International gaming investors praise inaugural casino investors congress Batumi
14 September 2012 - 13:32
A total of 120 investors representing over 70 gaming, leisure and tourism organisations attended the first ever Casino Investors Congress, which took place at the five-star Batumi Sheraton last week. The investors, who travelled from 25 countries including the US, Russia, Macau, Austria, France, India, Portugal, Armenia and the United Kingdom, received senior level presentations outlining the government's overall short- and long-term vision for the development of gaming and tourism in Ajara, and Georgia as a whole.
Written by Redazione
Topics presented at the Congress included the current and future framework of gambling legislation and regulation, the development of tourism, as well as practical information on how to go about doing business in Georgia. Joining Levan Varshalomidze, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, as key speakers at the Congress were Jambul Ebanoidze, Deputy Minister of Finance and head of the Georgian Revenue Service; Nino Sharashenidze, head of Service Department, Georgian Revenue Service; Keti Bochorishvili, Vice Minister of the Economy and Sustainable Development, Georgia; Kakha Baindurashvili, Director, Georgian Chamber of Commerce; Giorgi Pertaia, First Deputy Director, Georgia National Investment Agency, and David Kikava, head of the Ajaran Department of Tourism and Resorts.
The presentations were supported by case studies from leading hospitality and gaming companies already operating successfully, or in advanced stages of development in Batumi, including Liberty Gaming, Peace Casino and Groupe Partouche. Delegates also had the opportunity for one-to-one contact with all the speakers during networking events staged throughout the Congress.
Congress Director John Sullivan, Director of publishing and events company GB Media, which developed the Congress, said: "The response to the inaugural Casino Investors Congress was fantastic. To have so many chief executives and owners of such major international businesses travel to Batumi is a great testament to the appeal of this wonderful and inspiring city, and the investment opportunities it holds. "The Congress represents a unique opportunity to be able to discuss and help shape the future of gaming in this part of the world," he added. Irakli Goradze, Ajara’s Director, International Affairs, commented: “On behalf of Mr. Levan Varshalomidze, the Chairman of the Government of the Ajara Autonomous Republic, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the Casino Investors Congress Batumi. “We were delighted to host so many key gaming influencers in Batumi, and believe that the Congress provided a great opportunity to introduce both our on-going and our future projects, to supply information about our investor friendly regulatory framework and to establish initial contacts with local business and government representatives.”