4 Improvement of parking places in Sataplia and Prometheus

5 Investment in access for handicaped visitors in Prometheus50,000

6 Explanatory audio guides in & outside caves

7 Electronic Information boards and kiosks 1,600

8 Electronic ticketing/booking on line system 15,000 1

9 Bike trail Tskaltubo - Prometheus (special track along the road)

10 Bikes parking slots 5,000 2014

Tourism-hospitality infrastructure:

11 Renovation of Sataplia objects/facilities 120,000

12 Expansion of hotel capacities by 2 rooms (up to 10 total) 30,000 5

13 Camping place in Sataplia and Prometheus 30,000 2

14 3 cave halls in Prometeus cave-research 25,000

15 Preparation 3 cave rooms for visitors in Prometeus

16 Preparing for visitation Navenahevi cave 1,000,000 7

17 Preparing for adventure visitation Melauri cave 200,000

18 Preparation for visitation Satsurblia spa cave 250,000

Tourist products and services

19 Nature Eco walking trail (long) 15,000 1

20 Recreation facilities 15,000 1

Arching

Mini golf

21 Nature & Art camps

Short Eco education trail 10,000 1

Art & Photo courses

22 Playgrounds 5,000 1

Find the treasure

Playground for children

23 Pleasure & Wellness 50,000 1

Bioenergetic trail

Meditation platform

Gong meditation/relaxation

Sun bath platform

24 Events 30,000 1

25 Wine aging and tasting

26 Binoculars (2) 3,000 2015

Research & development projects

27 Nature impact monitoring system 50,000

28 Further speleological research 50,000

29 Risk Assessment and Evacuation investment 10,000

30 Carrying capacity assessment of tourist caves 15,000

2,851,600 21

2015

2017

2015

2015

2015/2010

2016/2018

2015

1016/2017

2015

2015

2015/2016

2016/2017

2015

2015

2014/2015

2015

2015/2016

2015

2015

2016/2017

2017

2015

2016

2016

2014

2015

2015

2015

2014

No Value GEL HR neededInvestment project/Tourism ProgrammeStart &

completition year

Source: Workshop with Imereti caves PA administration




Estimation of the value of all projects is 2.851.600 GEL. If we assume yearly increase of revenues from tourism in Imereti caves by 30% this would mean that at the end of 2020 cummulative amount

of revenues will be 18.240.000 GEL (starting with 1.43 million GEL revenues in 2015). In the same period 2015-2020, with yearly increase of operating costs by 2.5% cumulative amount of costs will be 5.500.000 GEL (starting with 850.000 GEL operational costs in 2015). This simple calculation shows

that Imereti caves will generate in next 6 years net revenue of about 12.740.000 GEL and it is obvious that with these anticipated net revenues PA administration and APA can cover all investment costs of upper listed projects. In spite of this positive revenue/costs balance with simplified calculation,it is recommended that Imereti caves will seek co-financingfor their projects, also with financial support of international donors especially for infrastructure and for research and development projects.

11.4 HR – Human resource, education and trainings

Imereti caves PA is the most tourism oriented protected area in Georgia and this position will be even more prominent in the future by setting ambitious objectives and expecting significant results in

increase of number of visitors and in revenues from tourism. Assessment of HR showed a big lack of professional hospitality staff. Imereti caves PA administration employs two visitors specialists and nine tour guides as tourism/hospitality staff. In order to manage already existing tourism facilities and products and services and to meet further development requirements tourism/hospitality HR must be significantly increased in quantity and

quality (knowledge and experiences) to perform at high professional standards that are necessary to achieve the set objectives. We estimate that Imereti caves need the following permanent profiles in tourism and hospitality (12 persons):

Tourism – Hospitality head manager, also deputy head of PA’s administration- responsible to update, implelemnt and monitor tourism development strategy,marketing plans, brand

development, organization of work of tourism - hospitality staff, cooperation with other organizations like GNTA, GITOA, DMO, Association of Friend of PAs,TO/TA, MICE, Associations, etc and is responsible for results from tourism activities;

Revenue manager & controller – plan and monitor revenues from tourism, propose price,

concession and lease policy, propose contracting conditions for TOs and other partners, monitor electronic booking system functioning and results, controls costs and analyse deviations from plans;

Marketing head manager – organize, implement and monitor promotion and marketing activities abroad and in Georgia, development and use of promotion materials, realization of promotion and marketing tools and distribution channels, monitor work with tourism corporate and individual markets, organize visitors centers, CRM – customer relation management, organize and coordinate work of promotion and marketing staff in PA, organize work of tour guides, organize visitors statistics and guest survey analysis and is responsible for results

from tourism marketing activities; Corporate marketing specialist – implement activities related to corporate market: TOs,

Hotels, institutions; Individual marketing specialist – responsible for promotion and marketing on individual

markets, implement and evaluate promotion and marketing activities abroad and in Georgia; MICE marketing specialist and protocol – organizer of event, meetings, incentives and leader

of protocol at the occasion of high level visits;

Web and E- promoter - marketer (for on-line marketing tools) – responsible for development

of electronic promotion and communication tools, work with electronic booking system, use, updating and direct marketing with e-tools;

Tourism product, services and quality standards developer – responsible for tourism products and services development, maintenance of these products, their proper use, development of quality standards for these products, monitor quality of performed services;

Accommodation, F&B and other facilities manager–responsible for operation of capacities and

facilities with own staff, monitoring operations of capacities and facilities on management contracts and concessions;

Accommodation, F&B and other facilities assistants – employees for hotel and camp management, cafes and restaurant operations, shops operations, etc;




Tourism animator and products and services on site promoter – monitor visitors flows, propose visitors to use products and services of PA, story teller, help groups, visitors that

need help, children to play while waiting and perform suggestive sales and post sales activites;

Tourist information specialists – responsible for collection of relevant information,

management of these information (classification, data base organization, distribution for promotion and marketing use) and to deliver information to customers directly or indirectly;

Tour guides – lead tour groups in caves and on trails in PA 21 persons will be additionally necessary after realization of investment projects and further tourism products development in PA. All together, it seems that optimal number of employees in Imereti caves PA will be around 70-75 persons

The PA should have additionallypart time and seasonal staff. They could be students trained for information management and delivery and available for mainly summer season and for information service on fairs and exhibitions. High demand in the peak season is for tourist guides for guiding in protected areas. There is also a need for animators and event support. Besides, seasonal tourism-hospitality facility staffcould also be contracted to work in facilities (accommodation, F&B, shops etc.).

In order to strengthen commitment of employees and to introduce more motivation for innovative, entrepreneurial and customer oriented work HR policy should incorporate:

> Recruitment policy stressing the personal qualities needed to pursue a career in this service industry;

> Recognition that payment of low wages undermines the objective of providing a quality product;

> Improvement of the working conditions of staff; > Provision of lifelong personal development programmes > Development of career paths and professional recognition in co-operation with training bodies

and vocational educational establishments; > The acquisition of transferable skills across the sector; > Reduction of seasonality and increase permanent employment; > Provision of non-monetary incentives as for example public acknowledgement and awards,

study visits abroad, free training courses, etc. Efficient work in hospitality requires permanent education and trainings – lifelong learning. We indicate some of themes for trainings to be delivered to tourism and hospitality staff in APA and PAs

administration and service providers: > Hosting and welcoming visitors (hospitality)

> Information management and delivering information > Marketing and sales > Suggestive sales > Corporate marketing and support to TO/TA > Use of e-promotion media > CRM – customer relations management > Animation and event organization

> Tourism product development > Team work and stakeholders cooperation > Management of tourism facilities (basic) > Tourism Guiding > Rangers training about hospitality and delivering information (basic) > Foreign languages

Several training courses could be developed by Universities in close cooperation with trade association, professionals and practitioners. Involvment of Universities is important also from the point

of view of recruiting educated staff and to provide seasonal staff. Trainings should be practice oriented with presentation of good practices and site visits. Very good results in HR development give also study visits of other PAs in Georgia, to similar or twin PAs abroad.




11.5 Imereti caves PA budget and revenes

Imereti caves operated in 2013 with total budget of approximately 350.000 GEL. 75% of total

operational budget are labour costs and the rest operational costs for maintenance, electricity, communal costs and similar. On the other side, revenue from tourism accounted in 2013 918.000 GEL.

TABLE30: OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND COMMERCIAL REVENUES OF IMERETI CAVES FOR 2013/2014 AND ESTIMATION OF BUDGET AND COMMERCIAL REVENUES AFTER INVESTMENT PROJECTS, NEW PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMING FULL TOURISM FUNCTIONS

Cost item/Revenues 2013/14 - GEL 2020 - GEL

Salaries permanent employees 210.000 550.000

Salaries seasonal employees 50.000 75.000

Costs of operations 90.000 150.000

Marketing 0 85.000

Toral Costs 350.000 860.000

Total Revenues 918.000 4.500.000

Net revenues 568.000 3.640.000 Source: Estimations based on data of Imereti caves PA administration and own calculations

Optimal budget was estimated under assumptions that all investment projects and new products will be realized with 21 new employees. For tourism and hospitality operations we proposed 12 additional employees. In Imereti Caves would be alltogether 74 employees. We calculated also 50% increase of

salaries. Increase of costs for operations were calculated on the basis of new investment and general need to increase maintenance. To budget of Imereti Caves we added also costs for marketing in the amount of 10% of total operational budget. Total budget to cover operational budget of Imereti caves would amount to 860.000 GEL per year. In so called optimal year Imereti Caves should achieve yearly revenues between 4.500.000 – 5.300.000 GEL. Net revenues in Imereti caves would be more than 3,640.000 GEL per year.

11.6 Promotion and marketing

Promotion and marketing is essential for successful tourism development of Imereti Caves PA and for achievement of development objectives in 2020. Promotion and marketing must be focused on individual and corporate market – mainly on TOs, on brand development and image building on

domestic and international market. The first step in this direction is to allocate at least10% additional operational budget of Imereti caves for promotion and marketing. APA and Imereti caves PA administrations should develop marketing strategy and operational plans for Imereti Caves, develop logo of Imereti Caves as subordinated logo of APA and implement planned

promotional and marketing activites. There are already all major elements of promotion and marketing presented in the action plan at the end of this document and give the possibility to start implementing them already in 2015.

Imereti Caves PA should perform promotion and marketing with their own staff, mostly independently but in coordination and also jointly with APA and GNTA.

GNTA is developing national tourism strategy and there is much room for appropriate positioning of PAs in the document and in promotion of Georgia on international markets. Imereti Caves as the most tourism exposed protected area in Georgia should be one of the icons of Georgian tourism and GNTA’stourism promotion.




Imereti caves should integrate and contribute to APA and GNTA promotion and marketing: > Use of Georgia tourism logo and APA logo on promotional and marketing materials

> Participation on tourism fairs organized by GNTA and APA with a desk, materials and information person

> Presence with APA and GNTA on information stands on airports in Georgia

> Stronger presence of Imereti caves and Georgian PAs in GNTA promotional materials > Use of GNTA FAM trips of media and TOs/TAs to visit Imereti caves > Use of market intelligence information of GNTA and APA for marketing planning and

performing > Active participation in DMOs development and functioning in Imereti region > Joint awareness rising activities (about nature, clean environment, use of natural and cultural

resources, etc.)

11.6.1 Information and promotion materials

APA has produced basic informationmaterial for Imereti caves – map and presentation of Sataplia Nature Reserve and Prometheus Cave. It is obvious that protected areas need more information and promotion materials – some for mass distribution and some for special target markets.

When planning production of information & promotion materials it should be considered that majority of nowadays tourists get information from internet, social media or other electronic tools. Therefore, printing of expensive materials and their free distribution should be rather limited. For Imereti Caves it is also important to address properly corporate market – group visitors visiting caves by TOs. Imereti caves PA should produce followingprinted materials:

> Image brochure > Short 2 page leaflet of both caves for mass distribution > Travel agents salesfolder for corporate market – TOs/TAs > Postersfor selected-limited distribution to TOs/TAs, schools, etc. > Roll-upsfor selected-limited use on temporary, ad-hoc presentations > Awareness raising and education leaflets with code of conduct in PAs (for mass distribution) > Yearly report and magazine for corporate and institutional market

Photo monographs of Imereti caves isimportant image and promotion materials and could be used as promotional gift, as image tool and also for selling in visitor centers and bookshops in Georgia. Imereti Caves could also prepare and support production of Speleological Imereti Caves Magazine

with promotional, professional and scientific character. Electronic information & promotion tools:

> Web site of Imereti caves with link/as a part of APA website > Video of Imereti Caves > Video spots of Imereti Caves > Radio messages and communication > All printed materials available also on web site in e-form > Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Flickr

It is important to underline that website must be constantly updated,respond fast and clear to questions and inquiries, and social media presence should be permanently administered/interactively communicated. Electronic information and explanatory boards, kiosks and touch screens are manily on the site electronic tools that offer information to visitors, give explanations and also promote products and

services that Imereti Caves offer to visitors.

Products – gadgets& souvenirsare promotional materials and sales products. There could be a wide range of such products. Imereti Caves and APA could organize a tender/contest to collect ideas, proposals and models of such products. After selection of such products with APA & Imereti Caves logo,they would be available for sale in visitor centers and shops bringing benefits to producers, Imereti Caves and APA. Some examples of such products:

> T – shirts > Caps > Cups > Badges




> Scarves > Flag

> Postcards > Calendars (wall and table) > DVDs

> Local products Imereti Caves will participate on fairs, exhibitions or workshops individually or/and together with APA and GNTA. Therefore, PA’s administration must design and developtypical fair stand/booth or information stand to be used on fairs and other presentations.

11.6.2 Promotion, Marketing and Sales

Individual tourist market represent the majority of international visitors to Georgia and to protected areas – 85% or even more are individuals, organizing their trip by themselves: getting information mainly from internet (not only from APA's web site but also from web sites of TOs/TAs, Sports & Adventures associations and social media), and also from fairs, from relatives or friends and magazins.Hard ecotourists learn about PAs they plan to visit from professional brochures, guide

books, articles and similar sources. They organize part of their trip at home the other part when arriving at the destination. When coming to destination – to Georgia, they can travel alone or use ground operators – Georgian TOs that take smaller groups on tours across Georgia. This is the segment of international visitors that together wth domestic visitors form 70% of visitors that come to Imereti Caves in groups.

