Gudauri Georgia
Client
Year
2010, 2015Services Rendered
Ecosign's work informed Gudauri Ski Resort's transformation into a modern, world-class destination. By revamping the resort base and expanding ski and summer facilities, Ecosign has fueled tremendous growth, making Gudauri one of Europe’s fastest-growing resorts and a premier year-round destination.
Gudauri Ski Resort is located 2 hours north of Georgia’s capital city, Tiblisi, on the south side of the Caucus mountains. Located 2,000m above sea level and surrounded by 5,000m peaks, Gudauri has transformed from a small local ski area into an internationally renowned destination resort since Ecosign completed its first Master Plan in 2011.
Ecosign has planned nine new lifts that have been constructed in Gudauri over the past 15 years, including a major expansion over the Kobi Gudauri pass to the valley below. Ecosign’s most notable influence on the ski resort has been our work identifying, designing and consulting through the construction of the newer Gudauri Village, a 5,000-bed mixed-use village in the centre of the resort.
Ecosign was instrumental in developing the vision for Gudauri and has continued to provide planning and design input and updates to the Master Plan as the resort evolves as a modern, international destination.
2010
Ecosign was retained by Mountain Resorts Development Corporation (MRDC), a branch of the Georgian National Tourism Administration operating under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to prepare the first long term Master Plan for Gudauri, assessing its potential to evolve into the country’s first international destination resort. In 2010, the ski area was comprised of five fixed grip lifts and the bed base was limited to one hotel. Annual skier visits were only 55,000, too low for profitability, and there was very little summer or shoulder season use of the infrastructure.
Gudauri’s spectacular mountain setting, consistent snow and close proximity to Tiblisi were indicators that the ski area could grow, and Ecosign’s Master Plan was the first step in understanding its potential. Ecosign prepared two alternative mountain concepts, a base area land use plan and a Phase 1 immediate action plan for MRDC, illustrating a long term vision for the resort and the first stages of realizing the plan. MRDC reacted immediately and initiated construction on Phase 1 of the new Guduari Village and first lifts in the Master Plan.
2012
By 2012, Ecosign’s vision began to take shape, with new infrastructure such as access roads, parking, a tubing park, beginner ski lifts, and a high-speed gondola. This overhaul sparked a surge in skier visits and summer tourism.
2015
By 2015, Gudauri had built six lifts from Ecosign’s Master Plan and grown from 55,000 skier visits to 170,000 skier visits annually. The first four village buildings had been constructed in the New Gudauri Village and additional day visitor parking areas were added. A new Master Plan was needed for the mountain to explore expanding into Kobi Gudauri, so Ecosign continued working with MRDC on the overall Base Area Master Plan and zoning regulations. At the same time, we prepared a detailed Village Master Plan for buildout of the New Gudauri Village with Hunnewell Partners, a private developer.
As Gudauri quickly became Georgia’s most popular mountain resort, real estate development in the base area experienced rapid growth. Ecosign was retained by several private developers to prepare a Master Plan for several sites around the resort, including the Marco Polo Hotel (a ski-in/ski-out hotel and real estate development), Lower Gudauri Village (an intercept village at the base of the resort), and the Bidara Village (a lift accessed village and real estate development on a high elevation plateau). Ecosign was engaged as a consultant on the New Gudauri Village as buildings were designed in detail and constructed over the past 15 years by various developers.
2023 +
In 2023, Ecosign planned two additional lifts and a snowmaking system for Gudauri. We continue to provide master planning and design support on new infrastructure at the resort, guiding its transformation into a reputable four-season destination mountain resort. In 2024, Gudauri became host to the Freeride World Tour, and summer business continues to grow. Ecosign is thrilled to have been part of Gudauri’s transformation, and we look forward to more collaboration in this beautiful part of the world.
