The President of Georgia toured the rehabilitation works within the scope of the infrastructural project, including the former hotel “Shakhtiori” the restoration of which is going on through a private investment. The building which is already being reconstructed will become a fashionable hotel “Intercontinental”, in 2013. According to Mikheil Saakashvili, Tskaltubo will become a world class resort and it will be more attractive for tourists. The new hotel will compete with the finest hotels of Europe.

“Look how beautiful this place is compared to how demolished everything was here in the past. The Tskaltubo Intercontinental will be here – the negotiations are currently underway. Who would have thought that in this demolished, God forsaken place a brand like Intercontinental would arrive? A hotel that will be the best hotel in Eastern Europe… Nothing similar will be anywhere in the post soviet space or Karlovy Vary or in Hungary. This will only be in Georgia; Imereti, near Kutaisi, in Tskaltubo. All of this is being done for the people” – stated the President of Georgia according to whom for years Tskaltubo had a great deal of poverty and unemployment and now everything is being done in order to revive and employ people and the resort zone. He also added that the new international airport and the relocated Parliament and the new hotels will assist overcoming the employment problem in the region.

1,500-2,000 jobs will be created locally within the rehabilitation project. The same project has allocated living quarters for refugees from Abkhazia and created jobs for them.

“We are building parks and spas. Rehabilitation of the baths is also underway. We are also building therapeutic resorts. Other works are also underway and very soon everything will be under intensive construction. We are doing everything here with the experience that we have gained in Signagi, Mestia, Tbilisi center, Mtskheta and Kakheti. This will be the best place because the more we learn the better we do things. It will not only be the best in Georgia but it will be one of the main places in all of Europe and the main tourist destination pride of Georgia; one of the main sources of income of Imereti.” – stated Mikheil Saakashvili.

Later today, the President of Georgia toured the so called “Sixth Bath” reconstruction works in the area of Tskaltubo Park, which is being restored within the scope of a private investment. The building was constructed in 1951, and it will regain its original appearance in 2013, receiving 800 tourists and patients per month. 4 million USD have been invested privately in the rehabilitation of the building and its infrastructure. The Tskaltubo rehabilitation works will end in 2013 reviving parks and fields, constructing several hotels of international standards, and replacing communication systems.