კონფერენცია

∘ Nino Abesadze ∘
PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM IN GEORGIA DURING THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD

Summary

The tourism sector is still in a state of shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has taken tourism, which is in an active phase of development, into a state of uncertainty and all related activities into a dormant stage. The epidemiological situation is still difficult and the world is waiting for the third wave of the virus. Because of this, tourism trends and key statistical characteristics have changed significantly around the world.

After a year of fighting the pandemic, positive expectations seemed to have emerged. Regulations introduced for the pandemic period were phased out and, subject to compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the post-pandemic period, both international and domestic tourism went into a state of anticipation of positive changes from February 2021. But in April 2021, when the country was facing the third wave of the virus spread, tourism again fell into an unpredictable, economically indefinite framework.

Because Georgia has been a tourism country and will hopefully remain so in the future, it is important to identify and analyze the expectations we should expect after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic in both international and domestic tourism. There is no doubt that two periods will become important for the development of tourism in Georgia, for the purpose of statistical evaluation, calculation, analysis and international comparison of indicators: quantitative characteristics of tourism until 2020 and statistics for the post-pandemic period.

. Rapid growth rates of tourism indicators reached by 2020, the trend of systematic growth of tourism share in GDP, high growth rates of visits and number of visitors, diversity of geographical structure of tourism, a significant increase in Georgia's tourism potential and consequently surprisingly growing On the values of indexes and its subindexes. All this has contributed to the formation of a comprehensive tourism information base in the context of the implementation of UN recommendations.

Georgia has the potential to become an attractive country for medical / health tourism. Based on proper evaluations of the results of various studies, increasing the popularity on the basis of digital transformations, it is possible to offer services to tourist flows, such as aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, dental medicine, balneological and other services.

It should be noted that there are about 2400 species of natural water sources in Georgia. Their level of awareness in terms of tourism is still low. Sulfur waters, Sairme, Tskaltubo, Akhtala etc. Recovery procedures, Borjomi, Nabeghlavi, Likani, Sno, Mukhuri, Lugela ”(which is unique in its natural composition), etc. The diversity of high-quality tourism packages based on the use of natural resources can become one of the preconditions for the growth of medical tourism in Georgia as a result of the right approach and evaluations. Obviously, this process will not be easy. It is important that in order to stimulate both international and domestic demand, in parallel with the creation of high-quality tourism products, convenient, safe tourist flows in the tourism market are ensured in full compliance with the regulations necessary for the post-pandemic.

In conclusion, it can be said that there are all preconditions in Georgia for medical tourism to be a priority area of tourism. Georgia's unique natural resources create a niche that will provide visitors with the prospect of increasing the country's attractiveness from a medical point of view. The diversity of high-quality tourism packages based on the use of natural resources can become one of the preconditions for the growth of medical tourism in Georgia as a result of the right approach and evaluations. It is important that in order to stimulate both international and domestic demand, in parallel with the creation of high-quality tourism products, convenient, safe tourist flows in the tourism market are ensured in full compliance with the regulations necessary for the post-pandemic. It will be important to improve the quality of the digital transformation of the Georgian tourism industry and increase the opportunities for the use of digital technologies in increasing Georgia's medical tourism attractiveness, tourism potential and image.

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Paata Gugushvili Institute of Economics International Scientific C O N F E R E N C E S "ECONOMY – XXI CENTURY"

E ISSN 2587 - 4691	∘ Nino Abesadze ∘ PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM IN GEORGIA DURING THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD Summary The tourism sector is still in a state of shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has taken tourism, which is in an active phase of development, into a state of uncertainty and all related activities into a dormant stage. The epidemiological situation is still difficult and the world is waiting for the third wave of the virus. Because of this, tourism trends and key statistical characteristics have changed significantly around the world. After a year of fighting the pandemic, positive expectations seemed to have emerged. Regulations introduced for the pandemic period were phased out and, subject to compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the post-pandemic period, both international and domestic tourism went into a state of anticipation of positive changes from February 2021. But in April 2021, when the country was facing the third wave of the virus spread, tourism again fell into an unpredictable, economically indefinite framework. Because Georgia has been a tourism country and will hopefully remain so in the future, it is important to identify and analyze the expectations we should expect after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic in both international and domestic tourism. There is no doubt that two periods will become important for the development of tourism in Georgia, for the purpose of statistical evaluation, calculation, analysis and international comparison of indicators: quantitative characteristics of tourism until 2020 and statistics for the post-pandemic period. . Rapid growth rates of tourism indicators reached by 2020, the trend of systematic growth of tourism share in GDP, high growth rates of visits and number of visitors, diversity of geographical structure of tourism, a significant increase in Georgia's tourism potential and consequently surprisingly growing On the values of indexes and its subindexes. All this has contributed to the formation of a comprehensive tourism information base in the context of the implementation of UN recommendations. Georgia has the potential to become an attractive country for medical / health tourism. Based on proper evaluations of the results of various studies, increasing the popularity on the basis of digital transformations, it is possible to offer services to tourist flows, such as aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, dental medicine, balneological and other services. It should be noted that there are about 2400 species of natural water sources in Georgia. Their level of awareness in terms of tourism is still low. Sulfur waters, Sairme, Tskaltubo, Akhtala etc. Recovery procedures, Borjomi, Nabeghlavi, Likani, Sno, Mukhuri, Lugela ”(which is unique in its natural composition), etc. The diversity of high-quality tourism packages based on the use of natural resources can become one of the preconditions for the growth of medical tourism in Georgia as a result of the right approach and evaluations. Obviously, this process will not be easy. It is important that in order to stimulate both international and domestic demand, in parallel with the creation of high-quality tourism products, convenient, safe tourist flows in the tourism market are ensured in full compliance with the regulations necessary for the post-pandemic. In conclusion, it can be said that there are all preconditions in Georgia for medical tourism to be a priority area of tourism. Georgia's unique natural resources create a niche that will provide visitors with the prospect of increasing the country's attractiveness from a medical point of view. The diversity of high-quality tourism packages based on the use of natural resources can become one of the preconditions for the growth of medical tourism in Georgia as a result of the right approach and evaluations. It is important that in order to stimulate both international and domestic demand, in parallel with the creation of high-quality tourism products, convenient, safe tourist flows in the tourism market are ensured in full compliance with the regulations necessary for the post-pandemic. It will be important to improve the quality of the digital transformation of the Georgian tourism industry and increase the opportunities for the use of digital technologies in increasing Georgia's medical tourism attractiveness, tourism potential and image.