International promotion and marketing is important for Imereti Caves. It brings international recognition of the caves, increases the basic motive to visit Georgia, contributes to the image of Georgian tourism and attracts professional special market groups to visit Imereti Caves: speleologists, nature caves lovers, scientists, researchers and similar. Marketing on international markets will have very low direct effects on individual travellers – we can assume that very few individuals will decide to visit only Imereti Caves in Georgia except from

neighbouring foreign markets – Turkey, Armenia or Azerbaijan. We can expect significant indirect effect of this international marketing: when visiting Georgia these travellers will decide to visit also Imereti Caves when touring or having holidays in Georgia.

International marketing should be focused on corporate market: international TOs who organize travel to Georgia and is important that they plan also a visit to Imereti Caves andinternational and national speleological associations and organizations that will directly plan to visit to Imereti Caves to discover

new attractive underground attractiveness and natural value. For international marketingthe use of electronic media is getting more and more important and influential and is a must forefficient marketing.Tourist fairs and exhibitions are still important promotion and marketing channels especially when providing business exchange.Presentation on some big international fairs like ITB, FITUR, BIT, WTM or MITTis organized by GNTA andAPA as well as

Imereti caves should attend them on GNTA stand. Very interesting are some other target markets Baltic countries, Poland, Israel, neighbouring countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.There are some specialized fairs and exhibitions specialized in nature, sports and adventure.The list of several specialized fairs is in Annex 4. FAM – familiariazation trips of international TOs represent direct marketing with important providers of international visitors and as already stated, it is important to present them directly the

attractiveness, advantages and benefits visiting Imereti Caves. International TOs are preparing tour

programmes for international visitors when visiting Georgia and marketing activities should achieve that Imereti Caves are one of destinations for these international visitors in Georgia. FAM- familiarization trips of international journalists and media is another promotion and marketing channel for individual market as well as indirectly also for corporate – group market. Good selection of professional media and known journalist or writer is needed in relation with target

countries. FIJET – International Federation of Tourist Journalists and Writers and country chapters can help in elaborating this task.




Tour operators or travel agents sales folder or manualwill give tothe corporate marketall basic information about tourism products and services that they can use when developing tourist packages

for certain travel destination. TO/TA sales folder or manual should include factsheets about Imereti caves protected areas, short descriptions with maps, contacts information,tourism products and services (accommodation, F&B, trails, availableequipment to rent, short description with contact of

local/regional tourism stakeholders offering tourism and tourism related products and services (accommodation, F&B, transport, ground TOs/TAs, calendar of main events, basic information about the country (surface, population, political system, economic figures, currency) and useful information (embassies, police, emergency, airports, railway and bus stations, air carriers, weather etc.). It is important to have reliable and updated information. Prices for products and services are tentative only and are usually printed on a separate sheet and inserted in manual when needed. Good example of sales manual is the one of Postojna cave: http://www.postojnska-jama.eu/assets/pdf-2014-

dalje/prirocnik-2015/PJ-Prirocnik-2015-AN-MAIL.pdf. A list international TOs focused on nature and caving tourism with their web sites is given in Annex 4. They could be addressed and invited to FAM trips to Georgiawith intention to establish business cooperation.

Promotion and marketing activities of Imereti caves PAon domestic market in Georgia are

focusedon international and domestic visitors, on individual and to group visitors. We stated already that majority of international visitors arrive to Georgia on individual basis, but majority of them visit Imereti Caves by local TOs when having holidaysfor tourism in Georgia. As a consequence, cooperation with Georgian TOs is the most important marketing/sales channel for Imereti Caves. The PA stated during workshops that they had an agreement with 35 Georgian TOs to

include Imereti Caves in their tour programmes. This cooperation must be intensified and enlarged in the future. Therefore, we propose in the action plan several activities how to strengthen this market. To increase interest to visit Imereti caves either individually or by Georgian TOs it is important to promote caves in tourism resorts and hotels in Tskaltubo, in Batumi and Black Sea, in Kutaisi and in Tbilisi. Personal visits of marketing staff and a corporate folder of Imereti Caves with FAM trips will give the best sales results. APA and Imereti caves PA should also work more closely with GITOA – Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association.

Significant share of group visitors are pupils and students from schools, colleges and universities. This market has limited growth potential but can perform a stable increase each year. These groups need only more balanced distribution of their visitation to Imereti caves during the year as they now are too

much concentrated in the month of June. Direct meetings with schools and involvement of Ministry of Education with support of APA would solve this problem.

Incentive visits for management of big companies and institutions to Imereti caves would be also very useful. PA’ administration can offer programmes for management meetings in their conference facilities in natural environment, team building programmes, visits caves of business partners of these companies, etc. Important communication and marketing tool for international and domestic marketing isPR – Public

Relations and Guest relations many times named also CRM - Customer Relations Management. CRM professionals prepare information and distribute them to general or specific target audience: media, TOs/TAs, corporate market, political/administrative community, business community, international PAs community and also to local – internal community of PAs in Georgia. They manage complaints and problems of visitors, they register visitors' comments, proposals and praises. CRM professionals are responsible for post sales activities and for increase of loyalty of visitors.

Advertising should be concentrated on travellers on main road connecting Black Sea and Tbilisi with

jumbo panels – billboards and on airports. Efficient promotion tool can be visitors’ card which supports promotion, increase awareness rising, increase visitation and loyalty and contribute to revenues of PAs. If APA developsFriends of Georgia

Protected Areas Card – a membership card with yearly membership fee and promotional gift for domestic and international market Imereti caves should introduce this card too. In order to increase visitation and to improve management of visitation to Imereti caves – to avoid masses, waiting time and dissatisfaction Imereti caves should introduce electronic booking system that would first of all enable tour operators to plan their visits to caves in advance.




11.7 Organization of PA’s managementand stakeholders’ cooperation

Georgia has centralized system of nature conservation, protection and management. APA – Agency of protected areas was established as a legal entity under public law in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia and started operations in February 2008.The Agency’s primary responsibility is to manage Georgia’s strict nature reserves, national parks, natural monuments, managed reserves, protected landscapes, biosphere reserves, world heritage sites and

wetland sites of international importance. The objective of the Agency is to improve the management of protected areas, ensure functionality of territorial administrations, supervise the process of following legally established regulations and to plan, create and develop new protected areas. Imereti Caves PA has territorial administration within APA and has very littleindependence. This centralized organization has a strong advantage especially when we consider fast developing nature

conservation, the need for uniform nature protection and management policy, building unique image of protected areas in Georgia and efficient synergic management. This advantage is obvious also from the point of view of the lack of professional leadership and management knowledge and experiences to run PAs. There are also disadvantages of centralized system resulting mainly in long procedures

and slow decision making processes that affect primarily more advanced and active PAs with more innitiatives.

Tourism is a market oriented activity requiring entrpreneurship, innitiatives, fast decision making and intensive promotion, marketing and sales. Tourism requires more independent management whereresponsibilities and obligations are clearly set and procedures for decision making more flexible. In our case it is expected that APA will devolve more responsibilities to Imereti Caves PA'sadministration and also bind administration to achieve planned results.The devolution process should be step by step enabling smooth transition of responsibilities and successful acceptance of

obligations. The devolution process in Imereti caves PA should start on the following areas: > Employment and HR management: enabling PAs administration to develop strong and

efficient tourism/hospitality team, recruiting staff based on professional criteria respecting also local/regional origin of candidates; employment of seasonal staff; develop criteria and provide incentives on top of basic salaries according to achieved results of employees; education, trainings and study visits;

> Tourism and hospitality facilities use and management: organize management of hospitality facilities by own permanent staff and seasonal staff, organize flexible opening time,

identify potential local/regional providers of products and services important for PA, negotiate and propose agreements with subcontractors, being able to engage subcontractors in the case of vis major – accident, damage of PA's facilities, etc.;

> Revenue and price policy: provide flexible price policy, introduce products on the market, negotiate and propose agreements' conditions with TOs and other organizations and

institutions; > Cooperation with local/regional communties and partners: participate and support local

innitiatives, actively participate in Tskaltubo resort DMO, provide initiatives to municipalities, enable local communities and population to know Imereti Caves better, role of protected areas and possibilities that visitsto Imereti caves offer for business development to local population;

> Dispose of certain share of yearly budget: for operational promotion and marketing, for smaller maintenance of tourism and hospitality facilities, for trainings and study visits, for local

innitiatives and cooperation, for small purchases. Imereti caves PA administration must develop strong tourism/hospitality department in order to achieve tourism objectives. In this sense, basic organization of Imereti caves PA’s administration should consist of:

> Management (head, deputy head and revenue manager & controller)

> Marketing and sales (promotion material, marketing, rezervations, on site sales, cashiers,...) > Nature protection and sustainability (environment specialist, rangers,…) > Products and services development (attractions – caves, trails, recreation, pleasure, health,

nature camps, etc. development) > Hospitality facilities management (hotel and other accommodation, restaurants, cafes,

shops,...) > Supporting services (maintenance, parking,…)




Cooperationwith stakeholders on national, regional and local level is important for Imereti caves from the point of view of promotion, sales, image and relations-cooperation building. On

national level GNTA and GITOA are the most important for Imereti Caves. On regional – destination level GNTA should proceed with establishment of regional DMOs – Destination Management Organizations where PAs should be one of important stakeholders. In Tskaltubo there is already

Tskaltubo resort DMO where Imereti Caves should participate and cooperate in joint development of Tskaltubo destination with healt& spa and nature – Imerety Caves. On local level relations should consist of cooperation with municipalities and their tourism departments and TICs that are local extension of GNTA. Imereti Caves should cooperate also with universities and research centers and support innitiatives to establish HORECA associations of hotels, restaurants, cafes, guides, etc.

Association of Friends of Protected Areais local initiative in some regions. Some protected areas in Georgia have initiated establishment of Association Friends of PA with an aim to develop and offer some products and services for visitors instead of PAs administration and to support fundraising for PAs’ related activities. This would enable PAs to get additional financial resources indirectly for tourism products and services development as they cannot perform commercial activities. Associations

gathermembers with interest in developing tourism products and services in close relations with PAs

and are located in or in neighbouring area of PAs. Imereti Caves PA does not meet the same situation like nearly all other PAs in Georgia where Association of Friends of PAs were established. Therefore, the role of such association should be different in the case of Imereti Caves. The mission of Association of Imereti Caves PA should be focused on support to nature protection and sustainable development, strengthnening the

commitment to natural values with card of Friends of PAs in Georgia, awareness rising, and promotion of PA. It would be reasonable to establish such association if APA supports development of these associations and establish network ofAssociations of Friends of PA on national level with Federation/Union of Associations of Friends of PA of Georgia.

11.8 Quality standards andbrand development

Development of marketing strategy for Imereti caves PA must be based on high quality of facilities, products and services. Nowadays all tourism product and service providers and destinations look for excellence in quality. Excellence in quality is the only possibility to achieve satisfaction of visitors and

consequently willingenes to pay higher prices. Therefore, there are quality standards and trainings to achieve them, there are quality competitions, awards, and other actions locally and nationwide. Handbooks are prepared to describe these standards, symbols and visual identification systems are

developed to expose good, better excellent products and services and differentiate providers and destinations. High quality of products and services is one of priorities in tourism development in protected areas in Georgia. Basics for quality are standards that products and services have to achieve to be competitive and to satisfy consumers. Imereti Caves PA should develop and implement such standards for whole

variety of products and services for visitors. This range of Imereti Caves offer starts with the equipment, arrangement and guidance in caves and on trails and can reach products that are sold in shops in visitor centers or other shops being certified with Imereti caves label. Based on such standards the PA administration should develop a quality management and certification system. Certification is on voluntary basis for external (non Imereti caves PA) providers of products and services but includes conditions for cooperation with PA.

Quality standards could be introduced for: > Cave and nature trails > Accommodation > Food and beverage facilities > Transport > Service providers: guides, museum, recreation, events, etc.

> Shops > Typical products from PA or area around PA (herbs, fruit, crafts, souvenirs, etc.)




Standards enable monitoring of quality, reliable promotion, and image and brand development. Quality standards should consider the following elements:

> Technical quality - standards (quality and safety of trails, illumination, the size of the room in hotel, restaurant, variety and the quality of equipment, WC and bathroom, corridors and similar)

> Functional quality (places with view and interpretation, inner places and outside in good order, responsiveness, professional and hospitality of staff, good communication, language skills, accessibility on general and for disabled persons, products well designed and packed, information available, etc)

> Commitment to environment (consistency with cave structure and materials, use of natural materials, ecologically produced products, traditional habits and culture, rational use of energy and rare resources)

> Knowledge of PA Evaluation of products and services is done with evaluation questionnaires and valid for 2 years. Certified products and services are registered and can use Imerety Caves and APA logo. Quality standards and certification should be publically promoted and acknowledged assupport to entrepreneurship and local development. Quality standards are also the basis for brand development.

Based on quality standards and other attributes of protected areas the highest level of market image positioning and differentiation of Imereti Caves is brand development. It is a task of marketing strategy and requires long development, testing and implementation process. Here are 4 basic considerations about brand development of Imereti Caves.

OBJECTIVE CONTENT

Differentiate Imereti caves from its competitors;

Geographical location (Caucasus), No other caves in the range of 1.000 kilometers, Dinosaur footprints, Historical facts and legends: Jason and golden fleece,

Increase awareness and recognition, and therefore memorability of Imereti caves over time amongst potential visitors;

Strengthening the competitive advantages; unique underground mystery, dinosaur footprints, high quality standards and certificates, high safety standards, on-line monitoring of visitors’ impact in caves, increased awareness about Imereti caves and PAs in Georgia.

Create a positive image for

Imereti caves that makes people responsive to promotion and marketing;

Define marketing and communication strategy with corporate

identity – logo and communication tools; creative use of communication/marketing tools and channels, systematic, consistent and permanens market communication;

Give the PAs strong and compelling brand identity

Define the personality, culture (values), physical evidences of Imereti caves, consumer (visitor) experience, reflections of

consumer (visitor), relationship (Imereti caves-visitor) and provide identification of local population with brand identity.

Source: Handbook on Tourism Destination Branding (2009)

TABLE31: BASIC PHASES IN BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Successful tourism branding requires brand management with brand manager, brand steering group,

internal communication to employees and trainingsand monitoring of the brand’s impact through

customer feedback and market research.

11.9 Revenue policy

Imereti Caves PA is the only protected area in Georgia that is fully tourism oriented withvery

goodtourism infrastructure and equipement, and has reached very fast increase of visitor numbersin last years. Total revenues from toruism were 918.000 GEL in 2013 and might reach 1.200.000 GEL in 2014. Revenues from tourism originate for 90% from entrance fees and the rest from concessions for




shops and catering in Sataplia and Prometheus. Imereti caves contribute 90% to overall revenues from tourism of all protected areas in Georgia.

