UN World Tourism Organisation announces competition for tourism startups

Georgian start-ups will have the chance to participate in the first UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Tourism Startup competition, hosted by the UNWTO in partnership with Globalia, the leading tourism group in Spain and Latin America.

The UNWTO Tourism Startup competition is the world’s first and largest initiative devoted to identifying new companies that will lead the transformation of the tourism sector. In order to find the best projects, the call for competitors was launched in 164 countries, including Georgia.

In Georgia, the head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze and head of Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency Avtandil Kasradze introduced the competition to Georgian start-ups today.

The objective of the programme is to select the best solutions and the most disruptive projects.

In Georgia, the head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze and head of Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency Avtandil Kasradze introduced the competition to Georgian start-ups today. Photo: GNTA. 

The search will focus on finding pioneering proposals for the implementation of emerging and disruptive technologies, as well as on start-ups based on new business models, such as the circular economy. In this regard, one of the pillars of this competition is to give visibility to projects that are committed to enhancing sustainability in tourism.

Innovation and tourism investment are not ends in themselves; they are means to develop better tourism products, to improve the governance of tourism and to make the most of the proven sustainability of tourism, by creating jobs and generating opportunities," said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

To participate in this global competition, startups must present business models that are related to at least one of four main areas:

• The future of travel
• The tourism experience
• Environmental impact
• Community development

Those interested in participating can submit their applications through the programme's website at www.tourismstartups.org. The deadline is September 3, 2018.

Projects will be evaluated according to five criteria: uniqueness and viability of the solution, potential impact, business model, scalability and team profile.

A jury will evaluate the entries and select the best projects as semi-finalists to be announced in September 2018.