A destination’s attractiveness does not automatically translate into international demand. Between having distinctive cultural heritage, landscapes, and authentic experiences and becoming a competitive choice for international travellers lies a critical process: connecting local tourism offerings with the markets, networks, and businesses that can bring them to a wider audience.
This has been one of the key objectives behind the familiarisation (FAM) tours supported by RECONOMY’s Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness project.
Our partner tour operator, Nueva Vista, organised a FAM tour for representatives of the Spanish tourism market, combining two neighbouring destinations in one journey: Armenia from 25-30 September, followed by Georgia from 30 September to 4 October 2026.
Bringing Armenia and Georgia together in one itinerary offered an opportunity to introduce international tourism professionals to the region’s diverse tourism potential and explore how neighbouring destinations can complement one another in international travel offerings.
The broader significance of FAM tours lies in the connections they help create. First-hand exposure enables international tourism professionals to develop a more informed understanding of destinations, evaluate tourism products and services, and identify opportunities for future business cooperation. For local tourism providers, these interactions can help reduce information gaps, strengthen relationships with international operators, and improve the positioning of their offerings in competitive markets.
For tourism businesses, competitiveness is not simply about having something worth visiting. It also depends on how effectively their products are developed, communicated, packaged, and connected to international demand.
Through its support for Nueva Vista in organising the tour, RECONOMY’s Digitizing Sectors for Competitiveness project contributes to strengthening these market connections and expanding opportunities for tourism businesses to engage with international partners.
Because putting a destination on the map is only the beginning. The real opportunity lies in connecting its unique offerings with the markets, partnerships, and travellers that can help its tourism sector grow.
RECONOMY is an inclusive and green economic development program of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), implemented by Helvetas in partnership with the Strategic Development Agency NGO and others in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries.