Abstract
This study is an attempt toempirically understand thetransformation of rootedlivelihoods after the arrival oftourism in the GreaterCaucasus. A case-specificmethodology combiningqualitative and geographicinformation methods enabled us to identify 4 types of tourism-ledlivelihood change: (1) expanding nonagricultural activities;(2) reducing agricultural activities; (3) developing agritourismactivities; and (4) increasing agricultural activities. Broad spatialcoverage ensured that the data collected were representative. Thefindings indicate that although tourism growth has increased theneed for supplementary services, only a few local residents havemanaged to develop tourism-related nonagricultural activities. Weargue that mountain residents see opportunities from tourismmainly in agriculture and hosting tourists. However, relatively fewof them actually expanded their agricultural activities in responseto tourism’s increased demand for agricultural products, as severalbarriers (lack of human resources, modern technology, andfinances) hindered other residents from taking this opportunity. Asour study reveals, households with traditional livelihoods mostoften replaced their agricultural activities, investing all theirresources in developing tourism-related livelihoods instead. Otherscreated added value from their integrated agriculture- and tourism-based livelihoods by providing visitors with locally made products.In addition to these findings on trends in livelihood changes, thestudy also provides an understanding of households’ economicpriorities. We hope the new insights surrounding tourism-ledlivelihood shifts will spark a debate on how people cope with therapid spread of tourism in the Georgian mountains.
Highlights
Georgia is a mountainous country in the South Caucasus region and, due to its complex topography, agricultural land resources are limited to approximately 3 million hectares, which comprise only 43% of the total area (Urushadze and Ghambashidze 2013)
Livelihood changes The analysis of a large number of narratives leaves no doubt that tourism development is followed by a whole series of changes in local economic activities
In line with the writings of Tao and Wall (2009) on the dominant nature of tourism, the results clearly demonstrate that tourism has generated fierce competition in established economic sectors
Summary
Georgia is a mountainous country in the South Caucasus region and, due to its complex topography, agricultural land resources are limited to approximately 3 million hectares, which comprise only 43% of the total area (Urushadze and Ghambashidze 2013). The transition following the formation of an independent Georgian state was accompanied by far-reaching economic reforms and transformations in people’s livelihoods. These changes were not limited to urban areas and profoundly affected the Caucasus mountains as well (Schmidt 2017). If the share of agriculture was around 25% of Georgia’s gross domestic product before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the first years of independent statehood drastically increased the significance of this sector (Plachter and Hampicke 2010). International visitors’ trips are mostly undertaken for holiday, leisure, or recreation purposes Visitors from the former Soviet Union mostly visit the Black Sea and large cities, while overseas tourists prefer mountain and cultural tourism. The most common expectations among tourists are linked to experiencing a wilderness different from that in other mountain ranges and tasting authentic Georgian cuisine (Gugushvili et al 2017; Khartishvili et al 2019)
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