Main revenues in Imereti Caves are from entrance fees which are set rigid not considering possible differentiation regarding age, season, type of visitors. Besides, the variety of additional offer of

products and services, accommodation, catering, shopping is very limited and does not contribute to the revenues of Imereti Caves as much as they could, or as much as this offer contributes in some other tourism oriented caves. For example in Postojna cave in Slovenia the share of revenues from entrance fees is 59% and revenues from other products and services41 %. In Škocjan UNESCO cave in Slovenia as another example, entrance fees represent 60% of all revenues, the rest 40% are revenues from state budget and international - EU projects. The share of revenues from tourism reaches on average up to 25% of total budget of protected areas in developed countries.

Imereti caves PA administration with strong support of APA must therefore look for additional financial resources where revenues from commercial – mainly tourism related activities are contributing more and more to overall budges of Imereti Caves and APA. Revenues of Imereti caves should origin from the following potential sources:

> Governmental funding for nature conservation, protection and management

> Entrance fees for visitors > User fees for products and services offered, events and special – VIP services > Concessions and lease for speleological healing and wine aging > Packages for visitors (transport, visit of a cave, event, product-souvenir; wellness-pleasure,

wine tasting; nature & art camps; etc > Accommodation in hotel and camps

> Meetings (MICE) services and equipment > Equipment rental (lockers, bikes, stks for Nordic walking, ...) > Food sales in cafes, restaurants and stores > Merchandise sales (Imereti Caves products, souvenirs, > Internet access, WIFI > Membership or alliance cards if Friends of Georgia Protected Areas Card will be introduced by

APA

> Sales or/and licencing of intellectual property for photos, videos, texts > Parking > Cross product selling (accommodation in Tskaltubo resort & visit of Imereti caves; > Cross-marketing with bigger companies (for example water, internet provider, mobile service

provider,...) > Public investment (investment in running water supply in Sataplia, fence around PA)

> Private sector initiatives (products and services in local communities linked to Imereti caves) > Technical assistance projects from bilateral and multilateral sources > Sponsorship > Donations > Voluntourism (which is in fact cost reducing and not revenue generating) of local population in

the field of assistance to rangers, aweareness rising about nature, waste management, etc.

Imereti caves have entrance feefor Prometheus cave, for boat trip as exit possibility in Prometheus cave, for Sataplia cave and nature trails. Entrance fees are all the year the same, they differ only for pupils and students – half of entrance ticket for adults. There is special entrance fee for VIP events (wedding in cave, meditation in cave, small group or individual visit with guide). TOs have free entrance for their tour guide. We propose to have additional groups: tickets for families, retired persons and multi-entry tickets. We

also propose to differentiate price for tickets for high season and off season.

Simulation with higher entrance fees for July and August show that there would be 12% increase of total revenues – instead of 918.000 GEL in 2013 there would be 1.028.000 GEL. Peak summer entrance fees would be:




2013 Jul&Aug

GEL GEL

Pupils&Students 3,5 5

Familes 14 20

Adults 7 10

Avg price 6,16 8,8

Entrance tickets

TABLE32: IMERETI CAVES ENTRANCE FEE

Products and services offered to visitors of Imereti caves should be more numerous, should be adopted to short stay of visitors – even food should be already prepared for sale in cafes and shops and should be attractively packed and presented.

We propose some examples of additional offer for services, shopping, accommodation and catering:

Sports&Recreation GEL Wellness&Pleasure GEL Shop GEL

Stiks for nordic walking 2 Gong therapy 10 Imereti caves brochure 7

Badminton 4 Bioenergetic guided tour10 Coin - Sataplia dinosaur 1

Volley ball 4 Meditation guided in nature10 Postcard 1

Baskett ball (4 basket) 4 Wine tasting 15 T shirt 8

Archery 4 Packages for Tskaltubo 15 Cap 5

Mini golf 4 Calender wall 10

DVD Imereti caves

Packed food

Packed sweets

Souvenirs

TABLE33: IMERETI CAVES ADDITIONAL OFFER

Hotel & AccommodationGEL Cafe & Restaurant GEL Cafe & Restaurant GEL

Hotel half board 70 Coffee 3 Croisson 2

Camp half board 25 Tea 2 Hot dog 3

Conference room - 1 day100 Water 1 Toast 3

1/2 day 60 Ice tea 2 Sendwich 3

Rent laptop 50 Limonade 2 Boiled egg 2

Rent projector 50 Coca Cola 3 Salad 5

Coffee break 6 Bier 3 Matsone 3

Lunch/Dinner 15 Wine - glass 2 Fruit basket 3

Hachapuri (1/6) 1 Ice cream 2

Daily soup - vegi 4 Pop corn 1

Daily soup - meat 4 Peanuts/Wollnuts 2

French fries 3 Churchela

Crep 4 Small chocolates

Cheese 5

TABLE34: IMERETI CAVES ADDITIONAL OFFER FOR HOTEL




Concession policy and practice depend on the role of public and private sector in PAs management. Public administration – central or local of a certain protected area has to take care primarily about:

Environmental protection Infrastructure building and maintenance (roads, energy, ICT, sanitation) Trails, camping places, shelters,observation platforms, etc

Security and safety Monitoring of impacts and evaluation of quality Managing access and visitors flows Information (visitors centers, nature interpretation) Conflict resolution

The private sector’s role is to provide accommodation and food, transportation, information, media

(books, videos, etc.) guiding, site promotion and advertising, products (equipment, clothes, souvenirs) and personal services, etc. The private sector provides products and services that tourists need and enjoy while visiting protected areas and ensure a comfortable stay in or in close neighbourhood of protected areas. Imereti Caves PA differs from other protected areas in Georgia. Caves are open to visitors with very

good infrastructure and developing products and services. Imereti caves attract many visitors and

have big revenues from visiting tourist. APA has had organized tenders to give in concession hospitality facilities (hotel, restauranf and café, shops) with small success. Visitors are complaining that there is nearly no additional offer especially when they have to wait to enter the cave. The hotel is closed, the conference room is closed, and the catering offer is poor. We propose that Imereti Caves PA administration takes over management of all products and services

including tourism and hospitality ones: accommodation, catering and shops.With own management Imereti Caves PA and APA can benefit from tourism activities significantly, with a midterm increase the economic value of tourist site and achieve much better position for negotiations with potential concessionaires when the site and tourism are well developed, with recognized image, high quality products and well developed domestic and international market of visitors. The only concession or lease would be in the case of speleological healing and wine ageing for which Tskaltubo health resort and Khareba winery as for example would be capable to manage.

To develop and manage complete tourism and hospitality offer together with visit of caves and natural monuments is the optimal solution for development of highly recognized tourism site, with unique image and brand. This is also the only way how to increase revenues from tourism as revenues from

entrance fee can increase only when number of visitors is increasing. Increase of prices for entrance tickets is not recommended, to have higher prices for international visitors is not advisable and

acceptable. APA and Imereti caves PA should give in this case in concession speleological healing and wine ageing as for both Imereti caves PA administration is not equipped and trained – capable to manage. If management of all attractions and commercial tourism facilities of Imereti Caves PA is not possible/acceptableto the PA’s administration, then concession should be considered with 2

alternatives. The first alternative is to give in concession the complete protected area with attractions and tourism facilities. In this case a profound estimation of potential revenues should be done in order to negotiate the concession fee as well as all other rights and obligations in the concessions agreement/contract. Another alternative is to give in concession the visitors center (or both centers at Prometheus cave and Sataplia) as one package and tourism hospitality complex in Sataplia as another package. In both alternatives separate negotiation and contract should be agreed for speleological healing and wine ageing.

There are 5 principles of concession policy that need to be respected before its implementation.

> First is concessionaire qualification with financial capacity, tourism experience, educational level and language ability.

> Then come legal responsibility with length of contract, late or non-payment of the fee, facility ownership, environment damage, fines and contract non-fulfilment.

> Third is financial responsibility with financial insurance mechanisms, concession – user fee, Income requirements and maintenance/repair reservations.

> Environmental responsibility is the next section with infrastructure development, monitoring plan, use of scarce resources, alternative energy use and waste management and risk analysis.




> The last principle is social responsibility that reflects the attitude towards local communities and population: capacity building, local employment, community assessment and revenue

sharing and local business involvement. Concession contracts must include as minimum:

Minimum and compulsory operating hours Range of services Level and standards for customer services Environmental practices Pricing policy if PA has monopoly position or there is competition Public access to facilities Infrastructure maintenance responsibilities

Safety and sustainability requirements Signage - indoor and outdoor Advertising Staff and operations accreditation/licensing standards Design of facilities using local and natural materials Monitoring of concession contract and operation

Concession fee and payment mechanism

Duration of contract Guarantees - financial for accidents or damage Consequences if contract/concession fails

The concession fee can be based on different principles. The most usual would be to set the flat annual fixed fee plus flexible fee as a percentage of all revenues on monthly basis or even fixed

amount per customer served. The fee could increase in time. Concession contracts should be agreed for 10 to 15 years with possibility for extension and with clause for immediate termination in the case of violation the rules. Concession policy contracting and monitoring should be done by APA centrally.

11.10 Sustainable tourism policy

Visitors of Imereti caves protected areas complains about too much crowd from time to time but visitor denisity is only one aspect of sustainable management of protected area. There is a question of

waste management, environmentally and socially responsible behaviour of visitors, use of energy, scares natural resources like water, etc.

Carrying capacities There has been no professional evaluation of carrying capacities done for Imereti caves. Some estimations state that even 4 times more visitors can enter in caves as compared to visits in peak month – June.

As long there is no professional evaluation of carrying capacities done international comparison could be a satisfactory indicator of possibilities to expand tourist numbers to Imereti caves. In the table below we compared visits to Prometheus cave with visits to Postojna cave in Slovenia. Comparisson of number of visitors per length of Imereti caves,average daily visitors in a year or in summer season month show that Imereti Caves have a potential to increase visitation byat least 2 times. With improved management of visitors’ flows throughout the year, better daily scheduling of groups and increase use of additional products and services there will be more room for increasing visitor

numbers without negative impact on nature and environment. With extension of Prometheus cave and

opening of new caves for tourists the capacities of caves to receive more tourists will increase even more.




TABLE35: COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF INTENSITY OF VISITATION IN IMERETI CAVES WITH POSTOJNA CAVE FOR 2013

Imereti caves PA Visitors totalVisitors /1m

trail/1m cave

Visitors/day

/ open

months

Visitors/day

August

Imereti caves - Prometheus cave 145.888 51/4* 405 761

Postojna cave - Slovenia 556.000 1.523 3.871

Škocjan UNESCO caves 111.120 37/18 304 838

Georgia total 350.642 974 1.980

128/26*

* No of visitors is calculated for 1m of visitors' trail/1m total length of the cave

Source: Calculated from APA data and international from Postojna cave, 2014

At this point we must conclude and underline that according to international comparisons visit

numbers to Imereti Caves are still far from the point to undertake substantial restrictive measures for tourist visits. Management of visitors’ flowsin Imereti cavesneeds better organization and improvement. It is obvious from complaints of visitorswhen they wait too long, are in too big group or are too many groups in the cave with not balanced tempo of visits so that they interfere and disturb each other.

A first step toimprove visitors’ flows is to discuss with schools and the Ministry of education to distribute more equally school groups visits throughout the year thus decreasing the preasure that they have now in June. Second step in management of visitors’ flows is flexible opening time for visitors – longer in summer season and shorter in other seasons with examptions for weekends and public holidays.

Another step that would bring better results are fixed scheduled visits which can have the maximal frequency in summer months (for example each 20 minutes) and decreasing frequency in less visited months (maybe each hour). There would be again convenient to have bigger frequency on weekends

and public holidays. Significant contribution to better use of time to visit Imereti Caves would be the introduction of electronic booking system accessible via internet to book entry ticket for a certain day and certain

time as long as there is enough places in the group for that partciular day and time. It is clear that at the ticket counter there should have to be always updated overview of tickets booked so cashiers would always know how much tickets are still available for certain groups that can be sold on the spot. As usually there will be visitors coming without prior bookings and there must be a time available also for them (for example each 3rd group in one hour in summer season). In this case they will know how

long they will have to wait and while waiting they can visit and experience some other products or services of the PA. Finally, nowadays practice that Prometheus cave and Sataplia are closed for visitors 1 day per week should be abolished. Visitors’ flows managementin Imereti caves can have also some othermeasures when visiting PA’s

trails, nature zones, museums, recreation areas, playgrounds, etc.: Zoning - visitors are allowed to visit and are guided to these zones that are also equipped

with basic infrastructure for their use “Honeyspots” -as the name says – sweet-attractive places to where youpurposely guide

visitors in order to avoid other groups, avoid demaged spots, etc; Tourist routes -tourist routes or trails are constructed to guide visitors to attractive places on

a safe way and at the same time avoiding possible negative effects on nature; alternative

routes or trails should also be available and used in the case of too high visitation on primary routes;




Pricing and levies – pricesor extra fees could be applied for entering the caves or special zones, use of visitors infrastructure, etc.,in the case of extremely high visitation; usually such

situations are predicted already in revenue-pricing policy to have higher prices on weekend or publicic holidays when demand becomes too high.

Regulations &Restrictions – they should be applied in special situations and consist of

o Permanent or temporary closure of some areas o Visitors’ group size o Age or physical conditions of visitors limitations o Visitation schedule respecting living rhythm of animals, flowering period in some

areas, daily schedule to some attractions, etc. Permits and special requirements:

o Special permits for entering certain caves:for example for scientists and researchers,

photographers, etc. o Visitors’ and/or operators’ qualifications and skills:for caving adventures, etc o Technology requirements: special dress, shoes, equipment for not fully explored

caves… Code of conduct in Imereti caves: giving basic rules and norms of behaviour in Imereti

caves protected areas.

Nature impact assessment and monitoring In order to apply sustainable tourism measures especially in the case of excessive visiting numbers,monitoring of visitors’ flows is needed. From sustainability point of view number of visitors on weekends, public holidays in summer seasonusually exceeds the number of visitors in other periods of the week and day. Therefore it isimportant to measure several aspects of intensity of visits as well

as qualitative aspect like motives, satisfaction, country of origin, place from where visitor is coming to Imereti caves, etc Imereti Caves registersthe number of visitors who buy entry ticket, so the total number of visitors is very reliable. It would be very useful to adopt the visitors' surveywhich is in use today. Itshould be improved and more focused on the needs of Imereti Caves. It would be very useful to have also on-line survey on Imereti caves web site as for those who intend to visit PA and those who visited it.

