News
8/3/2010
The President of Georgia visited Anaklia and Mestia Resort Zones
The first person who visited Anaklia five-storey hotel today, was the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. Mikheil Saakashvili went to Anaklia beach together with his elder son Nikoloz.![](-/~/m/u/ck/ov/releases/anaklia_saakashvili_POOL1.jpg?126)
The President himself demonstrated the possibilities of both winter and summer resorts at the same time. It took him 25 minutes to get to Mestia from Anaklia, where a ski competition between children was held. The President visited ski slopes and tested his skiing abilities there. As the President noted, starting from January in Europe the marketing campaign will start - the whole Europe will see that Georgia is the only country where it is possible to ski and to swim and get sun tan at the same time.
"Half an hour ago we were swimming in the sea, where the temperature of the water was 30 degrees Celsius, now we are skiing in snow. The first rope-way is being constructed this year. Austrians and Canadians determined that these slopes are of Olympic standards. This means that we will have Olympic slopes this year", the President stated.
The President spoke about Anaklia as one of the best sea resorts in Georgia and stressed his attention on constructing the tourism infrastructure there. Tourist season will get fully activated.
"I haven't expected to see such a beautiful sea and beach in Anaklia. The development of this resort was my idea and I hoped that it would be good. It's a miracle - the hotel located there, the beach, the road to the beach, Kolkheti lowland and natural park, then via Lugela Gorge getting to Mestia skiing resort just about in two hours. This year a resort is being built in Mestia and I can say nothing like this has ever existed in Georgia. It is true that we have good slopes, but not such beautiful and of this scale - I mean the number of sunny days and the snow quality. From next year we will start to advertise Georgia as the only place in the whole Europe, where you can swim on tropical beach and in about two hours go skiing", Mikheil Saakashvili stated. The President got interested in the construction of Anaklia-Mestia road and got information about it from the local population.
"This place equals to 10-12 Gudauri altogether. There can be 40-50 rope-ways. For many years I hear how we explain to the Europeans that Georgia is a Caucasian Switzerland. What we do here proves that this is true. six months ago when I was speaking about the development of Anaklia many people mocked me, but you can see now what kind of hotels have been built and what kind of infrastructure we will have. Nowhere in the world you will find a combination of summer and winter resorts like this. I have visited many places in the world and I do not exaggerate. This is why we mustn't be European Switzerland - Switzerland must become European Georgia. But we have to work hard for it. Both Georgian investors and business people must see to look farther than Rustaveli Avenue. Those who will invest a dollar now will get in five years a hundred percent back. Remember, in 5-6 years we can probably have 500-700 thousand, or even million tourists here. We will need many hotels, many restaurants, many entertainment places and enterprises. Also we need high technologies - this will come together with increased income and wealth. The enemy wasn't able to damage this place and the development of this very place is the basis for returning the rest. God Bless Georgia!" Mikheil Saakashvili stated.