The President of Georgia visited Borjomi and toured the construction works and the renovated projects. Mikheil Saakashvili was also in Likani today where he familiarized himself with the new hotel-spa complex “Rixos” construction process. The Head of State visited all of the projects where construction is in progress. He also spoke to the construction workers while focusing attention on the importance of developing the Borjomi infrastructure.

“I am glad that there is construction noise in Borjomi. This hotel was demolished in 1991 and they were planning to build a new one but never did. Other old beautiful hotels remain in Borjomi. The Likani 6^th division was dismantled 6 years ago and nothing was built there either. Everything was being demolished and nothing was being built. Soon there will be so many tourists arriving that I think the local population will not be enough in terms of jobs. There are 6 hotels being built where up to 500 persons will be employed and I think that overall 2-3 thousand people will be employed. Even more importantly, there will be small businesses located around all the new hotels. As for the workers, we don’t have construction work specialists. For example, there are a lot of people standing at the Eliava marketplace seeking jobs, but even they don’t know how to do their work. We are now giving everyone a chance to learn elementary construction work.  We have very few specialists in the construction sphere, but since we have a few of them it means that we can teach many more” - noted Mikheil Saakashvili while talking to them.

The President of Georgia walked the streets of Borjomi and met with the local population. The Head of State spoke to them about the projects that the government plans to implement in the region in the near future.

“Construction will end in September-October. Can you imagine what kind of a relief this is for Borjomians that so many jobs are being created? Cafes and restaurants are also being opened. People will start family businesses. Before we only had bicycle tourism in Borjomi, but now it is becoming a 5 star resort and people will live better here. This was my obligation to you” - noted Mikheil Saakashvili.

Rehabilitation work is going on actively in Borjomi. The roads are being built at the resort, infrastructure organized, historic buildings restored, and new hotels built. Aside from this, the gasification and water supply work will end shortly. The renovated Borjomi will host tourists in one year.

The new hotel of Borjom-Likani - “Rixos” is among the projects Mikheil Saakashvili expressed interested in. It is being built in the territory of the 4^th division through an investment of 36 million GEL. The 86 room hotel “Borjomi,” which will be opened in September, will also have a health spa center. There will be an ultramodern diagnostic center equipped with the latest technology at the hotel “Borjomi Palace.” Also the hotel “Piruza”, which was built in 1932, is undergoing reconstruction within the scope of the state program.  In addition there will be a 4 star hotel of a new Georgian brand “Rooms Borjomi”, ready soon. The managers of this hotel are planning to build hotels in Kazbegi and Tskaltubo as well.

The rehabilitation works of Borjomi will be finished by the end of 2012.