Hospitality and Restaurant Sector for Ukraine

In late February, just days after the start of the war, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Mariam Kvrivishvili thanked representatives of the hospitality and restaurant business for calling the Tourism Administration hotline and offering shelter and food to Ukrainians in Georgia. This initiative of the private sector, in addition to being a show of a strong degree of support for Ukraine and expressing Georgians’ position on the war, also reflected the high corporate responsibility of these companies. Fortunately, their number turned out to be not small. Each company tried its best and still continues to help people in need.

For example, hotels such as Holiday Inn Tbilisi, Iveria Inn Tbilisi, Sairme Hotels Resorts, Orbeliani Residence Hotel, Folk Boutique Hotel and Hotel Tbilisi Central offered free accommodation to Ukrainians staying in Georgia, while restaurants Chveni, Qvevri, Cookie Baker hosted Ukrainians for free meals. Madart, Brotplatz and Orbeliani Bazaar provided Ukrainian citizens with food, while Dunkin’ Donuts and Wendy’s provided their own vouchers.

Some companies in the hospitality and entertainment industry gave financial support to Ukraine: ice-cream chain Luca Polare donated 10,000 GEL to help Ukrainian children. McDonald’s and Coca-Cola each transferred 15,000 GEL to a charity account for Georgia.

The above is only a small list of what hospitality and restaurant businesses in Georgia have done for Ukraine, and what they continue to provide today. Adjara Group Hotel CEO, share her view on current events in Ukraine and the participation of the company in the process to support the country.

Nino Kvernadze, Adjara Group Hotel CEO

– Representatives of the Georgian hotel and restaurant business have been involved in events in support of Ukraine since the first days of the war. How has your company contributed to this?

– “Adjara Group” is always actively involved in the process of solving global challenges. The current events in Ukraine are a particularly sensitive topic for us.

After the beginning of the Russian aggression and the unprovoked war, the “Adjara group” was fully engaged in the processes supporting the Ukrainian people.

According to the decision of our executive team, hotel rooms in Holiday Inn Tbilisi were allocated free of charge for Ukrainian citizens who remained in Georgia from the first days of hostilities. Based on the demands, we also hosted them in the hotels Rooms Hotel Tbilisi, Rooms Hotel Kazbegi and Fabrika Hotel.

We spread information about this initiative through social media. We had intensive cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia. We received information about the needs of the Ukrainians here and tried to help them as much as possible. Caring for people is also part of our company’s corporate culture, which we have been developing over the years.

– More specifically, what was done to help Ukrainians both inside and outside the country? What was the attitude of the company management and staff towards these events?

– Our employees were directly involved in the activities supporting Ukraine. They themselves expressed their desire to help the friendly country in various ways. For this purpose, special spaces were set up in our hotels, where we collected basic necessities and products donated by members of the “Adjara Group” team. Part of the cargo was sent to Ukraine, and part was given to Ukrainian citizens in Georgia. As I mentioned, the company’s administration had a close relationship with the Ukrainian embassy, ​​from which we received the list of items and medicines that the war-affected citizens needed.

In addition, at the initiative of Adjara Group, we started cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Georgia. Based on the information and requests received from them, we additionally accommodated the refugees who arrived in Georgia in our hotels. We also communicated with the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA). The Adjara Group team worked actively with them to provide new and temporary housing for Ukrainian citizens living in Georgia after the start of the war. In total, we hosted 168 adults and 24 children for 1.5 month.

“Adjara group” was involved in the event held by various organizations to help Ukrainians and tried to express its support both materially and morally. We allocated the spaces in the hotel free of charge for a number of thematic charity events organized by our partner organizations and associations.

In addition, Adjara Group was involved in an event organized by various organizations to help Within a few days of the start of hostilities, Ukrainian flags were hung at all of our facilities, and staff expressed their position by wearing badges with the Ukrainian flag. The fact that the company has taken the right side since the very first days of the war and has expressed its position on Russia’s aggressive policy is indicative of its value-based resilience and commitment to democratic values. The Adjara Group is a progressive company that supports truth, democracy and respects the choice of the Ukrainian people to live in a free, sovereign country.

– How will the humanitarian campaign continue, what are your company’s plans in this regard in the near future?

– Our wish is for the war to end as soon as possible and for the citizens of Ukraine to be allowed to return to their homeland and continue to develop their country there. Adjara Group will continue to support them and help them in the ways they need most in the current situation.