20 Georgian mountain guides obtain int’l licences following course

A group of 20 Georgian mountain guides have obtained international licences recognised in 25 countries worldwide after undergoing a trail guide retraining course co-financed by the European Union. 

The courses, organised under the Green Economy: Sustainable Mountain Tourism and Organic Agriculture project co-financed by the EU, Sweden and Austria, provided the Georgian professionals with the knowledge of risk and logistics management and tour planning. 

Archil Tsintsadze, the Head of the Training Department at the Adventure Tourism School, said all 20 guides possessed "all the necessary skills” and could guide tourists along Georgia’s “impressive hiking tours under any type of climatic and environmental conditions” as a result of the completion of the course. 

Additionally, the Greta project announced adventure tourism was one of the most significant areas of interest for female residents of Georgian mountainous regions, calling their full engagement, successful completion of practical pieces of training and achievement of set goals “exemplary”. 

• Georgia becomes member of Int’l Federation of Mountain Guides Associations

The President of the Adventure Tourism School, David Rakviashvili, said Georgian mountain guides' professional compatibility with international quality standards would be an additional motivation for international travellers to visit Georgia. 

Implemented by the Austrian Development Agency, the Greta project seeks to facilitate the improvement of the business environment and increase opportunities for generating additional revenues in mountain tourism and organic agriculture. 

The Georgian Mountain Guide Association, which has developed adventure guiding institutions and training programmes in the country since 1998, became a member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations in November last year.