Viristar Staff to Support Regulation Development
The country of Georgia, located between Russia and Türkiye, has glacier-clad mountains, dramatic canyons, and sparkling whitewater rivers. It offers myriad opportunities for outdoor adventure—from temperate rainforest and deep caves, to the 5,068-meter Mt. Shkhara and subtropical Black Sea shores. The nation, located at the crossroads between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, is recognized world-wide as an attractive destination for adventure tourism.
Hosting travelers is an important part of the country’s economy, and developing the nation’s adventure tourism sector is a national priority. The country is updating its tourism law, and is developing technical regulations to establish safety and quality standards for high risk (adventure) tourism services.
These regulations, or secondary legislation, will describe best practice mandatory safety requirements, and enforcement tools for their implementation. They are expected to cover, at a minimum, alpine, mountain and ski guide services; zipline; paragliding; canyoning, and rafting.
Martvili Canyon near the Black Sea in western Georgia
Viristar, whose staff have provided consulting and training services on outdoor and adventure risk management for organizations in over 50 countries, including government entities from North America to Asia, was approached about supporting the development of these regulations. Viristar’s Director will be drafting detailed recommendations to be considered for Georgian adventure tourism legislation. Recommendations will be based on leading international practices and standards.
The project will involve Parliament’s Sectoral Economy and Economic Policy Committee, the Georgian National Tourism Administration, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, the Georgian Tourism Industry Alliance, the Georgian Mountain Guides Association (a full member of the IFMGA), and other entities.
Georgia’s location, national flag and coat of arms
Active outdoor pursuits have the promise to bring health and wellness benefits to adventurers, sustainable economic development, and protection of natural areas upon which all life depends.
The efforts of the nation of Georgia to help get more people enjoying outdoor adventures, to high standards of safety and quality, will bring benefits to the people of Georgia and to others from all around the world.
The foot of Mt. Shkhara, Upper Svaneti, Georgia