Turkish investor opens City Avenue hotel in Tbilisi

Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is enjoying a new luxury boutique hotel, funded by a Turkish investor who spent 12 million GEL (about $5.27 million /€4.7 million*) to build the new hotel to the city.

Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania opened the hotel yesterday with Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili and head of the Georgian National Tourism Agency Giorgi Chogovadze.

The new City Avenue hotel is located on Aghmashenebeli Ave, on one of the main streets in Georgia’s capital.

This is our first hotel in Georgia and we put considerable effort to make it as best as possible. We are planning to open one more new hotel and could possibly further expand our business in the country,” said City Avenue owner Mehmet Surkit.

The 37-room hotel features a conference hall capable of seating 50 people, a cafe and bar, terrace and private parking spaces. Twenty people are employed at the hotel.

The new City Avenue hotel is ready to host its first guests. Photo by GNTA.

The Georgian National Tourism Administration explained City Avenue was a "pilot project” for the Turkish investor, who earlier said he would open four more hotels in Tbilisi and in Georgia’s regions.

The Agency added a new three-star ibis hotel will open in Tbilisi, on King Tamar Ave later this year.

Tbilisi’s Mayor believed the hotel would be successful as it had "a good strategic” location.

Tbilisi City Hall is carrying out intensive renovation works [on Aghmashenebeli Ave] and this will help increase the flow of tourists to the area. This would also be beneficial for the hotel,” said Narmania.

The Mayor added the new hotel would contribute to employment and revenue growth in the city.

TheCity Avenue hotel is located on Aghmashenebeli Ave, on one of the main streets in Georgia’s capital. Photo by GNTA.

Meanwhile Georgia’s Economy Minister said the City Avenue hotel aligned with the state strategy to increase tourism as it would "enable us” to host more guests.

Kumsishvili said tourism generated $1.8 billion USD for Georgia’s tax balance and 180,000 people were employed in the sector.

The Minister added the Government would do its best to increase the number of tourists from 5.9 million that Georgia hosted last year, to 11 million.

* Currencies are equivalent with today's National Bank of Georgia exchange rate.