On September 13-16, 2013, a study tour in Tusheti was organized within the framework of the project “Development of Ecotourism in the Javakheti National Park Support Zone”. The project beneficiaries – local guides, representatives of guesthouses, horse rental point and women’s enterprise participated, as well as representatives from Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda Municipality Local Governments and Biological Farming Association Elkana. The tour participants visited Protected Areas of Tusheti and saw the tourism infrastructure and services there, received information about Tusheti National Park and its administration, visited local guesthouses, horse rental points and the Tushetian Carpet House, tasted dishes of Tushetian cuisine and got acquainted with local traditions; locals shared their experience in tourism with the tour participants.

As a result of the study tour in Tusheti, the project beneficiaries have a clear understanding of the protected areas, tourism services and infrastructure; they are motivated to participate and be involved in the development of tourism and tourism infrastructure in the Javakheti Protected Areas, to make use of the knowledge and experience obtained in Tusheti in their activities, to cooperate with the people involved in tourism and to gain essential knowledge and experience.

 The project “Development of Ecotourism in the Javakheti National Park Support Zone” has been implemented by the Biological Farming Association Elkana since May 2013. The project aims to support development of ecotourism in the Javakheti National Park support zone villages (Patara Khanchali, Epremovka, Zhdanovo, Sameba, Dadeshi, Sulda, Miasnikiani, Filipovka, Bozali, Kartsakhi), and it is part of the Javakheti National Park Establishment project which is funded by the German Government through the Reconstruction Credit Bank KfW and is implemented by WWF in cooperation with the Agency of Protected Areas of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia.