Flights between Georgia and Russia have been banned starting today following the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The ban on flights was announced after protesters in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi tried to storm the Georgian parliament on June 20 when a Russian MP addressed a forum of politicians at the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the speaker’s chair.
Russia banned flights over supposed fears for the safety of its citizens and also tightened inspections of Georgian wine imports due to alleged safety concerns.
The Minister of Transport of Russia Yevgeny Dietrich said that Russian airlines will face losses of 3 billion rubles (about $47,100,000) loss due to the flight ban, reports Tass.
Georgian authorities are claiming that overall the country is a safe destination for travellers from any country, including Russia.
As for Georgian wine, the Georgian National Wine Agency has released the results of a quality control study carried out over the past six months, and findings show that the overwhelming majority of alcohol containing products for export meet acceptable standards.
Georgian Airways has responded to Russia’s ban on its direct flights between Moscow and Tbilisi by rerouting them through neighbouring Armenia.
Starting July 10 Georgian Airways will carry out flights on the route Batumi- Yerevan-Batumi. Flights will be performed every day during the whole summer season.
Also, the airline company will increase flight frequency from Yerevan to Tbilisi and will carry out regular flights 14 times a week.
Since the Kremlin’s announcement of the ban on flights with Georgia a social campaign under the hashtag #VisitGeorgia and #SpendYourSummerinGeorgia has been carrying out in Georgia where Georgians as well as foreign visitors share their personal experience of travelling in the country and inviting everyone to support the tourism industry by travelling to Georgia this year.
Foreign embassies in Georgia have also joined the campaign and are promoting the country as a tourism destination, sharing their personal experience of travelling in Georgia on their Twitter accounts.
A few days ago the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili also joined the campaign, urging tourists to come to the country.
Furthermore, all foreign visitors arriving in or leaving Georgia will receive a bottle of Georgian wine as a gift, announces the Georgian National Tourism Administration.
The new marketing campaign will be carried out this summer only at Tbilisi International Airport and at the Larsi border checkpoint at Georgia-Russia border.