PA administration is going to install on line monitoring system in Prometheus Cave with Czech technical support measuring temperature, humidity, CO2, radon, etc.

Systematic and periodical analysis of impact of tourism in caves, on natural environment, social environment are needed to getuseful results of effects of tourism in protected areas and surrounding

communities and to undertake measures for sustainable use of resources and tourism development.

11.11 Safety and security

There were no bad accidents of visitors in Imereti Caves. Some visitors feel bad when being in cave or feel claustrophobia, in few cases only visitors hurt – distortion or break a leg on stairs in the cave. The

PA administration made an assessment of safety in the cave, they monitor installations and equipment and provide basic safety support. The PA administration does not have a built-in system to report about possible dangerous situations. There are explanatory and warning signs on the walls but most probably not enough.Administration use water measuring instrument in the cave lake to signal when the water level rises.Rangers observe the boat trail every morning and clean the paved cave trail – slipping parts and stones with special

equipment. They have also practical transportation equipment to take wounded visitors out of the

cave. The PA has basic medical equipment and first aid in the visitor centers and in the cave, rangers use also transportation equipment. The PA administration has an evacuation plan for the cave.Rangers, guides and employees have been basically trained on how to react in such case. Having a licensed/certified safety specialist is a priority need for PA administration and more professional trainings are needed for employees and especially

those working in risky areas. In the case of accidents emergency 112 service is mobilized. Visitors are informed about basic dangers in the caves.




Imereti Caves need professional assessment of safety situation and possible risks for visitors in the cave. The danger of earthquake is emphasized in this case. On this basis an evacuation plan should be

prepared and safety exits provided and indicated with signs. Additionally, the PA administration needs also guidelines to assure security for visitors, to identify possible dangers for the caves and for visitors and how to react.




12 ACTION PLAN

Management of Imereti Caves PA must assure with strong support and assistance of APA following the vision of strategic development and to achieve general and specific objectives. In order to achieve objectives a set of activites must be formulated accordingly and their realization must be done fficiently and in time. The general development objective of Imereti caves is to operate as a successful model of balanced

sustainable and tourism oriented protected area in Georgia with great natural and educational value and economic efficiency and internationally highly recognized tourism attraction. This general objective was decomposed to 9 specific objectives for which we elaborated activities that will assure achievement of these objectives if activities are realized. Mainly all activities are in domain of Imereti Cave PA administration coordinated, agreed and realized with more responsibilities and resources devolved to PA’s administration and with support of APA.

Whenever external support is needed procurement is applied according to Georgian legislation. All activites are also permanent in all years ahead. Some, like production of promotional materials might be more intensive in some years but. Nevertheless, also promotional material need to be reprinted

and updated with new facts and photos adopting also language in which tourist market is addressed.

TABLE36: ACTION PLAN FOR IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA FOR THE PERIOD 2015 - 2020

STRATEGY OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES 2015 - 2020

1. Increase the number of domestic and international visitors

Increase number of visitors from 145.000 in 2013 to at least 300.000 in 2020 Increase the share of

international visitors from 29% in 2013 to 50% in 2020

1.1 Prepare 5 year marketing and promotion plan and annual 1-

year operational marketing plans for Imereti caves

1.2 Assure yearly budget for promotion and marketing in the amount of 10% of total budget of Imereti caves PA

1.3 Design and develop Imereti caves logo and built hierarchy with APA – Georgian logo of protected areas

1.4 Produce basic information & promotion printed materials: Image brochure, TO folder, leaflet/flyer, posters

1.5 Produce basic information & promotion electronic tools: web site, e-newsletter, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and update

regularly

1.6 Produce video, DVD, video spot and advertising messages

1.7 Prepare target oriented mailing list: TOs, Media, and Stakeholders (hotels, international and national institutions, etc.)

1.8 Participate on GNTA stand on general fairs and exhibitions abroad

1.9 Participate with APA on selected special fairs, exhibitions and workshops abroad

1.10 Participate on tourism fairs, exhibitions and workshops in neighbouring countries

1.11 Participate on tourism fairs in Georgia

1.12 Organize promotional campaign in shopping malls in Tbilisi and

Batumi

1.13 Regularly update Imereti caves web site

1.14 Regularly produce and distribute e-newsletter (at least once per month)

1.15 Organize FAM – familiarization trips of GITOA and Georgian TOs to PA

1.16 Organize FAM – familiarization trips of TOs from neighbouring countries to PA

1.17 Organize FAM – familiarization trips of Embassies inGeorgia with Imereti Caves presentation

1.18 Organize FAM – familiarization trips for influential international & national bloggers




1.19 Organize visit of Imereti Caves tourism product for sales/reception staff in Tskaltubo and Kutaisi hotels

1.20

Introduce traditional International Culinary&Art Festival in

cooperation with Embassies (presentation of countries culinary, culture, tradition,etc.)

1.21 Identify and contact international TOs organizing tours to Georgia

1.22 Visit Georgian TOs with PA's offer and business proposal

1.23 Visit hotels in Tskaltubo, Kutaisi, Adjara and Tbilisi with PA's offer and business proposal

1.24 Identify, contact and inform about Imereti caves international and national Show Cave and Speleological associations

1.25 Invite ICSA to organize annual conference in Imereti caves

1.26 Promote and communicate on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, etc.)

1.27 Promote and advertise on airports Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi

1.28 Promote and advertise on domestic market – billboard on the main road

1 Organize FAM – familiarization trips of journalists and media

29 Regularly inform media with e-newsletter

1.30 Organise yearly open days in Imereti caves - Festival

1.31 Abolish practice of 1 day closed PA for visitors

132 Introduce flexible opening time for visitors accordingto intensity of demand

2. Increase revenues from tourism and commercial activities

Increase the revenues from tourism from 918.600 GEL in 2013

to at least 4.500.000 GEL in 2020. Increase the share of revenues from sales of products and services other than from entry

fees.

2.1 Develop and implement price policy

2.2 Prepare differentiation of entry fees following yield management principles

2.3 Introduce multi- entry/seasonal entry ticket

2.4 When introducing charges for new services (like for parking) consider a discount for consumption in PAs restaurant or bar.

2.5 Offer new products and services that will be charged to costumers

2.6

Develop and offer packages to visit Imereti caves (transport,

welcome, visit of cave, souvenir, event or a soft activity) mainly for tourists in Tskaltubo or other groups

2.7 Develop and offer tailor made – VIP programmes with high value added (weddings, meditation, wine tasting,...)

2.8 Develop and use electronic booking system for better time planning of visits, to increase satisfaction with shortening waiting time and to increase revenues

2.9 Produce and sell products like postcards, T shirts, cups, calendars, DVDs

2.10 Organize promotional action with products cross selling in Kutaisi markets (with wine producer, restaurant owner, Vani museum, Socar company, Gelati and Bagrati cathedral, etc).

2.11 Organize and implement donation scheme

2.12 Organize open air cinema festival / retrospective of Georgian films

2.13 Organize open air theatre (for example in cooperation with Tumanishvili Theater Tbilisi) / Georgian dance show

2.14

Organize 1 hour animation programme for kids - puppet show

with cave mascot (in cooperation of Nodar Dumbadze Youth Theatre for example)

2.15

Organize and implement cross-marketing with big companies and institutions (Khareba winery, Georgia bank, TBC, IC Group Insurance company, Georgia-Auto Insurance companies,

Publishing company for example)

2.16 Manage Imereti caves and tourism facilities, products and services by qualified and committed PA administration and tourism professionals




3. Increase overall satisfaction of visitors

Increase satisfaction of visitors and decrease complaints

Increase the length of stay of visitors Increase the loyalty – the rate of return visitors to PAs

3.1 Prepare questionnaire for visitors and organize representative surveying and guest analysis

3.2 Register complaints, discuss about complaints on management board and solve them by the highest priority

3.3 Offer visitors realistic information about PA and inform if there are any problems or deficiencies

3.4 Offer to visitors professional guiding service – personal or with e-guides

3.5 Organize scheduled visits & time management in the case of excessive demand

3.6 Discuss with relevant authorities and schools to distribute visits of school groups throughout the year

3.7 Offer to visitors activities and services to spend time while waiting to enter in cave/on trail

3.8 Inform and promote new products and services of PA and direct visitors to them

3.9 Improve guiding and interpretation facilities and services in PA

3.10 Introduce visitors card »Friend of Georgia PAs« for highly

committed and frequent visitors, VIPs, as an award etc.

3.11 Organize efficient safety and security measures and implement them professionally if needed

4. Restructure and use efficiently visitors' infrastructure and develop new tourism products and services in Imereti caves

Complete basic PA's infrastructure

Improve efficiency of use of existing tourism facilities Develop and offer new

tourism products and

services Connect/Link Tskaltubo heakth&spa resort and Imereti caves PA

4.1 Develop and complete basic infrastructure for PA management and visitors (running water, WIFI, PA fence, parking)

4.2 Provide efficient use of administration buildings and visitors centers for visitors welcome, information and services

4.3 Expand accommodation capacities (hotel, camp) in Sataplia to market acceptable dimension

4.4 Develop and offer new caves to tourism market

4.5

Develop and offer to tourism market products and services to

extend the stay and increase satisfaction (Playgrounds, Nature & Art camps, Pleasure programmes and Recreation activities)

4.6 Enable comfortable and visible access to PA for all also for disabled visitors

4.7 Enable connection of Tskaltubo health resort and Prometheus

Cave with biking trail on separate track

4.8 Develop quality standards for products and services related to Imereti caves PA

4.9 Introduce and promote quality certification system for tourism

products and services based on PA standards

4.10 Assess and monitor quality standards and use of labels in practice

5, Develop professional HR team in Imereti caves and provide permanent trainings

Organize & mobilize

tourism/hospitality staff Provide permanent

trainings of Imereti caves PA staff

5.1 Organize tourism/hospitality team in Imereti caves PA: hospitality management, marketing, web & e-marketing, Press & guest relations, visitors services, guides

5.2 Organize tender and mobilize capable staff fulfilling certain criteria

5.3 Introduce stimulative salaries and incentives for staff in PA

5.4 Apply other stimulative measures for employees in PA (health insurance, education & trainings, public awards)

5.5 Provide education and trainings for Imereti caves PA tourism & hospitality staff

5.6 Educate / Train staff how to deal with complaints

5.7 Organize workshops on Communication and Marketing programmes

5.8 Increase salaries / introduce stimulating salary system for outstanding work achievement




5.9 Introduce Best employee of Imereti caves yearly programme

5.10 Provide study visits to protected areas abroad

5.11 Develop Imereti Cave Scholarship programme for outstanding Georgian student for Master or Doctoral thesis/ maybe in cooperation with Erasmus Mundus Programme

6. Contribute to the development of local communities and stakeholder s' cooperation in Imereti region

Provide local communities and local population opportunities for business development

Strengthen knowledge of local population

about Imereti caves PA and protected areas in Georgia and their commitment to nature and natural

values

Contribute to organization and cooperation of tourism stakeholders in

Imereti region

6.1 Provide population in local communities information about tourism visitation to Imereti caves, hospitality and needs of tourists

6.2 Offer to local entrepreneurs to present and sell their products around visitors center or in the parking place area

6.3 Implement PPPPs – people, public, private partnerships to achieve participatory approach of sustainable development

6.4 Introduce measures to stimulate innovations and entrepreneurship (like Financial Participatory Approach)

6.5 Employ local people

6.6 Engage local people for seasonal work or volunteering

6.7 Motivate local youth to study for work in PA

6.8 Organize open day of Imereti caves PA and use this opportunity to spread the knowledge about Imereti caves PA and PAs in Georgia

6.9 Organize traditional high level charitable concert in cooperation with

state orchestra and national TV

6.10 Support establishment of HORECA associations of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, guides,...

6.11 Lead the initiative for establishment of Imereti Caves orchestra, choir or dancing group

6.12 Develop Imereti Cave Mascote educational programme for pupils (supporting health life style, habits, etc.)

6.13 Organize and promote establishment of Association of Friends of Imereti caves PA as a member of Georgia network of Associations

6.14 Participate and coordinate activities with Tskaltubo resort DMO

7. Implement sustainable principles and measures and provide services assuring

security and safety

Strengthen sustainability measures in Imereti

caves PA Provide comprehensive safety and security measures and action plan

7.1 Analyze and define carrying capacities for Imereti caves PA

7.2 Manage and monitor visitors' flows in Imereti caves PA

7.3 Introduce equipment and methods for permanent measurement of nature impact of tourism visitation

7.4 Analyze social impact of tourism visitation

7.5 Inform / Educate visitors about scarce resources (energy, water,..) and local habits, tradition etc.

7.6 Intensify use of renewable energy

7.7 Introduce and promote use of recycling materials and »no

plastic« packing

7.8 Organize waste management and collection as well as awareness raising campaigns

7.9 Prepare comprehensive safety and security risk assessment for

visitors and employees

7.10 Develop action plan and organize staff to manage risks and accidents

7.11 Equip PA and »hot« spots with equipment to assure safety and

security

7.12 Analyze risks and accidents and share findings with APA

7.13 Introduce award programme for visitors using sustainable transport




8. Emphasize and mediate education and awareness rising about nature and nature

values to visitors of Imereti caves

Increase the

knowledge of nature, natural values and PAs

8.1 Use information and promotion materials to provide information about nature and PAs

8.2 Install explanatory boards in PA to express the importance of nature, natural values and PAs

8.3 Include in guiding »live« and »e-guiding« information about nature, natural values and PAs and use examples to be

illustrative and more persuasive

8.4 Organize quiz among young visitors about nature, natural values and PAs with useful awards

8.5 Organize discussion on social media about nature, natural values and PAs

8.6 Propose to schools that are visiting Imereti caves to stimulate pupils to make posters, articles, etc. about their visit and importance of nature, natural values and PAs.

