If you’ve ever dreamed of future travels and wanted to reflect on the past, now is the time to pack your bags. The picturesque city of Batumi is about to unveil an innovative project that will make it the focal point of global attention.

Welcome to the beautiful Georgian city of Batumi, featuring two futuristic peninsulas and one artificial island. Picture yourself waking up to the gentle sounds of the sea, with a stunning panoramic view, surrounded by modern architecture, recreational areas, and sustainable infrastructure.

“Ambassador Batumi Island” is a landmark development project designed to elevate Batumi’s international reputation and establish it as a long-term tourist hub.

Spanning 84 hectares, the two peninsulas and artificial island will seamlessly integrate with the city, offering all the amenities needed for a thriving urban district. As decided by the ambassador group, nearly half of the territory (49%) will be dedicated to recreational spaces. A forest park will be developed on 7 of the 15 hectares of the island, featuring sports fields and walking paths, accessible to everyone.

This first artificial island in the region will provide endless opportunities for locals and visitors, enhancing quality of life with both passive and active recreational spaces, and offering new experiences and lasting impressions.

• Residential apartments

• Apart hotels and hotels

• Luxurious villas

• Shopping centers

• Workspaces

• Educational institutions

• Recreational zones

• Sports facilities

• Georgia’s first large modern yacht club

• Eco-friendly transport options – pedestrian and bicycle paths, air taxi stands

• Seaside coastline (3.6 km)

• Artificial beaches

• Summer music festivals

  
  

All of this will be gathered in one space. It’s important to highlight the project’s significant contribution to economic growth and development. The existence of the island will greatly reduce the demand for development in the historical areas of the city, redistributing the population according to the island’s development plan. The planned international-standard infrastructure on the peninsula and island will attract both international and local visitors and businesses, bringing substantial economic benefits to the Adjara region. Additionally, at least 7,000 jobs will be created, improving the quality of life and economic status of the local population.

“Ambassadori Batumi Island” is the largest investment project in the region, incorporating the creation of two artificial peninsulas and one ultra-modern island of the entertainment and health resort type along the coast of Batumi. The project is situated in the waters near the “Bartskhana” and “Tamari” settlements, with the development of corresponding infrastructure.

Since the project’s presentation, the company has invested 22 million GEL, and an official audit report has been submitted to the National Agency for State Property Management.

Over 30 local and international studies on the feasibility of the island have been conducted. The infrastructure has been established, necessary construction equipment procured, and an artificial land area of up to 4 hectares arranged. Notably, storms in Batumi in November 2023 and January 2024 did not affect the land’s stability, affirming the careful selection of the island’s geographic location by qualified specialists.

The company has completed the feasibility study and environmental impact assessment report for submission to the Government of Georgia. Colliers’ London and Tbilisi offices worked on the economic aspect, projecting a historic contribution to Batumi’s economic development. The island’s implementation is expected to employ around 7,000 people, contributing approximately 64 million US dollars annually to the state budget in taxes.

The Turkish company YUKSEL PROJE handled the technical design and implementation of the island, leveraging their extensive experience in major infrastructure projects in 60 countries worldwide. Most importantly, they have designed various complex engineering structures in the Black Sea, such as Ordu Giresun International Airport, which is entirely built on water.

The island’s safety for operation, considering 8-point seismicity and rising water trends related to global warming, has been confirmed through studies. For the Environmental Impact Assessment, Georgian company “Gama Consulting”, the contractor of “Ambassadori Batumi Island”, conducted a detailed study of the seabed. Within the framework of the EIA, the company conducted a detailed study and photography of the seabed.

The research results indicated that the mentioned location does not intersect with the dolphins’ route, and the underwater environment lacks distinct biodiversity. This lack of variety is attributed to historical contamination from spilled oil in the so-called ‘Beenze Beach’ area, simultaneously causing an unpleasant smell. Throughout the construction process of “Ambassadori Batumi Island,” contaminated areas are fully covered. The natural stone utilized in the dams safeguarding the island’s coast is an optimal substrate for the growth of algae and mollusks, serving as both sustenance and a means of reproduction for fish.

The EIA report assures that the project’s effects on the environment are recoverable within 5 to 10 years, minimizing significant damage. The conclusion also indicates that the current Bartskhana beach has a length of approximately 1.2 km. With the island’s development, a public access beach space of about 3.6 km will be created, featuring walking promenades, bicycle paths, a seaside boulevard, an artificial beach, fishing areas, sports fields, etc.

The development plan for the two peninsulas and the island has been fully completed, and administrative proceedings are underway in the Spatial and Urban Development Agency.

ARUP GROUP, a renowned British company, worked on the development plan for Batumi Island. The general plan allocates 49% of the island’s 84-hectare area to public infrastructure and spaces, with the remaining 51% reserved for development. It is worth noting that internal green areas and public spaces constitute about half of the land intended for development.

The island will feature a walking forest-park spanning up to 7 hectares, limiting traffic to bicycles and electric scooters to maintain an eco-friendly environment. The island’s development plan includes hotels, apartments, villas, a yacht club, educational and healthcare institutions, shopping centers, artificial beaches, and other infrastructures characteristic of developed countries.

The comprehensive development plan aims to create a sustainable and modern urban environment on “Ambassadori Batumi Island.”

Exciting News!

