Mariam Kvrivishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, announced at the memorandum signing event at Kutaisi International Airport [KIA] that "very important projects and works are underway for the further development of KIA, including in terms of service development. Today, we signed a memorandum of cooperation with our partner Visa, within the framework of which we are starting very important work - a lounge created with Visa will be added to the airport by the end of this year."

Visa, a global leader in digital payments, will arrange a business lounge space at KIA in cooperation with the Union of Georgian Airports. The partnership agreement was signed today by Levan Moseshvili, Director of the United Airports of Georgia, and Diana Kighuradze, the company`s regional manager for the Caucasus and Moldova. According to the project, the business lounge will be located on 270 square meters across the 1st and 2nd floors of the airport and will include several zones: a relaxation zone, a working zone, and a dining zone

As Mariam Kvrivishvili noted, it is crucial for KIA to offer high-standard services that provide a positive experience for passengers. She said that business lounge will be exactly such a space: “Last year was a record-breaking year for KIA – we hosted nearly 2 million passengers. The first 4 months of the current year are also practically record-breaking. This, of course, means more passengers and tourists in our country. The current terminal`s capacity is 2,5 million passengers per year. However, given the existing growth dynamics, we see the need to update and revise the development plan and expand the existing airport to accommodate up to 5 million passengers in the near future".

The business lounge will become operational in December of this year. For the first 5 years of its operation, the lounge will feature a unique design. It will embody a modern, minimalist concept, with an interior themed around local history, specifically the myth of the Argonauts. This design aims to highlight Kutaisi`s historical significance and authentic character.

Notably, passengers with Visa premium category cards will be able to use the lounge for free for a predetermined number of visits. The operation of this business space will be managed by the United Airports of Georgia.