8.7 Organize educational days in cooperation with Universities

8.8 Develop Junior Ranger programme

9. Contribute to the image of protected areas and tourism in Georgia

Increase the perception of protected areas in Georgia as tourism destination

9.1 Use logos of APA and GNTA on all communication tools and

promotion activities

9.2 Participate actively on all promotion events of APA and as many as possible on those of GNTA

9.3 Develop and use typical product/souvenir representing Imereti caves, nature and Georgia

9.4 »Inspire« film makers, artists, etc to use Imereti caves in their artistic works

9.5 Support worldwide knows Georgian sportsmen/sportswoman/ team

9.6 Propose presence and participate in cultural, economic and political delegations abroad or in Georgia

9.7 Propose to host cultural, economic and political high level delegation to Georgia in Imereti caves

9.8 Propose typical product/souvenir to state protocol of Georgia




13 EFFECTS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN IMERETI

CAVES

13.1 Economic and social effects

Estimations and forecast show that Imereti caves PA could generate at least 4,5 million GEL revenues from comercial – mainly tourism activities in 2020. This is 4.5 times more than in 2013 but with less than 2 times more employees than in 2013. The increase of revenues will be origined from the increase of number of visitors (2 times more), consumption of newly developed tourism products and

services in addition to natural attractions with entrance fees and with efficient management of natural attractions, reserves and monuments and tourism - hospitality facilities. The revenues from tourism will substantially contribute with financial resources to APA's budget and will contribute to improve the financial sustainability of APA and PAs in Georgia, in order to protect and manage more efficiently protected areas.

Additionally to this direct increase of revenues, there is a wide range of indirect economic effects of

tourism visits in Imreti caves PA. Consider very simply that the majority of these visitors are arriving to Imereti caves with TOs, small buses and vans and their revenues are consecuently bigger. The visitors in Imereti caves make a stop in the restaurant and shops, visit another attractions and some of them overnight in the region, spend time visiting other places (like museums), using other services (wellness in Tskaltubo, sports with bikes, etc..). All these suppliers and service providers benefit from visitors of Imereti caves,not to mention that also producers of agricultural and food products earn

when selling their products to restaurants or directly to visitors. Indirect effects of tourism in Imereti caves PA generate also other business opportunities – to develop new products, souvenirs, offer guiding to different parts of the region, participate in events, etc. With these business opportunities are created not only employment opportunities for the local population, but also, new opportunities for the young people to study and to work in tourism and tourism related

activities, etc. This wide range of tourism direct and indirect effects contributesas well to better cooperation between various stakeholders from private-business and from public-administration sector.

With investment in tourism, in infrastructure – roads, electricity, waste management and information and communication technology, in culture, education and knowledge, in health prevention and care,

safety and security, the region becomes more developed, attractive for investors and business developers and attractive for visitors from Georgia and from abroad. Social effects of tourism development are numerous – increase of education and knowledge, broader knowledge of cultural and social differences of visitors from different parts of the world, knowledge of foregin languages, improved communication, improvement of respect of local culture, tradition and habits, increase of pride of local population on their region, attractions and values, etc.

It is important to emphasize that tourism visits to Imereti caves contribute substantially to the image of Imereti region and to its domestic and international attractiveness.

13.2 Challenges and restrictions

Imereti caves protected area administration is facing several challenges and also restrictions in

implementing tourism development plan.

The most important challenges are:

How to maintain balanced tourism development and protect the nature from negative effects

of tourism development

How to manage intensified tourism visits in the future and further development of tourism

speleological attractions

How to meet visitors’ expectations and offer them uniques natural attractions and high quality

services




How to develop an efficient management and marketing team and visitors services in the still

centralized PA management system

How to develop and maintain authentic image with a complex tourist offer and avoid

»touristifying commercialization«

How to involve local communities and population in tourism development and to offer them

business opportunities

How to contribute to tourism development in Imereti region and form »nature« as one of

three pillars of tourism development in the region together with other two »culture« and

»health&spa«

How to disseminate the awareness of nature and its values to numerous visitors, from pupils,

to domestic and international visitors of Imereti caves PA

How to develop good practice in balanced tourism development and nature protection for

transfwer to other PAs in Georgia and in Caucasus

The Imereti Caves PA Administration will have severe restrictions in implementation of tourism development plan such as:

Lack of qualified tourism, hospitality and HR professionals

Limited possibilities for decentralized decision making and management

Limited funds for investment and marketing

Limited and not enough discovered natural speleological resources for tourism development

Very loose tourism regional cooperation without stable organization

Drawbacks in regional developlment of infrastructure and business/entrepreneural

environment

13.3 Monitoring of realizatio of development plan

Implementation of the tourism development plan should be regularly monitored and evaluated. This is

the task of the controller that we described in the HR section of this document. During the realization of the development plan, there can be internal or/and external changes that affect the work and business results for Imereti caves PA. Based on that, monitoring should focus on:

Planned/expected results – revenues, average achieved price

Promotion and marketing activities and results – number of visitors, groups of visitors

Use of resources – HR, operational activities

Monitoring of the the upper three segments of tourism development and evaluation of gaps – differences between what was planned/expected and what is the situation at the time of monitoring gives to PA's administration the tool to react, change and improve the development performances with adoption of appropriate measures. These measures could be oriented towards an increase of revenues and visitors with marketing and towards lowering the costs of the use of resources.

Adoption of strategic objectives, policy measures and actions to a changing situation are normal especially when the PA is exposed to market and competition- and tourism is strongly depenedent on the market.




14 CONCLUSIONSAND RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of assessment analysis, market potentials and implementation model we can sumarize the most outstanding conclusions and give strategic recommendations for development and management of tourism in Imreti Caves Protected Area.

a) There is a high and constantly increasing domestic and international demand for visiting

Imereti Caves Protected Area. This demand will result on a pressure increase over the

available natural and other resources, and the tourism products and services and will be a

decisive factor of further tourism development.

b) This increasing demand meets now well organized and equiped but rather limited natural

resources of Imereti caves avaiable for tourist visits. PA must therefore provide further

research of the cave system and develop new cave attractions, sites and trails and organize

additional products and services for visitors.

c) Sustainable tourism development must be the leading rule of tourism development in Imereti

caves. It must enable balanced tourism development, protection of natural values,

contribution to the development of local communities and education and awareness of the

importance of nature and natural protection among visitors and population.

d) Awareness rising and education of visitors of Imereti caves and especially many pupils and

students among them about nature, natural values and protected areas in Georgia is part of

the mission and should be one of important tasks of Imereti caves protected area

administration.

e) Normative restriction for tourism development in Imereti caves and protected areas in whole

must be reviewed and released to enable protected areas to perform commercial activities

which are supporting their basic mission, to make procurment and concession policy more

flexible and to enable step by step decentralization of protected areas administration.

f) Imereti caves protected area administration should manage the whole system of natural

monuments and tourism facities, products and services by themselves and with their existing

and new staff without giving in concession separate parts of facilties.

g) Imereti caves must invest in promotion and marketing, to become internationally known

natural and tourist attraction, to develop recognized image, to attract visitors and to assure

stable financial resources for nature protection and sustainable tourism development in

Imereti caves and in protected areas in Georgia.

h) Marketing and sales must be especially focused on cooperation with Georgian TOs and hotels

and other accommodation facilities in Tskaltubo, Black Sea cost and Tbilisi.

i) To develop tourism in Imereti caves on large scale and to meet realistic but still ambitious

objectives Imereti Caves PA Administration must get with plans also more responsibilities to

manage the resources, capacities and market demand. This is a step by step process that APA

should assist and develop as a model for other more tourism oriented PAs in Georgia.

j) Management of strongly tourism oriented Imereti Caves Protected Area requires also the

establishment of a strong and capable tourism & hospitality team in PAs administration. They

should work on tourism marketing and sales, management of tourism accommodation,

restaurant and other facilities and on relations with visitors on the site.

k) Tourism development and image building must be based on high quality products and

services, satisfaction of the visitors’ expectations and strategic development of tourist

attractions and sites that provide unique experiences to the visitors. From this point of view,

Imereti Caves Protected Area which includes now cave system and adventurous Okatse

canyon (with plans for further tourism development of Martvili canyon) should be touristically

2 types of products, with 2 different images attracting 2 different target groups of visitors.

Therefore, it would be reasonable to manage these 2 sites by two different administrations.

l) Imereti Caves Protected Area must establish a strong cooperation with the emerging tourist

health&spa resort in Tskaltubo and with the Imereti region, in order to use the synergy of 3

main tourist attractions/resources of the region: nature, health & spa and culture.

m) Tourism is bringing many benefits to Imereti caves protected area but has limited benefits for

local communities. Imereti caves PA administration, municipality and international




organizations should promote and provide local communities and population with business

opportunities arising from more and more visitors to the caves.

n) Research work of cave system and natural resources, safety and safety risks, sustainability

parameters and visitors satisfaction must accompany tourism development in Imereti caves.

o) Nature protection, infrastructure development, research and awareness rising about the

values of the nature among visitors will still require public financing and/or support of

international donor organizations. Therefore, Imereti caves PA administration and APA should

prepare and propose projects to attarct these financial resources.


TOURISM STRATEGY - DRAFT

73

15 BASIC LITERATURE AND SOURCES

Main documents and sources used in the project implementation:

1. Action plan for tourism development in Imereti region; Gigauri Lali & Eka Devidze; 2013 2. Assessment of Ecotourism Potentials in Georgia; IUCN; 2008 3. Agency for Protected Area Report 2007 – 2012; APA; 2013

4. Biodiversity Planning Support Programme. Guide to Best Practices for Sectorial Integration: Integrating Biodiversity into the Tourism; UNEP; 2012

5. Demand for Vacations, Travel in Protected Areas – Dimension of Tourists’ Ecological Behaviour; Minciu R., Padurean M., et all; Tourism Review; 2012

6. Effective tourism product development in PAN parks region; PAN Parks Foundation; 2007 7. Georgian Tourism in Figures 2013; Georgian National Tourism Administration; 2013 8. Indicators of Sustainable Development of Tourism Destinations; UNWTO & UNEP; 2004

9. ITB World Travel Trends Report, 2012/2013; Messe Berlin GmbH; 2012 10. Legends of nature – Georgia; KfW; 2013 11. Preferences of Europeans towards Tourism. Flash Eurobarometer 392; European

Commission; 2014 12. Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas: Guidelines for Planning and Management; World

Commission on Protected Areas and IUCN; 2002 13. Sustainable tourism development and action plan for the city of Kutaisi and Imereti region;

WB; 2010 14. The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas; EUROPARC; 1995 15. Travel Trends Report 2013; ABTA; 2012 16. Tourism development marketing plan for Imereti; Georgian National Tourism

Administration; 2012

Project team received during the work also working materials and documents and used numerous websites:

> Mission reports of OEBF twining project relating to some PAs > Development and Management plan > Imereti development, marketing and action plan

> Tourism guide books and brochure fro Imereti > Internal document of Tskaltubo resort rehabilitation > Statistical data from APA, GNTA and TIC Kutaisi


TOURISM STRATEGY - DRAFT

74

16 ANNEXES

Annex 1 WORKING MATERIA ABOUT IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA COLLECTED DURING ASSESSMENT PHASE

Table of Contents

1 IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA ...................................................................... 75

1.1 BASIC PROFILE of Protected Area: IMERETI & PROMETHEUS CAVES ....................... 75

1.2 ANALYSIS OF IDOLS, COMPETITIORS AND STAKEHOLDERS ................................... 80

1.3 SWOT ANALYSIS for Protected Area .................................................................... 82

1.4 ANALYSIS OF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL TOURIST PRODUCTS ............................... 86



75

1 IMERETI CAVES PROTECTED AREA Tourism development and management plan for Imereti caves will be prepared separately from Tourism development strategy for PAs in Georgia as a sample for other Pas.

1.1 BASIC PROFILE of Protected Area

BASIC INFORMATION

Status (NP, PA,..): ProtectedArea

A Strict Nature Reserve, a ManagedNaturalReserveand 19NaturalMonuments are included in ImeretiPAs:

1. Sataplia strict nature reserve

2. Sataplia Managed reserve

3. Promethe Cave natural monument

4. Tetri Cave natural monument

5. Khomuli Cave natural monument

6. Tsutskhvati Cave natural monument

7. Navenakhevi Cave natural monument

8. Nagarevi Cave natural monument

9. Iazoni Cave natural monument

10. Sakazhe Cave natural monument

11. Tskaltsitela Valley natural monument

12. Okatse Canyon natural monument

13. Okatse waterfall natural monument

14. Gabzaruli Lake natural monument

15. Satsurblia Cave natural monument

16. Salkota Cave natural monument

17. Didgele Cave natural monument

18. Melouri Cave natural monument

19. Bgera Cave natural monument

20. Gliana Sakazhe Cave natural monument

21. Mukhurawaterfall naturalmonument

Does PA have strict area? Sataplia Strict Nature Reserve

Surface (in ha, km2): 518.1 ha

Year of establishment of PA: ICPAs were created on the basis of Sataplia Strict Nature Reserve in 2007 by the Georgian Law on „Establishment and Management of Protected Areas of Imereti Caves“.

Accessible all year? YES , mainly from May until OctoberNOif NO, in which months:

MAP??

MAIN ATTRIBUTES/VALUES OF PA:

Complex character and includes geological, paleontological, speleological, and botanical rarities.

http://apa.gov.ge/en/protected-areas/cattestone/imeretis-mgvimeebis-daculi-teritoriebi



76

Winter is mostly warm and dry, while summer is hot. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 9.6° while July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 30.9 °, which is

lower by 5° comparing to other regions of Imereti.

Monthly average temperatures in Imereti Caves PA

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

9.6 °

12.5° 15.6 ° 20.4 ° 25.7 ° 29 ° 30.9 ° 33.1 ° 27.1 ° 21.5 ° 11.5 ° 10.5°

Source: Imereti Caves PA administration

EMPLOYEES in PA

Total No of employees: 42 No of management: 3

No of administration: 12 No of protection: 2

No of product development: / No of marketing: 2

No of Rangers: 10 No of guides: 13

Other employees:

Including the staff of the existing facilities at Okatse Waterfall, 46 people are employed.

In total, up to 57 posts are planned when the new visitor centre at Okatsi Waterfall will be opened.

Do you need more employees now? YES NO if YES, how many new: Vacancy is announced on Environmental specialist, PA administration needs additional two employees - guide (in Prometheus) and PR specialist (in Sataplia, as administration office is there)

YEARLY BUDGET OF PA:

Total (GEL): approximately

350.000Gel For tourism & commercial activities:

INVESTMENT PLANS of PA (short description and value):

Investment 1 BP project with 6 Million and 700 thousand Lari (among them one mill -

from state budget) for Sataplia's infrastructure – conservation of Dinosaurs steps was

made, new constructions (visitor centre, cave equipment, exhibition hall, glass view point,

cafe, souvenir shop, sign boards – in 2010 )

Investment 2 Kartu group – visitor centre and infrastructure in Prometheus + state budget

(Budget ....)

Investment 3 Czech Development Agency – improvement of ICPA's management,

investigation of caves, development ofspeleotherapy and cave monitoring system. Second

phase (ongoing project) is dedicated to complete, use monitoring system and establish

speleocentre.

