2019-01-19
"Georgia is bound to get established on the global map as a country of most successful ski resorts" stated Mamka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia at the official launch of a new cable-driven ski lift at Kobi-Gudauri today.
Head of Government of Georgia congratulated the tourists, population of Kobi, Gudauri and Kazbegi with the implementation of a unique project and noted that they are the ones that have the best knowledge of the potential and opportunities offered by this road.
"Number of tourists visiting Gudauri has been increased by 500 percent over the past 6 years. It is a tremendous success, however it is not enough. We wish to turn the ski resorts of Georgia into the best ones globally. Gudauri has welcomed the season this year with a lot of novelties, however this project is indeed unique. As a result of its implementation we will be able to develop Kobi, Gudauri and Stepantsminda as a single cluster. Best ski resorts of Switzerland and Austria achieved the best results through this strategy and I am confident that we will approach the level of our European friends" added the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Head of Government of Georgia expressed his special gratitude to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Georgia, Poma - a leading European company, along with all the engineers and technical staff that managed to carry out the project in a short period of time and in challenging climate conditions.
"Along with a boosted potential of tourism, this project will help us to overcome the most significant challenge, which we have every winter, when Kobi-Gudaui road gets blocked. From now on, each citizen of Georgia will be able to use this cable-driven ski lift system in heavy snow or when avalanches are expected. It will be a very important step towards tackling this issue. This problem will be solved in a systemic manner when the construction of a 9 km. tunnel gets completed in 2023, however meanwhile this project will be instrumental in addressing this challenge. I wish to congratulate everyone with the implementation of this project and I strongly believe that Georgia is bound to get established on a global map as a country with most successful ski resorts" concluded the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Head of Government of Georgia traveled in a just-commissioned cable-driven ski lift with Maya Tskitishvili, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia; Giorgi Kobulia, Miniser of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia; Sozar Subari, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Georgia on Regional Matters; Shalva Kereselidze, Governor of the region and officials of the companies engaged in the construction of the cable-driven ski-lift system.
Kobi-Gudauri cable-car road is 7.5 km in length. Its construction cost was 81 MLN GEL. Gudauri cable-driven ski lift is part of a common system and its throughput capacity is 2800 passengers an hour.
Prime Minister's Press Office