Kolkheti National Park is one of Georgia’s most valuable natural and biodiversity assets. Yet eco-tourism around the park still does not generate its full economic potential for local communities. Many small and medium tourism businesses operate informally, lack the resources to upgrade their services, and struggle to cooperate with tour operators.
At the same time, tour operators often see the destination as unpredictable. Tourism products are fragmented, offers are not well packaged, and access remains limited. Coordination between municipalities is also weak, and there is no unified mechanism that positions the park as an integrated regional tourism destination.
The project addresses these challenges through a systemic approach. Our goal is to build a sustainable eco-tourism environment around Kolkheti National Park that increases visitor numbers and length of stay, ultimately boosting local income and employment while safeguarding natural resources.
Project activities are implemented in the municipalities surrounding Kolkheti National Park – Zugdidi, Poti, Khobi, Senaki, Abasha, and Lanchkhuti – which encircle the park and form its regional ecotourism area.
The project:
- Strengthens inter-municipal cooperation, helping position the park as a unified regional destination and ensuring infrastructure decisions are planned in a coordinated way;
- Supports local small and medium businesses to improve services, raise quality standards, and become more competitive in the market;
- Links local service providers with tour operators, enabling the development of demand-driven, well-packaged tourism products and integrating the park into established tourism routes;
- Connects local and national levels, ensuring that regional priorities are reflected in broader infrastructure and investment decisions.
Through this coordinated effort, Kolkheti National Park is gradually securing its place in the tourism market and creating a stronger economic foundation for local communities.
