Rural tourism as a promising trend of small business in Georgia: Topicality, capabilities, peculiarities

Abstract

Abstract The article analyses prospects for the development of small tourism business in Georgia, in particular in rural settlements – so-called “rural tourism” (agritourism, farming tourism) which is a fast emerging sector of small entrepreneurship. Capabilities and conditions for the development of rural tourism are examined for different regions of Georgia. As it is noted, there are distinguishing characteristics in each region (natural environment, economic level, traditions of economic management, rules for family farm arrangement, rituals and customs, etc.) which differ regions from each other. Careful consideration is given to the objects which are of interest for agritourists in rural settlements in Georgian regions: Kakheti, mountainous area of Georgia (Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Mtskheta-Mtianeti), Achara, Guria, Samegrelo, Imereti, Shida and Kvemo Kartli, as well as to the issues of readiness for their acceptance. It is emphasized in the article that the development of rural tourism in the country will promote economic growth in the regions, ensure employment of local people, improve their well-being, and, what is most crucially for mountainous regions, solve pressing demographic problem (depopulation of villages, ageing of population, young people's migration to urban areas, etc.).