Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, together with United Nations World Tourism Organization director-general Francesco Frangialli, today attended the opening of the Icarus tourism vocational school today.

"We are a country known for our rich traditions and our hospitality and we need many more professionals so that we can get better exposure for our country and its traditions. This is the sixth such vocational school that we have opened in Georgia. These schools have become very prestigious because people who master their professions at these institutions will automatically find work. This is also very important in terms of the development of the tourism industry," the president said.

The centre is a joint Georgian-Greek project. Some 400 people will study at the centre per year. Special 15-week study courses have been developed for those who are already employed or have certain experience and wish to improve their qualifications. There are also one-year courses for those wishing to become specialists in the areas of bartending, waiting tables, managing hotel reservations and other professions.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia