8th International Conference – Standards in Tourism

Date: 22 September, 2026
Time: 10:00 – 18:00
Language: Georgian/English
Address: Paragraph Freedom Square Hotel, Tbilisi

Moderator: Teona Nemsitsveridze

09:30-10:00 Welcome Coffee/ Registration
10:00-10:30 Opening & Welcome Speech

• Natalie Kvachantiradze – Chairperson of Georgian Tourism Association
  Host of the conference
• Andria Basilaia -Deputy Mayor, Tbilisi City Hall
• Maia Omiadze – Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA)
• Teona Nemsitsveridze – Head of Standards committee, Project Author

10:30 – 12:00 SESSION 1 –Sustainable Destination
destination-level challenges, solutions, regulatory frameworks, and approaches to sustainable development.
Audience: mayors, DMO representatives, and tourism service providers.

Panel discussions will join:

•  Dr Dirk Glaesser – Director of Sustainable Tourism and Resilience Department, UN Tourism
• Vakhtang Lomjaria – Head of the Municipal Department of Economic Development, Tbilisi City Hall
• Tinatin Kolbaia – Deputy head of Lepl Spatial And Urban Development Agency of Georgia
• Shalva Mshvildadze – Deputy Mayor of Kutasi City Hall.
• Maia Omiadze – Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA).
  Georgian National Tourism Administration a Legal entity of public law, a part of the system of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

Quick summary – Q&A

12:00 – 12:45 Coffee break

12:45 – 14:00 SESSION 2 – Hotel and Accommodations
Accommodation Sector: Dedicated to sustainability, global evaluation frameworks, and hospitality standards.

A mixture of panel discussions and interactive with national experts and international speakers

• Teona Nemsitsveridze – Head of Standards Committee – GTA.
  Recommendations and Evaluation system benefits for the Hotels.
  Certification Awarded Process.
• Invited speaker: Piter Andrews– Senior Director of Global Programmes, Policy and
  Public Affairs.
  Meet Vera-FY: The New era of Sustainability Data for Global Hospitality.

Quick summary – Q&A

14:00 – 15:00 Lunch break and NETWERKING
15:00 – 17:00 SESSION 3 – Workshop
The Business of Adventure Tourism
Tourism Professionals: This year’s session will feature practical workshops for adventure tour operators, led by an expert from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), recommended by the Association

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA):

• The Tourism product and destination framework
• Introduction the Business of Adventure Tourism
• Examples of Adventure tourism strategies of countries, businesses and tour operators
• Sustainable measurement and assessments
• Sustainability certification systems

Quick summary – Q&A

17:00 – 18:00 Closing & Networking