Georgia’s winter resort Bakuriani welcomes 120m GEL development project

Georgia’s iconic ski resort Bakuriani is preparing to undergo major developments worth almost 120m GEL to better host guests this winter season.

New mountain lifts and tourism infrastructure, particularly hotel, apartment and cottage facilities, and food and entertainment areas, are part of the planned developments at the central Georgian winter wonderland.

The Georgian Government has teamed up with the private sector to implement the 118 million GEL project - one of the largest investments in Bakuriani - to revive mountain tourism, employ more of the local population and create a more attractive investment environment for investors.

The state has pledged to allocate 48 million GEL to the project while private company New Mitarbi, a member of TBC Group, will spend 70 million GEL on the developments at Bakuriani.

The development project included building new mountain lifts and tourism facilities and will be implemented in two of Bakuriani’s main ski areas – Mitarbi village and Kokhta Mountain.

The state-owned Mountain Resorts Development Company will also be involved in the project.

Bakuriani in winter 2015. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Until now the Mountain Resorts Development Company managed and developed Georiga’s other mountain resorts Gudauri and Didveli near Bakuriani, however this year several territories from Bakuriani also joined the company’s portfolio.

Currently three mountain lifts operate in Bakuriani’s Didveli ski resort. By the end of 2015 a new ski lift will be built on Kokhta Mountain. Additionally, hotels, hotel-style apartments, apart-hotels, cottages, and food and entertainment facilities catering for up to 500 people will be built in the nearby area.

A spokesperson from the Mountain Resorts Development Company told Agenda.ge that the existing ski lift on Kokhta Mountain was out of service as it had expired its terms of service. The Company has already dismantled the old chairlift on Kokhta Mountain and will soon build a new one while New Mitarbi will be responsible for building the new tourist facilities.

At the Mitarbi area two ski lifts and a magic carpet will be built on the beginner slope. Moreover, tourist-friendly infrastructure for 300 people will also be built. All these facilities will be constructed by the end of 2016, said officials.

Construction of the ski lifts will be carried out by leading Austrian company Doppelmayr.