Prof. Nino kekelidze- Tourism Expert | Public Speaker | Academic Leader, Head of Educational Tourism Committee of GTA

Prof. Dr. Nino Kekelidze is a distinguished tourism expert and academic leader with over 15 years of demonstrated excellence in tourism industry development and education. She holds a PhD in Business Administration and serves as Associate Professor at Georgian National University SEU, where she bridges theoretical knowledge with practical industry applications.

Dr. Kekelidze’s research portfolio encompasses sustainable tourism development, tourism education frameworks, and the intersection of emotional intelligence with professional practice. Her scholarly work has contributed significantly to understanding tourism’s role in economic and social development, with particular emphasis on sustainable tourism development, destination management, tour operating and workforce development.

As founder and CEO of Discover Georgia since 2011, she has successfully established strategic partnerships with international tourism organizations and destination management organizations worldwide. Her multilingual expertise in Georgian, English, Russian, and Spanish enables her to represent Georgian tourism potential at premier international exhibitions, scientific conferences, and business forums across the globe.

In her leadership role as Head of the Educational Tourism Committee at the Georgian Tourism Association (GTA) since 2018, Dr. Kekelidze leads initiatives to strengthen educational tourism and professional development standards. She actively participated in the Dual Education project with GIZ, working on training needs identification and standardization, quality assurance, engagement of training companies, student support, and cooperation with vocational education stakeholders including international partners and national educational institutions.

Her commitment to inclusive development is exemplified through her role as a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) with UN Women since 2019, advancing gender equality and women’s leadership in tourism entrepreneurship. Dr. Kekelidze’s interdisciplinary approach encompasses tourism management, diplomatic relations, emotional intelligence, and work-life balance, making her a sought-after speaker and advisor. Her professional philosophy centers on humanity, solidarity, and equality as foundational principles for sustainable tourism development.