Baku, Azerbaijan, September 17
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Georgia is looking to launch discussions on mandatory insurance for tourists visiting the country, said Devi Khechinashvili, Head of Insurance Association of Georgia, Trend reports via georgiatoday.ge.
Khechinashvili says that along with the increase in tourist numbers, the spending on tourists within the Georgian healthcare system is also increasing. He noted that too many tourists come to Georgia without insurance and as a result the healthcare system is struggling to cope.
He believes that regulations should be introduced which protect the interests of both the tourists and the state healthcare system.
“At the moment, there is a normative act about insurance, but no-one controls this at the border, so it is necessary to start discussions on this issue,” he noted.
Khechinashvili explained that the issue was raised by the insurance industry during a meeting with Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze.
“Discussions are sure to be launched because this is a very important problem that needs to be resolved,” he added.
Khechinashvili also noted that some Georgian clinics face financial difficulties with foreign insurance companies who complicate the procedures of transferring compensation for injured tourists.
In January-July 2019, 2,697,624 tourists (+ 8 percent compared to the same period last year) and 4,961,918 international travelers (+ 7.8 percent) visited Georgia.
