November 2019, Khulo – The EU-supported Khulo Local Action Group (LAG) within the frame of the project “Promotion of service quality development in the guest houses in Khulo Municipality” organized a training course for guesthouse operators. Training topics were: (1) guesthouse management: (2) service provision and marketing. 13 guesthouse operators participated in the training. The training was conducted by ELKANA trainer – Nana Kartvelishvili.

Khulo LAG member and the US Embassy funded project assistant Asmat Bolkvadze noted – ‘’Current exercise is a very big experience as for LAG development, as well for guesthouse operators, who are able to develop skills and knowledge in guesthouse management, service provision and marketing to improve operating quality’’.

The training was very interactive; all participants were involved in discussions. Guesthouse operators shared their experience. Information received from training was very practical and participants already decided to have some changes to their guesthouse operations. During the training,  following subjects were described in details: (1)definition of  ‘’Rural Tourism’’; (2) hotel tourism development conditions in small towns and in rural areas: (3) main touristic offers: (4) additional touristic products: (5) spendings: (6) hospitality and guesthouse operating standards; (7) assessment of guesthouse; (8) peculiarity of food provision and how to arrange souvenir corner and yard. 

Each topic of training was very interesting for me because everything was very practical and useful to consider. I will easily adjust received theory into the specification to our guesthouses. I am very glad that this kind of trainings are organized in Khulo municipality – noted training participant Iamze Meladze.

The project is financed jointly by the US Embassy small grant program and Caritas Czech Republic in Georgia.