Investment 4 Maintenance Plan – with CNF budget (shelters, marking ...)

Investment 5 11 bridges by Pan Park/Toyota Europe

Investment 6??Management Plan – EU Twinning project??



77

TRAINING NEEDS:

Management Procurement management, management in decentralization (as it is

expected)

Branding, Marketing & SalesYes.

Hospitality & Services Yes, English and Russian languages upgrading courses for guides

Tourist guiding Guide and manage tours for guides, rangers

Sustainable energy use

Environmental waste management

Safety and risk management

Conservation & protection

Others Project preparing & writing – there was no any serious training course in this field

so far

(Training by TJS for visitor services, early 2014)

MAIN PRODUCT FOR VISITORS

Accommodation Kutaisi, Tskaltubo

(< 50 beds) outside the city of Kutaisi. There are three houses in village Banoja (where the

administration building exists) which are sometimes rented by tourists; but service

conditions are too far from touristic demands.

Food&Beverages Kutaisi, Tskaltubo – picnic places were not considered from the

beginning in order to involve local population and give them possibilities to develop catering

services.

However this is a demanded issue and could be developed in villages - on the way to

Sataplia (both from Kutaisi and Tskaltubo) at local families or nearby where local food could

be provided.

Trails NO (?? There is a small trail in Sataplia, or is this not considered a "real trail"?

Events: local celebration in Kutaisi – Kutaisoba (with traditional Georgian dances and

folk music, visitors wear traditional clothes, choxa)

Market place NO and is preferable

Others fieldequipment including mobiles at Prometheus

STORY TELLING: According to Greek mythology Jason stole Golden Fleece from Kutaisi. The

City was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. Archaeological evidence indicates

that the city functioned as the capital of the kingdom of Colchis as early as the second

millennium BC. It is widely believed by historians that when Apollonius Rhodius was writing

about Jason and the Argonauts and their legendary journey to Colchis, Kutaisi/Aia was the

final destination of the Argonauts and the residence of King Aeëtes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchis


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_millennium_BC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_millennium_BC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historians

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonius_Rhodius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonauts


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ae%C3%ABtes



78

EQUIPMENT

Transportation: 4 high wheel based vehicles + 1 sedan and 1 bus (mainly for their staff) +

train with 20 seats

IT/Wi-Fi, touch screens, audio guides – touch screen monitors both in Sataplia and

Prometheus

No Wi-Fi, audio guides were recently invented in Prometheus and will be developed in

Sataplia soon (Rati and ICPA staff are working on texts which will be translated in English

and Russian)

MICE /beamers, speaker system: Beamers are available, while speaker system is not.

Conference rooms are designed for 50 persons in both places.

Others:Souvenir shop and cafe management is given to private (concession agreement

with Kutaisi business people) sector for 10 years. They were rented by auction recently (as

a result 11% from revenue from Sataplia and 52% - from Prometheus)

VISITORS to PA

Total: nearly 150 000 in 2013:

Sataplia 72.421 and

Prometheus 73.467

Foreign: in 2013

Sataplia – 23%

Prometheus 34%

1 day visitors: >90% Overnight visitors: on PA territory< 2

%

From which foreign countries: Ukraine, Israel, Poland, Russia

Main motifs for visit: InMay – mostly school excursions; and individuals from June until

October

Satisfaction with what: Nature

Dissatisfaction with what Guide service, catering service, product, water, toilets – there

is no running water in Sataplia.

What do visitors propose/recommend?

Excursion, cafe, souvenir shop, boat in Prometheus

Average expenditures per person (GEL): No data provided

MAIN PARTNERS – STAKEHOLDERS of PA (Name key partners and their activity)?

Thereare agreements with 35 TOs (guide does not pay any entrance fee and they do not

stand in queue).

Hotels, guesthouses, catering, schools/institutions, TIC in Kutaisi, municipalities

No common events or activities were developed yet!

COOPERATION WITH OTHER Pas and ASSOCIATIONS (which and on which area)

In Georgia: Ajameti Sanctuary – individual consultations are

permanently made



79

In Armenia and

Azerbaijan Not yet

Other countries and

internationalorganizations

I.S.C.A – International Show Caves Association; Czech Caves

Association

OTHER COMMENTS, IDEAS, PROPOSALS…

Family type businesses are preferable to be developed –

in villages around Caves and in village Gordi

Local product marketing place preferable around PAs

Rural/farm tours around Prometheus village

»Special day« or festival is preferable to arrange annually

by all stakeholders as a marketing /capacity development

tool (involvement of local population around PA in

preferable)

8 trails around Prometheus Cave are under investigation

and extreme tourism should be developed there

Transportation service is currently an issue. At this time

Taxi (without A/C) from Kutaisi costs 35 Gel to Sataplia;

60 Gel to Prometheus which is expensive for locals and

not easily accessible for tourists (no information about

the service, taxi places, etc.)

Sataplia should be bordered (fenced?) due to cows from

around villages.

Thank you for your cooperation!

JanezSirse: [email protected] Lela Khartishvili: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



80

1.2 ANALYSIS OF IDOLS, COMPETITIORS AND STAKEHOLDERS

IDOLS: Which PA (in Georgia and abroad) is the best for comparison? And why?

Czech Republic – administration building small but very informative and well equipped with touristic materials, souvenirs and exhibitions. There were accommodation rooms for guides. Building was simple and impressive.

COMPETITORS: Who are competitors to PA? And Why? In which areas

Martvili – GochKadili Canyon, It has good offers for canyoning and hiking. Toba Lake is impressive for camping.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS: Who are main stakeholders to cooperate with PA?

ACCOMMODATION (hotels,

B&B, camps, huts…)

1. Hotels and guesthouses in Tskaltubo and Kutaisi 2. Among 10 Tskaltubohotels, three has own therapy

Tskaltubo resort and hotels are very imoportant for Imereti caves.

All together there is about 1.350 bedsavailable in 2012 (by GNTA)

FOOD & BEVERAGE (restaurants, bistros&bars)

Restaurants, Cafees

Some families in Village Kumistavi developed restorants/cafes for Prometheus caves visitors. Some families in village Gordi are also ready to develop catering services/offers (especially families living close to visitor centre).

SPORT ACTIVITIES

(summer&winter; indoor&outdoor)

Not yet

CULTURE ACTIVITIES (museums, galleries, concerts,

festivals…)

Bagrati Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Gelati Monastery(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Motsameta Church

Geguti Palace, which was one of the residences of Georgian

monarchs

"OkrosChardakhi", Georgian Kings’ Palace

Pantheon, where many notable citizens are buried

Tskaltubo ethnography (local lore) museum

Museums of Georgian writer Niko Lortkipandize and linguist GiorgiAkhvlediani

Museums:

Kutaisi State Historical Museum

Kutaisi Museum of Sport

Kutaisi Museum of Martial Art

Museum of ZakariaPaliashvili

Kutaisi State Historical Archive

Kutaisi State Scientific-Universal Library

David Kakabadze Fine Art Gallery

Art Salon in Kutaisi



http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Motsameta_Church&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geguti_Palace

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Okros_Chardakhi&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_State_Historical_Museum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_Museum_of_Sport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_Museum_of_Martial_Art

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Zakaria_Paliashvili

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_State_Historical_Archive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_State_Scientific-Universal_Library

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kakabadze_Fine_Art_Gallery



81

Theatres:

Kutaisi LadoMeskhishvili State Academic Theatre

Kutaisi MelitonBalanchivadze State Opera House

Kutaisi IakobGogebashvili State Puppet Theatre

Cinema and Entertaining Centre “Suliko”

SACRAL, SPIRITUAL & RELIGIOUS CENTERS (churches, monasteries...)

Close to Gelati, Motsameta Monasteris, Bagrati Cathedral

HEALTH & WELLNESS ACTIVITES (medical, health, spa, climate...)

Tskaltubo – three hotels provide with massage and min procedures. There is one renovated bath (#6) which is used by visitors

CASINOS & ENTERTAINMENT

(casinos, music& dance,

shows…)

Two casinos on the way to Tskaltubo – Black Sea and three electronic casinos in Tskaltubo Town

CONGRESS, FAIRS (congress, meetings, fairs capacities and organizers…)

Yes, in both administration building

WINE & FOOD PRODUCTS (wine, water, juices, agricultural&food products…)

Honey shop in front of the entrance of Prometheus cave;However, local community has ability to offer also other products: bread, cheese, fruit, water, wine, vodka.

Sataplia means Honey place – right marketing should be done to promote Sataplia and local product (Tapli /honey) form this place

OTHER PRODUCTS &

SOUVENIRS (for daily use and souvenirs: books, DVDs,

crystal, leather…)

Few handmade souvenirs (glasses with vodka), embroideries are developed.

Guide book is needed – none exists at this moment.

SHOPS (shopping centres, open markets...)

Souvenir shops, however not sufficient product and high taxes.

APA's interest rate (from revenue) in Prometheus is 52% and in

Sataplia -11%. Both souvenir shops are rented by auction.

TIC – TOURIST INFORMATION CENTERS

New TIC is opening in Tskaltubo – support of World Bank and GNTA.

TOUR OPERATORS & TRAVEL AGENCIES

There is a tour operatori company “Wonderland” based in Kutaisi, also small

travel agency “Corena” in Gelati. Main target is Poland –due to new cheap

flights Warsow - Kutaisi

ASSOCIATIONS, MARKETING

ORGANIZATIONS, NGOs (trade associations, reservation

systems, design& marketing agencies, NGOs…)

No any local networks or initiatives.

There is agro touristic association in Gelati but has no contact/relation with Imereti Caves.

Guides are familiar with Ecotourism association of Georgia and have been investigating some canyoning trails in Okatse and Martvili (not connecting to Imereti Caves PA) together.



82

1.3 SWOT ANALYSIS for Protected Area

STRENGTH of Protected Area WEAKNESSES of Protected Area

High natural, cultural, historical value

Geographic location, very central, connecting Western and Eastern Georgia

Caucasus and the Black Sea proximity

Great Silk Road passed on Imereti

International route Tbilisi – Batumi, axis toward other countries

Close to the main road-international highway

Good road and air accessibility

Close to the international airport Kutaisi

(Kopitnari), bus and train station (19 km)

Close to famous resort for post-Soviet

countries Tskaltubo and Kutaisi

Mild climate, picturesque nature

Cool place in summer Clean environment Distinguished landscape full of caves and

canyons

Hospitable people with interesting organic farming

Fair recognition: visited by 150 000 visitors in 2013. Prometheus #1 destination place (visited 75 000 > tourists) in the region

Visitor centres, audio guides available Developed product – 1.400 m. cave trail

with six halls in Prometheus plus 380 m.

water trail by boat (moderate difficulty) Sataplia developed some touristic products:

3.3 km., 2 hrs, pedestrian; rather easy trail. Trail to visit the conservation building for dinosaur footprints, the unique karst cave, exhibition hall, Colchic Forest, and the wild

bee habitat area. Particularly suitable for families and particularly Sataplia – a favourite among children

Prometheus has the main attraction – the cave and boat trail as an exit option for visitors

Other offers developed the civil marriage signing ceremony; conference hall in both places.

Local population around caves is motivated

No tours scheduled Long waiting times to enter the cave

Lack of service skills, especially guide Lack of trained and experienced human

resources (especially guides: so far there

are 6 guides that guide at least 6 groups per day (total/ each): walking distance 8-10 km per day

Infrastructure – visitor centre is big but not used

No places for tourists to rest No places for visitors that are not allowed

/waiting to enter the cave (children and accompanying parents)

Reservations except TO's groups are not

available Lack of promotional material for sale

(except APA's maps on different PAs are available)

Limited number of visitors / Restriction due to capacity per day in Prometheus (40 persons per group, which starts every 15

minutes)

High-pressure from tourists (sometimes more than limitation)

No attention/consideration in tourism infrastructure for disabled people

Lack of animation and interpretation in

tourist sites

STRENGTH of broader area - destination WEAKNESSES of broader area - destination

UNESCO sites – Bagrati, Gelati Second largest city of Georgia - Kutaisi Region (Kutaisi) is connected to the main

railway and highway lines of Caucasus Recognition of resort Tskaltubo The quality and variety of food, wines and

especiallysparkling wine The peoples hospitality as well as their

Poor Infrastructure (Public/ private transport, itineraries)

The public transportation to key tourism sites such as Gelati, Sataplia, etc. are very limited

Lack of transport facilities (in villages,

regions)



83

traditions and folklore New popular trail to Martvili (Samegreli

region) which arises tourist flows to this direction and extreme tourism itself

Bus stations are scarce and service information is limited

Facility areas are lacking in most of tourism sites: for example, food and beverage

structures, hygienic services, shopping areas, etc.

Insufficiently skilled service staff

Lack of sign boards, especially from Tskaltubo

WC (however there is a building possibility within GNTA/WB project)

No activities for tourists at the evening time Local people are not involved in tourism

development activities – catering, guiding, product selling, etc.

Lack of traditional product packaging and no labelling

Insufficient marketing

No statistics at regional and local level

Lack of services for persons with disabilities

Low level of service (on a regional level)

Lack of accommodation in communities

Poor hotel conditions and lack of accommodation services

Insufficient entertainment offer;

Lack of tourist guides, souvenir shops (handcraft articles, souvenirs, maps, guides, leaflets, etc.);

Lack of leisure service for residents;

25 travel agents registered in the region but

only very few are active

Poor brand image

Insufficient road network and tourist signalization

Lack of some bicycle tracks in the city

Language barrier, few foreign languages spoken

Weak management on a regional level The lack of entrepreneurshipand the

ignorance of the populationregarding tourist activities directly affect the structure of the tourism sector

Lack of international level accommodation: there is no presence of international chains

of hotels Difficulty to find information on the existing

possibilities. There is scarce information available, not only in guides, but also on the Internet or other information sources

Inexistence of a structured tourist product No timetables or map available for tourists



84

OPPORTUNITIES of Protected Area THREATS of Protected Area

Good possibilities to travel around surrounding areas by horses, bicycles and

by foot. 8 trails around Prometheus caves are investigated

Trails with one camp site (for biking and hiking) connecting caves can be developed:

Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti (7-8 km) Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti – Okatse (20 km)

Tskaltubo – Dzedzileti – Okatse – Matvili (25 km)

The government plans to establish a PA in Racha-Lechkhumi and cooperation possibility

Possibilities to develop agro/rural tours Possibility to develop traditional product

/souvenirs (made by stone, honey,

especially in Sataplia). Developing canyoning recreational facilities To develop other caves and deviate tourist

demands/groups Medical tourism in Caves, especially for

Tskaltubo visitors where 80% arrives to

region for medical treatments To develop short tour program for disabled

people Intensive cooperation with local media:

“Kutaisi”, “ImeretisMoabe”, “PS”, “AkhaliGazeti”, "KutaisuriVersia",

"Chveneburebi" (Journal); Scientific Journal “Gantiadi”; TV: "Rioni"; Radio: "DzveliKalaki" (oldCity)

Potential resources for PA: SolkotaCave, SarkumaliCave, GumbriCave

SatsurbliaCave, SatevziaCave (Khoni), Deviskhvreli (village Lashe), Sagvarjile

(Terjola), ShvalietiCave (Kvirila Valley), DarkvetisEkhi, MgvimeviCave, SamgleCave, SamertskhleCave, SatobaviCave, SadzrokhiaCave, Sachinke Cave(research “Physical Geography of Imereti)

Unskilled guides for canyoning, additional

training is necessary Unsafety conditions in Canyon in Okatse

during different weather conditions (regular check of water level etc.)

