Georgian Deputy Economy Minister, US officials discuss tourism infrastructure development of Enguri hydropower plant

Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Deputy Economy Minister of Georgia, on Monday met a delegation of the United States Department of the Interior to discuss development of tourism infrastructure of the major Enguri Dam and Hydropower Plant in the country’s north-west.

The parties discussed prospects for further cooperation with the Department of Interior and highlighted its technical assistance for the development of recreational use of the plant, the Ministry said.

Kvrivishvili said the arch dam, which also represents a monument of industrial heritage, was becoming a “centre of tourist attraction”, and noted visitor safety was a “necessary condition” for the further development of its tourist route, and required development of a “complex management system”.

The meeting highlighted the US authorities’ “great experience” in related projects and highlighted Hoover Dam, a concrete facility in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River managed by the Bureau of Reclamation under the US Department of the Interior, as a “successful example”.

The Georgian Ministry added the officials also noted promotion of the development of the Enguri location had begun within an international technical assistance programme of the Department of the Interior, through assistance of the development and implementation of a security and visitor protection system for the facility.

It also said the visiting delegation would hold meetings with public agencies of Georgia, as well as visit the site to “thoroughly examine” the Dam's tourist route and prepare recommendations for formation of further conditions for ensuring the safety of visitors and the security of the facility.

The Ministry added the meeting featured Medea Janiashvili, the Deputy Head at the Georgian National Tourism Administration, Levan Mebonia, the Chair of the Enguri Plant’s board of directors, Nikoloz Antidze, the Director of the state-owned company Enguri Attraction and representatives of the US Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development in Georgia.