On 13 February, the ISET Policy Institute and the USAID Economic Governance Program, within the framework of a joint project, hosted a roundtable discussion regarding the various challenges and prospects of digital transformation in the tourism industry.

At the event, the European Business Association (EBA) and the Georgian Financial Markets Treasury Association (GFMTA) presented a policy document developed in cooperation with ISET Policy Institute. Specifically, the current situation regarding the digitization of the tourism sector in Georgia, international experiences, and the policy of supporting digitization in EU countries were discussed. The authors concluded their presentation by offering recommendations to various stakeholders in the tourism sector.

Critically, development in the Georgian tourism sector is heavily dependent on the introduction of modern technologies and effective management in the process of service digitization, as such the purpose of the policy document is to analyze the challenges to digital transformation and to develop recommendations for representatives in the public sector in response to the challenges identified.

The policy document itself, entitled Challenges and Prospects of Digital Transformation in the Tourism Industry, was developed within the grant activity of the USAID Economic Governance Program’s Strengthening the Advocacy Capacity of Civil Society Organizations and Private Sector Associations, in cooperation with the European Business Association (EBA) and the Georgian Financial Markets Treasury Association (GFMTA). Moreover, the ISET Policy Institute provided key mentorship support.