OPPORTUNITIES of broader area –

destination

THREATS of broader area – destination

Second airport development (4 km from Kutaisi) for private flights

Prior place as a tourism destination for Georgian government and international

donors (World Bank projects). - The world Bank supports regional development in Georgia. Imereti region is part of it. The

project covers two broad areas - Infrustructure Investments and Institutional Management. The project supports GNTA capacity development and the Municipal

development Funds in the region. DMO and linkages with other regional institutions is established.

WB/GNTA implement new project in Imereti where rehabilitation of touristic sites in

Political instability in the region and broader area

Migration of the population The passive attitude of local population and

little interest toward the tourism economy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imeretis_Moabe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhali_Gazeti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisuri_Versia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chveneburebi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantiadi





85

Tskaltubo has been developed It is planned to Tourist Information Centre,

bike rental point and camping site (80 ha) in Tskaltubo central park. This is a good

example of PPP – potential of bike tours exists, government contributes with place and private sector will manage touristic services

Eco and agro tourism products development Possibility to arrange day trips and 2-3 day

programs /jeep tours to Lechkhumi, Lower

Svaneti), Svaneti and Upper Imereti regions. You can get in 2 hours to Svaneti region – one of the most popular touristic place. The distance from Tskaltubo to Ushguli is 145 km

Strengthen the potential of cooperation with

Gelati Academy of Sciences, established in the 12th century by King David IV. There is

also one of the most important educational centres in modern Georgia, Akaki Tsereteli StateUniversity, established in 1930.

Strengthen the cooperation with Kutaisi State University’s Tourism Division (Faculty

of Business, Law and Social Sciences) - students in Tourism Management academic program, in Business Administration (Module Tourism Management), in Resorts’ Tourism academic program

Product development with Vani museum Offering diverse tourism products and

service improvement Strengthening the management of small and

medium enterprises The proper use of the potential of

agriculture and agro-industrial sectors

Offering vocational education and trainings

within communities Traditions and values protection Mobilization and involvement of local people

in tourism infrastructure rehabilitation processes

Developing a special Cluster for sustainable Tourism Businesses by means of a Business

Incubator Development of Quality labels & Eco labels International investors attraction Incentivize a DMO creation

Origin of persons answering this questioner

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gelati_Academy_of_Sciences&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_IV

http://www.atsu.edu.ge/

http://www.atsu.edu.ge/



86

1.4 ANALYSIS OF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL TOURIST PRODUCTS

Existing tourist products in PA:

1.420 m walking and 380 m boat tour in Prometheus

3.300 m walking tour in Sataplia area walking tour to Okatse& panoramic walk way over the canyon

Existing main tourist products in broader area – destination:

Cultural tour to visit Gelati, Motsameta Monasteries, Bagrati Cathedral

Jeep tours to Lentekhi – Ushguli and Tskaltubo – Ambrolauri - Terjola Tskaltubo health resort is in the process of rehabilitation supported by WB and will represent

important tourism resort in Imereti region

Potential tourist products in PA:

Extreme tours Camping sites around Prometheus and Okatse

Enhance of local initiatives around Okatse and Prometheus –offering catering, min water,

camping accommodation services Bike tours Extreme tours can be developed – 8 trails around Prometheus canyon are already investigated.

Documentation/reportsexist - one of them starts from the place where the first cave was discovered. It will be not lightened – 430 m. Documents, permission should be regulated to start canyoning tours

There are 7 interesting caves, among which one was investigated by Czech cave association and recommended to develop speleotherapy. Infrastructure is under development.

Bike tours which go to Prometheus from Tskaltubo (well developed resort) and Kutaisi, also to Sataplia from both places are subject to develop (municipality plans with GNTA)

Offers for disabled people There are possibilities to develop optional trails around Sataplia PA (proper investigation and

planning needed)

Family touring & adventure (bike parks) Soft nature (relax) products

Picnic and wine tasting with local producers

Hiking

Trekking

Canyoning

Caving

Horse riding

Walking

Nature photography

Dinner with typical food of the region in the caves

Caving spa: health care & spa packages (Speleotherapy, using caves environment to benefit pulmonary diseases; spa treatments for circulatory, nervous, muscular and skin diseases

Meditation day

Quit smoking week in PA

Shuttle service from Tskaltubo/Kutaisi with booking possibilities there?

Potential main tourist products in broader area – destination:

Local population is more actively involved in tour business and they could develop rural/farm tours

Tskaltubo is as a spa resort with a past glorious reputation still enduring in many countries

There were 10 000 beds in 22 hotels with 150 000 holiday-makers during Soviet period in



87

Tskaltubo Old hotels have potential to be renovated. Municipality intends to invite investors as soon as

rehabilitation works (road, central park maintenance end etc.) are finished. They will announce tender with favourable conditions for investors in order to restore old buildings and re-establish

Tskaltubo as it was during old times Besides medical treatments diverse excursion can be developed to Prometheus (5 km),

Sataplia (6 km), Okatse (30 km), Martvili (40 km) and Khvamli (50-60 km) Ballet Festival in Kutaisi, with shows, evenings, dinners, excursions, wine tasting, etc.)

Leisure and natural experiences area: Sairme and Nunisi

Gorda Canyon experience with information centre

Sport & Adventure in Chiatura area (climbing, downhill biking, canyoning, paintball, etc.)

Myths, legends and history related to Imereti (Golden Fleece, the Kolkhis, etc.) still produce interest in western culture

Religious Touring

Disabled Touring

City breaks in Kutaisi

Health (maternity treatments, give birth in water, rejuvenation spa, …) and wellness packages (vine therapy, baths, cosmetic treatments,…)

Sairme package: Sairme water has got unique healing properties and it is used for curing many diseases including: diseases of nervous system, cardio vascular

Meetings and incentives

Fairs & Events

Gastronomy & Wine (wine routes, learning experience- gastro courses, collaboration with local people in the whole wine making process, taking home own wine)

Picnic and wine tasting with local producers

Katshki pillar

Chiatura industrial area

Rural wine cellars (Qoreti, Ivantsminda villages, Sachkhere)

Mobile apps for tours

River tour

Archaeological tour

Best panoramic view tour

Gastronomy tour

Traditional market tour

Gardening & learning experience (traditions and crafts)



88

Annex 2 ILLUSTRATION OF TOURISM EXISTING AND POTENTIAL

PRODUCTS FOR IMERETI CAVES AND OKATSE CANYON

SPORTS & ADVENTURES

Biking Tours and Biking Events

Parks organize biking tours with developed standards:well-signposted biking tours and

trails, maps of biking tours and biking trails, dedicated accommodation for bikers (hotels,

campsites and tourist farms), biking guides, bike hire, bike repairs and at least one bikers’

information point. Parks are offering and attracting several recreational biking competitions

and top-level international competitions.

Horseback riding tours

Experiencing parks from the saddle is a pleasure usually offered by PA stakeholders. Trips

are organized to follow guides into meadows and forest or to ride in the landscape parks.

BIKING TOURS BIKING TOURS BIKING EVENTS

HORSEBACK RIDING TOURS





89

Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend

a steep object.

Abseiling, also called rappelling, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope.

Climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend.

A Zip Line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable, usually made of stainless steel,

mounted on an incline. It is designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to travel from

the top to the bottom of the inclined cable by holding on to, or attaching to, the freely

moving pulley.

Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate

CLIMBING CLIMBING CLIMBING

RAPPELLING RAPPELLING RAPPELING

ZIP LINING ZIP LINING ZIP LINING



90

Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow. It can be

organised as a trails or a tournament.

Adrenalin Park activities are appropriate for individuals or different groups (schools,

business groups or athletes and sport teams). High Ropes Course can contains more

elements, (usually 8m above ground): giant swing, high beam, individual exercises, team exercises, climbing wall.

SPORTS& ADVENTURES: WATER BASED

Canyons that are ideal for canyoning are often cut into the bedrock stone, forming narrow

gorges with numerous drops, beautifully sculpted walls, and sometimes spectacular

waterfalls.

ARCHERY ARCHERY ARCHERY

ADRENALIN PARK ADRENALIN PARK ADRENALIN PARK



91

Freshwater / Cave diving is a type of Scuba diving with further risks. It usually

completed in a Freshwater lake but often in a River or Cave. Despite being a potentially

dangerous activity it can be rewarded with interesting marine life and even in some areas

extremely high visibility, which can often be found in Caves.

ADVENTURE & SPORTS: WINTER

Ice climbing is the activity of ascending inclined ice formations. Usually, ice climbing refers

to roped and protected climbing of features such as icefalls, frozen waterfalls, and cliffs and

rock slabs covered with ice refrozen from flows of water.

Teambuilding and motivational meetings in Cave

CANYONING CANYONING CANYONING

DIVING DIVING DIVING

ICE CLIMBING ICE CLIMBING ICE CLIMBING



92

Teambuilding package includes fun problem-solving, such as treasure hunts. Under the

expert guidance of experienced analysts, you can encourage teamwork, promote collective

motivation and study reactions to unexpected situations.

Therapeutic riding is also being developed in parks. This form of riding is designed in

particular for those with special needs, and is a combination of medicine, education and

sport.

The Segway Personal Transport is a two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered

electric vehicle that visitor might use for their trips within NP/PA.

Sunset / sunrise tours offers different kind of activities during sunrise or sunset

(kayaking, hiking, meditation, etc.)

CAVE TEAMBUILDING

CAVE TEAMBUILDING

CAVE TEAMBUILDING

THERAPEUTIC RIDING

THERAPEUTIC RIDING

THERAPEUTIC RIDING

SEGWAY TOURING SEGWAY TOURING SEGWAY TOURING



93

Accessibility Trails for disabled people offers educational, relaxing or soft sport

activities in NPs.

Playground trails for children can be organised as a trail or separate area within the park

area.

EDUCATION

SUNSET TOURS SUNSET TOURS SUNSET TOURS

BARRIER FREE TRAILS

BARRIER FREE TRAILS

BARRIER FREE TRAILS

PLAYGROUND PLAYGROUND PLAYGROUND



94

Botanical Tours offers interpretation of flora and fauna of the selected area and is

appropriate for individuals or groups.

Herb tours

Herb tours are offering knowledge on how to pick herbs with expert gardening advice.

BOTANICAL TOURS BOTANICAL TOURS BOTANICAL TOURS

HERB TOURS HERB TOURS HERB TOURS



95

Geological Tours offers interpretation of the geology in the protected areas and history.

PLEASURE

Bioenergetic Trails: Magnetic signal pulsedaction ofnatureandthe bodyrestores its

energyin a natural way.

Mediation trail usually offers a opportunity for walking meditation, spiritual contemplation

and pilgrimage.

GEOLOGICAL TOURS GEOLOGICAL TOURS GEOLOGICAL TOURS

BIOENERGY TRAIL BIOENERGY TRAIL BIOENERGY TRAIL

MEDITATION TRAIL MEDITATION TRAIL MEDITATION TRAIL



96

Gong Bath Trails offers a opportunity for meditation and is appropriate for individuals and

groups.

GONG BATH TRAIL GONG BATH TRAIL GONG BATH TRAIL



97

Annex 3 EVALUATION OF ATTRACTIVENESS AND

COMPETITIVENESS OF NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN IMERETI CAVES



98

IMERETI CAVES: Atractiveness of main tourism products in Imereti caves PA mid 2014 (scores 1 - 10)

No. Name of tourism product

Nat

ural

val

ue

impo

rtan

ce

Cult

ural

val

ue

impo

rtna

ce

Spot

s va

lue

impo

rtan

ce

Educ

atio

nal v

alue

impo

rtan

ce

The

size

of

prod

uct (

for

indi

vidu

als

or

grou

ps)

The

size

of

reso

urce

for

furt

her e

xten

sion

Oth

er to

uris

t

supp

ly in

des

tina

-

tion

Acc

epta

bilit

y of

prod

uct f

or

inha

bita

nts

Tran

spor

t

acce

ssib

le &

Park

ing

ATT

RACT

IVEN

ESS

TOTA

L

1. Nature Eco walking Trail 8 3 4 6 8 9 2 10 7 57

2. Prometeus cave 3 rooms 8 3 2 8 5 3 2 10 10 51

3. Satsurblia spa cave 10 2 1 3 5 4 8 10 5 48

4. Navenakhevi visitors cave 10 3 2 8 5 2 2 10 5 47

5. Melauri adventure cave 10 2 9 5 5 6 5 10 6 58

6.

Recreation (archery, mini

golf, …)7 1 7 3 4 8 2 10 9 51

7. Playground 7 1 5 5 4 8 2 10 9 51

8.

Pleasure (bioenergy,

meditation, ..)8 3 1 6 4 8 8 10 9 57

9. Nature&Art camps 9 7 3 5 5 8 2 10 9 58

10. Events 4 8 1 5 8 6 2 10 9 53

11. Wine aging & tasting 5 4 1 4 3 3 2 8 7 37



99

IMERETI CAVES: Competitiveness of main tourism products in Imereti caves PA mid 2014 (scores 1 - 10)

No. Name of tourism product

Prod

uct s

atis

fac-

tion

leve

l for

visi

tors

Prod

uct s

atis

fac-

tion

leve

l for

empl

oyee

s

Prod

uct

inno

vati

vene

ss

leve

l

HR

avai

labl

e fo

r

prod

uct

Inve

stm

ent i

n

infr

astr

uctu

re

need

ed

Inve

st-m

ent i

n

tour

ism

pro

duct

need

ed

Inve

st-m

ent i

n

natu

re p

rote

ctio

n

need

ed

Prod

uct c

ontr

ibu-

tion

to im

age

Pric

e ex

pect

atio

n

leve

l

COM

PETI

TIV

ENES

S

TOTA

L

1. Nature Eco Walking Trail 8 10 5 1 8 6 8 10 10 66

2. Prometeus cave 3 rooms 8 8 5 1 7 3 5 8 8 53

3. Satsurblia spa cave 10 10 10 1 4 3 4 10 4 56

4. Navenakhevi visitors cave 8 10 8 1 2 4 4 10 6 53

5. Melauri adventure cave 7 10 8 2 4 5 4 10 4 54

6.

