Business Traveller (Middle East)
EVENTS FOR EVERY OCCASION
MICE planners have access to a wide range of venues in Georgia – and getting there is no problem with the abundant Gulf flights
TWICE THE MICE FROM RADISSON
The Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel, Tbilisi (see Tried & Tested review, page 61) has two distinct MICE products. Tucked away on its lobby level is an attractive, modern event space, dotted with Marilyn Monroe pop-art, comfortable break-out spaces, ballroom and meeting spaces. Across the road however, it takes it to another level – or three levels to be precise, with the Republic building available for hire, which is topped off by Andropov’s Ears, a classy French seafood restaurant. The first MICE exhibition was held in the Republic at the end of May which attracted 40 delegates from across the region. “Next year we are thinking of expanding and involving Middle East buyers,” said Amiran Ivanidze, Chief Operating Officer for the Convention and Exhibition Bureau of Georgia. radissonblu.com
MICE SPARKLES AT GLASSY BILTMORE
A short walk from the Radisson Blu is the 214-room Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi, owned by the UAE’s Dhabi Group. The Amphitheater is booked out on my first visit, so I return, and this time I have the beautiful semi-circular facility to myself ( pictured). As a stand-alone setting, the Amphitheater must be the jewel in the city’s MICE crown although the opulent Grand Royal Ballroom is as eye-catching as the green-glass, slanting exterior (the skyscraper opened in 2016 though the base has a far longer history). Eight other meeting rooms are available and we shoot up to the 30th floor Xeme Bar, whose breathtaking 360-degree views provide another corporate show-stopping option. millenniumhotels.com
GULF CARRIERS EXPAND IN GEORGIA
Flydubai, which started operations to Tbilisi in November 2011 with twice-weekly services, now operates up to five daily flights. It flies to Batumi on a seasonal basis and demand is now being fuelled by its growing codeshare with Emirates. Business and economy class return fares range from AED5,515 and 1,250 respectively.
Salam Air is running a seasonal route between Muscat and Tbilisi until October 27 and Saudi visitors are rising rapidly, buoyed by new capacity from flynas operating A320s from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah this summer.
Mariam Kvrivishvili, General Director for Voyager, a leading DMC whose business includes flydubai, Salam Air, Jazeera
Airways and flynas, believes Georgia has “a huge competitive advantage”, highlighting the fact that GCC residents require no visas to enter.
She said untapped sectors include medical tourism and wellness retreats – there is one, the Bioli Medical Wellness Resort in Kojori, which is close to Tbilisi, whose programs include Anti-stress, Detox and Chronic Fatigue Management. Adventure tourism products include HeliSkiing in the Caucasus Mountains and 4x4 Driving.
BOUTIQUE CHIC IN THE CITY CENTRE
My driver, Zviadi, negotiates the narrow streets of the Old City to the Iota Hotel, not far from Freedom Square (where Courtyard by Marriott is planning a refurb in 2019, and an Autograph Collection hotel is planned). Iota is the 15th letter of the old Georgian alphabet and in English, ‘iota’ means a small quantity, which is appropriate for this chic 90-room hotel. My fourth floor room is a good deal more compact than the Premier Suite at Hotel Préference but there is light and city views from the room and bathroom. The vertical garden is an attractive feature and the new Wine Observatory features a wide range of vintage Georgian labels and novel artworks (see review, page 60). iotahotels.com
GULF AND EUROPEAN POTENTIAL
Guram Kochiashvili, Head of Business Development at Business Travel Leisure (BTL), a business travel and MICE agency (Ukraine based), said its main markets are Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland and other European countries (while Russia is the premier inbound travel market, it has no diplomatic ties with Georgia).
“We are aiming at EU and Gulf countries which offer great potential for Georgia. We have learned from experience that first comes the leisure groups and then comes MICE. Currently we have a conference for 150 delegates in the Biltmore and they are extending their stay to see the regions. Georgia is affordable compared with EU and Gulf countries but right now, we need more hotels – and more twin rooms.” btl-company.ge
TRENDY TEAMBUILDING WITH GRATA
Traditional Georgian dancers are flying through the air in the Tsiskvili Restaurant as I’m served a feast of Khachapuri, dips, veal ribs and grape cake with walnuts, accompanied by the obligatory glass of Georgian wine (dry Red, Mukuzani).
Viktoria Sharia, Business Development Director of Grata, which handles Destination Management and Events, tells me how they organised a split conference for a leading pharma-consumer company in Tbilisi and Batumi, and each season offers delegates different experiences. The skiing season runs from mid-December to the end of April and Gudauri resort in the Kazbegi region is popular.
Latterly, her team is working on novel teambuilding exercises. “The Old Town is so vivid and picturesque – it’s a little fairytale,” she said. “We can include old legends and history to make quests. One client wants to do Game
of Thrones in Georgian style.” grata.ge
MARRIOTT BLENDS OLD AND NEW
Tbilisi Marriott’s classical-pillared lobby has a case containing a key from the 1915 Majestic Hotel. It opened as a Marriott in 2002 and will have its first rooms reburbishment at the end of this year; F&B and conference facilities will also be revamped.
Cameron McNeillie, Multi-property General Manager, said: “We have to be sympathetic that it’s an historical building but at the same time we need to modernise, to brighten it up. We host a lot of senior delegations – last night we had two Presidents, tonight we have one.”
It’s a short drive to the trendy Moxy, Marriott’s selfservice brand for millennials with its lobby bar, digital wall and dedicated ironing room. Although in a sign of the rising importance of MICE, even here there are plans for a meeting room. marriott.com