On October 1-4, 2019, Association Rural Development for Future Georgia (RDFG), together with partner the Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA) and supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) organized a study visit to Vienna, Austria for leaders of new, innovative Georgian startups. The design and implementation of the program was also supported by the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.

The main purpose of the visit was to familiarize participants with Austrian knowledge and experience in the fields of agriculture, tourism and agritourism and to support the building of linkages to potential future partners. The project targeted representatives from eight startups in the agritourism industry – selected winners from GITA’s Startup Matching Grants Program and RDFG beneficiaries within the EU-funded ENPARD Programme. Accompanying the 8 startup representatives were senior staff from RDFG – Chairman Vano Grigolashvili and Rural Development Project Manager Nelly Revazishvili – and from GITA – Head of the International Relations Department Ani Vashakmadze. From the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the group was joined by Johannes Fellner.

The study visit was designed and conducted with extremely positive feedback from participants, reporting that the visit had a significant impact on them and their startups, and expressing a desire to continue building bridges in Austria, implementing lessons learned during the visit, and establishing a startup association inspired by the association they met within Vienna.

The overall objective of the project “Georgian Agritourism Startups Study Visit to Austria” was to stimulate sustainable growth and innovation and to develop profitable, high-quality industry leaders in the agritourism sector. The specific objective was to arrange and conduct a study visit to Austria for representatives of carefully selected Georgian agritourism startups.

Contact

Nina Kopaleishvili – RDFG Communications Officer
nkopaleishvili@rdfg.ge

Nelly Revazishvili – RDFG Rural Development Project Manager
nrevazishvili@rdfg.ge