Updated: Major development ahead for Tetnuldi ski resort

UPDATED: 12.10pm

The Government of Georgia has released more information about the infrastructural development of Tetnuldi ski resort.

The Government’s press office announced 100 million GEL (about $43 million/€38 million*) will be invested in the development of the winter resort.

Additionally, the French government will give a helping hand to Georgia to finance the development project.

Other details of the development were released late last night.

Once fully developed the Tetnuldi ski track will be the longest in Transcaucasia at 9.5km and will have the steepest vertical decline of 1.7km.

Development of Tetnuldi resort started in May 2014 and in this time a seven kilometre ski track has been built.

Before the end of this year the track will be extended a further 30km.

Once developments are finished at the resort Tetnuldi will boast a blue track for beginner skiers, a red track for intermediate skiers and a black track for experts.

EARLIER: Yesterday 4.43pm

Plans to turn Georgia’s highland Tetnuldi area into an internationally acclaimed winter ski resort is on track, with the Government of Georgia supporting major infrastructural development of the area.

The Government together with the Partnership Fund (PF), a state-owned shareholding company, will be responsible for new infrastructure at Tetnuldi, Georgia’s newest winter resort, located in northwestern Svaneti.

The Government-initiated infrastructural development plan will also include construction of a new road that will link Tentuldi to Georgia’s third largest city Kutaisi.

Currently it takes about four hours to drive from Kutaisi to Tetnludi but once the new road is built it will half driving time to two hours.

Ski in Svaneti -  a video by Mountain Resorts Development Company promoting Svaneti region. 

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the scope of the development plan was wide.

Several hotels, an entertainment centre, a sport school, medical centre and possibly a shopping centre will be built. All these infrastructural developments are necessary to make Tetnuldi resort fully functional and of a high standard,” he said.

Within the Tetnuldi resort development plan, a new state-owned company will be created under the Mountainous Resorts Development Company. Head of the new company will be Soso Jachvliani, a Georgian actor, director and lawmaker.

He is an experienced sportsman, film director and has profound international experience. We believe his involvement in this sphere will be truly beneficial and will enable us to put maximum effort into the establishment of infrastructure that is necessary for international promotion of the mountainous resort,” Kvirikashvili said.

The PM added Jachvliani’s involvement in developing the region "will be crucial” as he was originally from Svaneti region and he will preserve the interest of his homeland.

*Currencies are equivalent with the latest National Bank of Georgia exchange rate.