Recreation (archery, mini

golf, …)10 10 7 1 9 8 9 7 7 68

7. Playground 7 7 6 1 9 8 9 7 8 62

8.

Pleasure (bioenergy,

meditation, ..)8 7 9 1 9 8 9 7 4 62

9. Nature&Art camps 8 8 6 1 9 8 9 8 7 64

10. Events 10 10 8 1 9 9 9 8 7 71

11. Wine aging & tasting 8 8 7 1 8 7 7 5 4 55



100

Annex 4 PROPOSAL OF SELECTED INTERNATIONAL MARKETING PARTNERS AND CHANNELS FOCUSED ON NATURE AND ADVENTURE

TOURISM

TOURISM FAIRS & EXCHANGES & EXHIBITONS

DATE TOURISM FAIR / EVENT CITY COUNTRY

January CMT - International exhibition for caravanning, motoring, tourism

Stuttgart Germany

January Vakantiebeurs - Tourism and Leisure Fair Utrecht Netherland

January FITUR - Feria Internacional de Turismo Madrid Spain

February EMITT - East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition

Istanbul Turkey

February IMTM - International Mediterranean Tourism Market Tel Aviv Israel

February BIT - Borza Internazionale del Turismo Milano Italy

February Outdoor - Outdoor Trade Fair London Great Britain

February F.R.E.E - Interactive fair for leisure and travel München Germany

February Holiday World - international travel fair Prag Czech Republic

February / March

Utazas - Travel International Tourism Exhibition Budapest Hungary

March ITB - Internationale Tourismus Börze Berlin Germany

March MITT - Moscow International Travel & Tourism Moskva Russia

March UITT - Ukraine International Travel & Tourism Kiev Ukraine

April AITF – Azerbaijan International Travel & Tourism Baku Azerbaijan

April ARGUS Bike Festival Wien Austria

April COTTM - China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market Peking China

April KITF - Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair Almaty Kazakhstan

May The International Birdwatching Fair of Comacchio Po Delta Park of the Region Emilia Romagna

Italy

August Eurobike - Holiday on Bike Düsseldorf Germany

August British Birdwatching Fair Rutland Water Nature Reserve

Great Britain

September TourNatur - The fair for trekking and hiking Friedrichshafen Germany

October ITB Asia Singapore Singapore

November WTM - World Travel Market London Great Britain

November EIBTM - Global Meetings & Incentives Exhibition Barcelona Spain

November Tactical & Adventure Fair Eindhover The Netherlands

http://www.free-muenchen.de/en/Home

http://www.tournatur.com/home_2



101

TRAVEL AGENCY / TOUR OPERATOR

Tour Operator / Travel Agency/ Travel Association

Web Site

Natural Habitat Adventures http://www.nathab.com/

Wildside Nature Tours http://wildsidenaturetours.com/

Backroads http://www.backroads.com/

VBT Bicycling Vacations www.vbt.com

BikeHike Adventures www.bikehike.com

Trek Travel www.trektravel.com

DuVine Adventures www.duvine.com

Ciclismo Classico www.ciclismoclassico.com

Great Explorations www.great-explorations.com

Aegea Adventures www.aegeaadventures.com

Sierra Club Outings www.outings.sierraclub.org

GAP Adventures www.gapadventures.com

KE Adventure Travel www.keadventure.com

Butterfield & Robinson www.butterfield.com

Austin-Lehman Adventures www.austinlehman.com

REI Adventures www.rei.com/adventures

Adventure Consultants www.adventureconsultants.co.nz

Bio Bio Expeditions www.bbxrafting.com

H2Outfitters www.h2outfitters.com

Pure Adventures www.discoverfrance.com

Country Walkers www.countrywalkers.com

Classic Journeys www.classicjourneys.com

The Wayfarers www.thewayfarers.com

Distant Journeys www.distantjourneys.com

JOURNEYS International www.journeys.travel

EarthWatch Institute www.earthwatch.org

iExplore www.iexplore.com

Mountain Madness www.mountainmadness.com

National Geographic Expeditions www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com

ROW Adventures www.rowadventures.com

Explorers' Corner www.explorerscorner.com

Mountain Travel Sobek www.mtsobek.com

Nuturalist Journeys www.naturalistjourneys.com

Baobab Expeditions www.baobabexpeditions.com

Geographic Expeditions www.geoex.com

Artisans of Leisure www.artisansofleisure.com

Kensington Tours www.kensingtontours.com

http://www.vbt.com/

http://www.bikehike.com/

http://www.trektravel.com/

http://www.duvine.com/

http://link.argifocus.com/033-96

http://www.great-explorations.com/

http://www.aegeaadventures.com/

http://www.outings.sierraclub.org/



http://www.butterfield.com/



http://www.adventureconsultants.co.nz/

http://www.bbxrafting.com/

http://www.h2outfitters.com/

http://www.discoverfrance.com/


http://www.classicjourneys.com/

http://www.thewayfarers.com/



http://www.earthwatch.org/

http://www.iexplore.com/


http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/


http://www.explorerscorner.com/


http://www.naturalistjourneys.com/

http://www.baobabexpeditions.com/


http://www.artisansofleisure.com/

http://www.kensingtontours.com/



102

Civilized Adventures www.civilizedadv.com

Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions www.zeco.com

Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel www.wildfrontiers.co.uk

MIR Corporation www.mircorp.com

Adventures Abroad www.adventures-abroad.com

Lindblad Expeditions www.expeditions.com

Natural Habitat Adventures www.classicescapes.com

Classic Escapes www.intrepidtravel.com

Intrepid Travel www.intrepidtravel.com

Gecko's Grassroots Adventures www.geckosadventures.com

TUI www.tui.com

Jahn Reisen www.jahnreisen.de

Alltours www.alltours.de

Travelix www.travelix.de

Gulet www.gulet.at

Thomas Cook www.thomascook.com

FTI www.fti.de

ASSOCIATIONS / ORGANISATIONS

DRV (Deutscher Reiseverband) www.drv.de

ÖRV (Österreichischer Reisebüroverband / Association of Austrian Travel Agents)

www.oerv.at

WKO (Fachverband der Reisebüros) www.reisebueros.at

FIT/FTI (Fédération de l’Industrie du Tourisme / Federatie van de Toeristische Industrie)

www.fti-fit.be

ABTTA (Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents)

www.abtta.com

UHPA (Association of Croatian Travel Agencies) www.uhpa.hr

TA (Association of Cyprus Travel Agents) www.acta.org.cy

DRF (Danmarks Rejsebureau Forening /

The Association of Danish Travel Agents and Tour Operators)

www.drf-dk.dk

FETAVE (Federation Empresarial de Associaciones Territoriales de Agencias de Viajes Españolas)

www.fetave.org

ACAVe (Asociación Catalana de agencias de Viajes

Especializdas) Spain

www.acave.travel

ETFL (Estonian Association of Travel Agents) www.etfl.ee

SMAL (Suomen matkatoimistoalan liitto / The Association of Finnish Travel Agents)

www.smal.fi

SNAV (Syndicat National des Agences de Voyages) www.snav.org

HATTA (Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies)

www.hatta.gr

MUISZ (Association of Hungarian Travel Agencies) www.muisz.com

ITAA (Irish Travel Agents Association) www.itaa.ie

http://www.civilizedadv.com/


http://www.wildfrontiers.co.uk/

http://www.mircorp.com/

http://www.adventures-abroad.com/

http://www.expeditions.com/

http://www.classicescapes.com/



http://www.geckosadventures.com/

http://www.drv.de/

http://www.oerv.at/

http://www.reisebueros.at/

http://www.fti-fit.be/

http://www.abtta.com/

http://www.uhpa.hr/

http://www.acta.org.cy/

http://www.drf-dk.dk/

http://www.fetave.org/

http://www.acave.travel/

http://www.etfl.ee/

http://www.smal.fi/

http://www.snav.org/

http://www.hatta.gr/

http://www.muisz.com/

http://www.itaa.ie/



103

ALTA (Association of Latvian Travel Agents www.alta.net.lv

FATTA (Federation of Associations of Travel & Tourism Agents) Malta

www.fatta.org

CTU – Montenegro Tourism Association http://www.ctu-montenegro.org/

ANVR (Algemeen Nederlands Vereniging van Reisondernemingen), The Netherlands

www.anvr.nl

VIRKE (The Norvegian Travel Trade Association) www.virke.no

PIT (Polska Izba Turystyki), Poland www.pit.org.pl

APAVT (Associação Portuguesa das Agências de Viagens e Turismo), Portugal

www.apavtnet.pt

ACCKA (Asociace Ceskych Cestovnich Kancelari a Agentur), Czech Republic

www.accka.cz

ANAT (Asociatia Nationala A Agentiilor De Turism), Romania

www.anat.ro

YUTA (National Association of Travel Agencies), Serbia

www.yuta.rs

SACKA (Slovak Association of Travel Agents), Slovakia

www.sacka.eu

ZTAS (Združenje turističnih agencij Slovenije, g.i.z.), Slovenia

www.ztas.org

SRF (Svenska Resebyråföreningen / Association of Swedish Travel Agents)

www.srf-org.se

SRV (Schweizerrischer Reisebüro-Verband),

Switzerland

www.srv.ch

ABTA - The Travel Association, United Kingdom www.abta.com

CORPORATE PARTNER

ORGANISATION WEB SITE

The European Outdoor Group (EOG) http://www.europeanoutdoorgroup.com/

EOCA European Outdoor Conservation Association http://www.outdoorconservation.eu/

ISCA – International Show caves Associaiton http://www.i.s.c.a.org

SPELEOLOGICAL ORGANISATIONS

European Speleological Federation www.eurospeleo.eu

Austrian Speleological Association www.hoehle.org

Belgian national federation of speleology http://www.speleo.be/

Bulgarian federation of speleology http://www.speleo-bg.org/

Croatian speleological federation http://www.speleo.hr/

Danish speleological society www.speleo.dk

Verbandderdeutschenhoehlen-undkarstforscher, Germany

http://www.vdhk.de/

Federacion espanola de espeleologia, Spain http://www.fedespeleo.com/

French federation of speleology http://www.ffspeleo.fr/

Finnish caving society http://caving.fi/

http://www.alta.net.lv/

http://www.fatta.org/

http://www.ctu-montenegro.org/

http://www.anvr.nl/

http://www.virke.no/

http://www.pit.org.pl/

http://www.apavtnet.pt/

http://www.accka.cz/

http://www.anat.ro/

http://www.yuta.rs/

http://www.sacka.eu/

http://www.ztas.org/

http://www.srf-org.se/

http://www.srv.ch/

http://www.abta.com/

http://www.speleo.be/

http://www.speleo-bg.org/

http://www.speleo.hr/

http://www.speleo.dk/

http://www.vdhk.de/

http://www.vdhk.de/

http://www.fedespeleo.com/

http://www.ffspeleo.fr/

http://www.caving.fi/



104

British caving association http://british-caving.org.uk

Hellenic federation of speleology, Greece http://www.fhs.gr/

Hellenic speleological society, Greece /www.ese.edu.gr/

Hungarian speleological society http://www.barlang.hu/

Speleological union of Ireland http://www.caving.ie/

Italian speleological society http://www.ssi.speleo.it/

Speleoklubas aenigma, Lithuania http://www.speleo.lt/

Groupe speleologique luxermbourgeois, Luxembourg

http://www.speleo.lu/

Speleoclub abis, Moldova http://www.speleo.md/

Speleo Nederland http://www.speleo.nl/

Norwegian speleological society, Norway http://www.speleo.no/

Caving commitee of polish alpinism association http://www.pza.org.pl/

Federação portuguesa de espeleologia, Portugal http://www.fpe-espeleo.org/

Federatia romana de speleogie, romania http://frspeo.ro/

Slovenská speleologická spoločnosť, Slovakia http://www.sss.sk/

Speleological association of Slovenia http://www.jamarska-zveza.si/

Swedish speleological society http://www.speleo.se/

Schweizerischen gesellschaft für höhlenforschung, Switzerland

http://www.speleo.ch/

Speleological Federation of Turkey

Ukrainian speleological association http://speleoukraine.org/

MEDIA PARTNERS

Media Web Site

Active & Eco http://www.activeandeco.com/

National Geographic - Germany http://www.nationalgeographic.de/

Hike & Trekking Magazine http://www.hikeandtrekking.nl/

Outdoor Markt - Germany's first trade magazine which solely focusses on the outdoor industry

http://www.jahr-tsv.de/

Outdoor Review http://www.outdoor-review.co.uk/

OUTDOORSmagic http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/

walkingontheweb http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/

Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com

WildLife Extra www.wildlifeextra.com

Wild Travel Magazine http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/wild-travel/

Discover Wild Life Magazine www.discoverwildlife.com/

British Wildlife www.britishwildlife.com/

National Wildlife Magazine www.nwf.org

http://british-caving.org.uk/

http://www.fhs.gr/

http://www.ese.edu.gr/default.asp?V_LANG_ID=5

http://www.barlang.hu/

http://www.caving.ie/

http://www.speleologiaitaliana.it/

http://www.speleo.lt/

http://www.speleo.lu/

http://www.speleo.md/

http://www.speleo.nl/

http://www.pza.org.pl/

http://www.fpe-espeleo.org/

http://www.frspeo.ro/

http://www.sss.sk/

http://www.jamarska-zveza.si/

http://www.speleo.se/

http://www.speleo.ch/

http://speleoukraine.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Wildlife

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Wildlife_Magazine



105

TRADE PARTNERS

Partner Organisations Web Site

BSI - Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie e.V.

http://www.bsi-sport.de/

IOG - Italian Outdoor Group: promotes growth of mountain sports

http://www.italianoutdoorgroup.it/en/home.htm

The Outdoor Industries Association http://www.outdoorindustriesassociation.co.uk/

Scandinavianoutdoorgroup http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com

Russian Outdoor Group http://www.r-o-g.ru/ru/