Georgian association suggests launching shuttle bus travels between Baku, Yerevan, Trabzon and Georgia
25.06.2019,
10:31
Shalva Alaverdashvili, the head of the Association of Hotels and Restaurateurs of Georgia, suggested June 24 that free shuttle buses start traveling between the airports of Baku in Azerbaijan, Yerevan in Armenia and Trabzon in Turkey and Georgian cities to transport Russian tourists to the Black Sea coastal resorts.
YEREVAN, June 25, /ARKA/. Shalva Alaverdashvili, the head of the Association of Hotels and Restaurateurs of Georgia, suggested June 24 that free shuttle buses start traveling between the airports of Baku in Azerbaijan, Yerevan in Armenia and Trabzon in Turkey and Georgian cities to transport Russian tourists to the Black Sea coastal resorts.
His proposal, made at a news conference in Tbilisi, comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary ban on flights from Russia to Georgia effective July 8. He also recommended that travel agencies suspend tours to Georgia. The ban, according to Russia news media, reflects concerns about the safety of Russian travelers in Georgia amid ‘Russophobic hysteria’ in Georgia.
Anti-Russian demonstrators in Georgia began on June 20 with protesters expressing their anger over Russian State Duma Deputy Sergey Gavrilov occupying the Georgian speaker's seat as he addressed a council of lawmakers from predominantly Orthodox Christian countries.
In a related development Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the country was ready to become a buffer zone between Georgia and Russia to provide air links. He said from July 8, Armenian airlines may allocate five or more passenger aircraft for air transportation. In the meantime, three Armenian airlines -Atlantis European, Taron Avia and Armenia - expressed willingness to provide air communication between Russia and Georgia:.
Earlier, the Georgian office of Transparency International calculated that Georgia’s economy would suffer losses to the tune of $100 million in case Russian tourists stop coming to Georgia also across the land border. Last week, the founder of the Georgian non-governmental organization Banks and Society, Georgy Kepuladze, estimated the damage to the Georgian economy in the event of a complete cessation of air links with Russia at $ 250– $ 300 million. -0-
His proposal, made at a news conference in Tbilisi, comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary ban on flights from Russia to Georgia effective July 8. He also recommended that travel agencies suspend tours to Georgia. The ban, according to Russia news media, reflects concerns about the safety of Russian travelers in Georgia amid ‘Russophobic hysteria’ in Georgia.
Anti-Russian demonstrators in Georgia began on June 20 with protesters expressing their anger over Russian State Duma Deputy Sergey Gavrilov occupying the Georgian speaker's seat as he addressed a council of lawmakers from predominantly Orthodox Christian countries.
In a related development Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the country was ready to become a buffer zone between Georgia and Russia to provide air links. He said from July 8, Armenian airlines may allocate five or more passenger aircraft for air transportation. In the meantime, three Armenian airlines -Atlantis European, Taron Avia and Armenia - expressed willingness to provide air communication between Russia and Georgia:.
Earlier, the Georgian office of Transparency International calculated that Georgia’s economy would suffer losses to the tune of $100 million in case Russian tourists stop coming to Georgia also across the land border. Last week, the founder of the Georgian non-governmental organization Banks and Society, Georgy Kepuladze, estimated the damage to the Georgian economy in the event of a complete cessation of air links with Russia at $ 250– $ 300 million. -0-
