Crises around Concepts of Hospitality in the Mountainous Region of Svaneti in the North of Georgia

Some results of a study on the impact of online comments on the development of tourism in Ushguli

Great hopes for sustainable tourism are intimately connected with accommodation in permanently inhabited family houses, a kind of mixture of farm holidays and hiking as well as ecotourism. This is because the inhabitants who live in Ushguli all year-round guarantee the preservation of the cultural landscape. Without them, there would be no horses, cows or pigs on-site, the pastures would not be mown, and there would not be the typical food that visitors can enjoy. The old stone buildings could hardly be preserved, and within a short time, there would be even more waste because the small farms would fall into disrepair, and no one would produce the food consumed locally. Analyses of the online comments and interviews with local stakeholders show the narrow limits of successful communication that open up room for manoeuvre for the providers of tourism services. Almost every visit can quickly become a balancing act, resulting in online reviews that have serious economic consequences for the villagers. Together with the permanent competitive pressure among the villagers, it is enormously difficult to generate sustainable income from overnight stays, horse tours, etc.
Applis, Stefan. 2022. „Crises around Concepts of Hospitality in the Mountainous Region of Svaneti in the North of Georgia“ Tourism and Hospitality 3, no. 2: 416-434. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp3020027

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