Out With The Old And In With The New - Georgia Promotes Itself As Ski Destination
In 2023, the share of the global population that participated in skiing reached nearly 15%, with more than 24% of the world’s skiers coming from the European continent. As the popularity of winter sports continues to grow worldwide, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, resorts in Europe are facing an uphill battle to accommodate the ever-increasing number of visitors each year.
This is especially true for the continents’ most renowned skiing destinations in France, Switzerland and Italy, as visitors must cope with overcrowded slopes and skyrocketing rental and accommodation prices. Meanwhile, climate change has only exacerbated these issues, with many of Europe’s top glaciers suffering from a dramatic reduction in ski-able terrain and increasingly warm and snowless winters.
With the market for winter sports predicted to rise at a steady rate in coming years, many ski enthusiasts are therefore looking to bypass the crowded slopes and worsening conditions in Europe by exploring new locations which may have been overlooked in the past. At the top of the list for such destinations is Georgia, a country which has always boasted fantastic mountains ranges, but has only recently started to gain prominence as an international skiing hub.
Georgia is a hidden gem for winter sports. Spanning 1,200 kilometres through Georgia and across the region, the Caucasus Mountains cover approximately 60% of the country’s surface area. The country also boasts a number of established and fully equipped mountain resorts. Some of these are newly developed while others have been redeveloped after previously serving as training centres for top athletes in the days of the USSR. Coupled with affordable prices for food, accommodation and lift tickets, Georgia possesses all the qualities needed to be a premier and accessible location for those looking to escape the chaos of European slopes.
In recent years, key stakeholders in Georgia’s public and private sector have worked hard to elevate Georgia’s position in the winter sports landscape and showcase the features that make it a perfect place for both top athletes and curious vacationers. One such example is the Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships, which Georgia hosted this year, building on its recent successes of hosting its first world cup in winter sports in 2021 and its first European cup in 2018.
The event was the culmination of years of hard work by Georgia’s government, who partnered with several Georgian companies to present a convincing bid to the international selection committee. Over 15 days of lively competition, the championships drew crowds from across Georgia and abroad, and served as a critical moment for the country to display its impressive potential to the rest of the world.
Next year, Georgia will again host the International Ski Federation World Cup events, and in 2025, will host the Winter Youth Olympic Games. The country’s selection for such important events in the ski and snowboard calendar reflects a growing recognition of Georgia’s promise amongst the leadership of the global winter sports community. This was made especially evident by the recent visit of Johan Eliasch, the President of the International Ski Federation (FIS), meeting the Georgian Prime Minister and later Michel Vion, the FIS General Secretary, to meet local officials and approve the construction of a new four-season resort & International Ski Federation training centre in Mestia, Georgia.
While much of the credit for these recent accomplishments must be attributed to the Georgian Government and Georgia’s ski federation officials, the man who originally spearheaded the country’s growth as a leading winter sports destination is MrGeorge Ramishvili, a businessman and Chairman of the Silk Road Group. Indeed, it was the idea of Mr Ramishvili and Georgian Ski FederationVice President Patrick Lang to create the Mestia training centre.
As a longtime admirer of Georgia's impressive peaks, with some reaching over 5,000m, Mr Ramishvili has been at the forefront of the country’s winter sports landscape for decades, and is the former President of the Georgian Ski Federation. His vision has materialized into the development of world class ski resorts and the construction of critical winter sports infrastructure, undertaken by the Georgian Government. In addition, Mr Ramishvili has played a key role inspiring the next generation of Georgian skiers by supporting the Georgian National Ski Team and Georgian Ski Federation, as well as funding a European training camp for talented young skiers.
Through the joint efforts of the state and the private sector, Georgia’s winter sports industry and community is nearly unrecognizable from just 20 years ago. Today, the country attracts thousands of tourists each year, many of whom are drawn by Georgia’s impressive resume as a skiing destination. The number of visits from top winter sports athletes is also increasing, as elite ski teams based in Europe are now choosing to spend their offseason (April-October) in Georgia, as opposed to flying halfway across the world to the southern hemisphere, reducing costs and reducing their carbon footprints.
As Georgia continues to grow as a winter sports hub, now is the time to witness this snowy paradise first hand. With winter fast approaching, the crowds are sure to amass in traditional destination across Europe. If you want a truly unique skiing adventure, while discovering a rich culture of hospitality, Georgia may be the place for you.
