Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept.18 /Trend/
The HVS consulting company forecasts an increase of the tourist flow to Georgia and CIS countries by three per cent per year on average in the future.
This was said in company's report 'Hotel industry in Russia, CIS and Georgia. Tendencies and Perspectives'.
HVS is a leading consulting company in the field of the hotel industry, restaurants, timeshare, and casino and entertainment industry.
'In spite of irregular and expensive air transportations to some parts of the region and the long procedure of visa registration (depending on the country), during the past five years the average growth rate of the number of visitors to Russia, CIS and Georgia from abroad amounted to three per cent and, according to the forecasts, this number is going to remain stable in the future', the report says.
According to the report, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan receive a greater number of tourists in comparison to their neighbours Georgia and Azerbaijan, who receive about 1.5 million visitors yearly, while Armenia receives no more than 600,000.
'The decrease in the number of visitors to Russia was more noticeable in 2009 and it influenced Kazakhstan and Ukraine, while this kind of decrease was observed neither in absolute indicators, nor in percentage terms in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia', the report says.
According to Euromonitor Group forecasts, the prospects are favourable and promise an annual rate at the level of five per cent in the region as a whole. Of note, an increase is expected in Georgia, in spite of low initiative indicators.
On September 18-19, HVS will hold the first hotel investment conference among the countries of CIS and Georgia (ICON), dedicated to the regional development of hotel industry and investigation climate, as well as other urgent issues of the industry.