“Due to heavy snowfall, we were forced to cancel many reservations as electricity supply was hindered in Mestia for three days. The snowfall has reducted the number of tourists,” Manana Kvitsiani, the owner of the Villa Mestia hotel, says.

According to Kvitsiani, power outages hinder the tourism industry development.

“We have canceled a lot of bookings. The power shortage has created many problems, not everyone has generators to fill them with diesel fuel given its high cost. The sisituation is aggravated by the closedown of cable cars, all this hinders the development of tourism. Mestia is mainly visited by Russian citizens in winter season. A small number of Czechs also arrived in the resort, but the coronavirus pandemic has decreased the number of European tourists ,” the hotel owner notes.

Manana Kvitsiani adds that energy shortage is currently the major problem faced by Svaneti.

“It is not only about tourism, the locals themselves live in very difficult conditions. Yesterday the electricity was turned on, but electricity is needed for normal functioning, and it is just not enough. All this leads to demotivation both among local residents and tourists, whom we do not know how to solve this problem,” said Manana Kvitsiani.

“Not only tourism but also the locals live in very difficult conditions. All this causes demotivation both among locals and tourists, we don't even know who is responsible for solving this problem,” Manana Kvitsiani stresses.