The ENRICHER hubs project team jointly organized the first Dissemination Conference in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The event was hosted by Caucasus University and brought together academic leaders, tourism experts, students, and stakeholders from partner universities in Georgia, Moldova, Finland, Austria, and Italy, as well as participants from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, and Japan.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Ms. Irena Melua, Vice President for Internationalization at Caucasus University, and Ms. Nora Lappalainen, Project Manager at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland) and Coordinator of the ENRICHER hubs project.
Participants had the opportunity to explore best practices in sustainable tourism across Europe, presented through concrete case studies by European experts. Speakers also shared research findings on the state of green tourism in Georgia and Moldova, the role of Green Tourism Hubs, and the concept of a business challenge competition, which will soon be launched in all six Green Tourism Hubs.
The keynote address was delivered by Ms. Natalia Bakhtadze, Chairwoman of the Ecotourism Association, who presented on “Green Transformation in Georgian Tourism.” The program featured also a panel discussion on “Challenges of Sustainable Tourism, Future Opportunities, and the Role of Hubs in This Process,” moderated by Professor Giorgi Bregadze of the Caucasus School of Tourism. The panel brought together representatives from diverse areas of the tourism sector alongside international experts to discuss the role of innovation and sustainability in shaping the future of tourism in Georgia and the wider region. Drawing on real-world examples, participants highlighted the main challenges facing the sector and outlined potential solutions.
During the day, participants also had the opportunity to join a campus tour, which showcased modern facilities and a variety of innovative working spaces. One of the highlights of the day was the opening ceremony of the Caucasus University Green Tourism Hub. The hub will serve as a venue for various activities involving students and stakeholders in collaboration with the Caucasus School of Tourism.
After the insightful first day, the seminar week continued with a student workshop and a project management meeting on the second day. On the third day, the International team had the opportunity to visit Telavi State University and its newly opened Green Tourism Hub. Throughout the week, the team experienced Georgian culture and warm hospitality through fascinating field visits focused on sustainable tourism in the Kakheti region and Tigi’s Home in Dusheti.
