MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

“Our country has achieved another success – the Georgian aviation market has gained another European airline. Today, we welcomed the first direct flight from Zurich of the Swiss low-cost airline Edelweiss, which is undoubtedly a huge achievement for our country, our aviation, and the tourism industry,” –the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili stated commenting on the commencement of operations by the Swiss airline Edelweiss in Georgia.

Kvrivishvili noted that this success was preceded by extended negotiations that concluded successfully.

“The entry of Edelweiss is a major step forward in strengthening our country’s tourism industry and promoting the policy of diversification – even more international travelers will come to Georgia, in this case from Switzerland, which means that a segment of high-spending tourists will be added. It is noteworthy and pleasing that the very first flight that Tbilisi Airport received today was fully loaded, which already indicates that there is demand from Switzerland for Georgia, it is growing, and the airline itself notes that demand and load factors will also be high on subsequent flights,” – the Deputy Minister pointed out.

According to Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Georgian government intends to implement quite large-scale marketing campaigns with Switzerland, including with Edelweiss, as well as with EasyJet, which has already started flying on the Geneva-Tbilisi route.

“It can be considered that this year is truly historic and record-breaking, because, among other things, with Switzerland, we already have direct flights twice a week from Geneva, as well as from Zurich, and this, of course, as I mentioned, will ensure the strengthening of our country’s tourism industry, will help our country’s small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to further develop their activities in the tourism sector,” – Kvrivishvili said.

Edelweiss is a Swiss International Airlines subsidiary founded 29 years ago, which is owned by the Lufthansa Group, one of the world’s largest airline groups, and operates flights from its base in Zurich to 90 destinations in European countries and the Americas. Edelweiss will operate flights to Georgia using Airbus 320 aircraft.

A reception was held at Tbilisi International Airport on the occasion of the airline’s launch of operations in Georgia. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Swiss Ambassador to Georgia, Heidi Grau, the heads of the Georgian Airports Association, the Sakaeronavigatsia (Air Navigation), the Civil Aviation Agency, and the Georgian National Tourism Administration. The reception was also attended by the representatives of the airline who arrived on the first flight from Zurich, the Swiss journalists, and the employees of TAV Georgia.