Ambassadori Batumi Island is thrilled to announce that we have entered a new phase in our groundbreaking project, creating two magnificent artificial peninsulas/islands in Batumi, Georgia. Recent official audit reports submitted by the Ambassadori Group to the State National Agency reveal that our project has incurred expenses totalling 20,755,174 GEL.

These expenses have enabled us to accomplish several crucial milestones:

• Thorough Preliminary Research: We have conducted an impressive array of 40 pre-project studies, engaging highly qualified local and international experts. This diligent research has laid the foundation for a successful development.

• Comprehensive Project Documentation: The design for land creation documentation for both peninsulas/islands has been meticulously prepared by international company YUKSEL PROJE, ensuring we have a solid blueprint for their creation. Project modelling was carried out in laboratories of the highest reputation, and structural stability and solidity were confirmed.

• Landscape and Accommodation:  The Peninsulas/Island General Master Plan has been successfully completed, incorporating the best practices for developing cutting-edge cities worldwide. The meticulous documentation was expertly crafted by the esteemed international firm ARUP GROUP, renowned for its expertise and innovation in urban planning.

• Construction Equipment Mobilized: We have gathered and mobilized all the equipment required to construct these awe-inspiring peninsulas/islands. Our commitment to quality is reflected in every aspect of the project.

• Environmentally Conscious Approach: Ambassadori Batumi Island takes great pride in our dedication to environmental preservation. The scoping report has been submitted to the National Environment Agency and the final phase of the environmental impact report is currently in progress.

• Regional Importance: This project is significant regionally, as it has the potential to transform Batumi’s landscape into a world-class destination. Creating these peninsulas/islands will enhance the region’s natural beauty and attract tourists from far and wide, boosting the local economy and creating employment opportunities for the community.

Rest assured, we remain fully committed to our obligations and strive to bring this visionary project to fruition. Stay tuned for more updates as we transform Batumi’s landscape into an extraordinary destination for all to enjoy.

As part of the “Ambassadori Batumi Island” project, alongside the submission of the scoping report to the National Environmental Agency of Georgia, additional studies are currently being conducted to guarantee the long-term stability of the two man-made peninsulas and one artificial island.

Testing of the project’s engineering model, led by the General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments of the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, commenced in Ankara on July 21, 2023. These tests are being carried out in a hydraulic laboratory equipped with a wave tank and wave flow modeling systems, measuring 40X0.6X1.2 meters in size.

During the modeling process, we are carefully examining the interaction of two waves and measuring the speed at which they overlap hydraulically. These tests will persist until September 20 of this current year.

As part of the ongoing administrative proceedings, specialists from the National Environmental Agency were invited by “Ambassadori Batumi Island” to visit Ankara and become familiar with laboratory research and testing of the engineering and construction solutions for the sea-based structures that are planned to be built.

The General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments, part of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Turkey, has a history spanning over a century and possesses more than eight decades of experience in delivering maritime services. Presently, the Directorate is actively engaged in a wide array of projects, both domestically and internationally, encompassing railway research and construction, harbor research and construction, airport infrastructure development, electrification, and numerous other endeavors.

“Ambassadori Batumi Island” is the largest investment project in the region, which involves the creation of two artificial peninsulas and one island in the Black Sea.

The concept envisages the construction of public beaches, water parks, seaside boulevard, yacht club, shopping centers, educational institutions, hotel and residential buildings.

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At this stage, an area of ​​more than 2 hectares of land has already been prepared, and as a result of cooperation with international companies, the work on the project concept has been completed.

The implementation of the “Ambassadori Batumi Island” will create not only the dynamics of infrastructure and economic development of Adjara, but also, in the literal sense, will change the modern map of Georgia.

A public meeting was held on July 13 at the Batumi Municipality City Hall to discuss the scoping report for the proposed development of an artificial island by “Ambassadori Batumi Island”.

The event, organized by the National Environment Agency, encouraged the active involvement of the general public, inviting them to offer their comments and express their viewpoints on the project. The discussion aimed to ensure inclusivity and gather diverse perspectives on the matter.

The project was presented by Gamma Consulting. Engineers from Yuksel Proje, who worked on designing the island, also attended the meeting.

“Ambassadori Batumi Island” signed an agreement with the National Environmental Agency to conduct hydrological studies at the stage of project planning and creating the engineering design of the island.

The agreement was signed on the four tributaries of the Batumi territory adjacent to the Black Sea – Bartskhana, Usakhelo Khevi, Salibauri and Korolistkali. Based on the mentioned studies, hydrometric works should be carried out on all four tributaries.

As a result of the hydrological research, it is necessary to define the flows, determine the borders of the river basins, create hydrological, hydraulic, sediment transport models, interpret the results of the water quality analysis for the mentioned basins, and also calculate the level of the water level on the mentioned rivers in the case of a thousand-year repeatability of the water consumption.

In the research process, the National Environmental Agency conducts both office and field studies. At this stage, field studies are being carried out at the estuary of the sea. During the mentioned studies, the water level marks, slope and various parameters of the rivers are determined, on the basis of which the hydraulic elements of the river are defined.

At the final stage of the study, the National Environmental Agency will prepare a conclusion on the maximum water costs in the case of a thousand-year repeatability for each ravine. The conclusion will be taken into account in the final project documents, which “Ambassadori Batumi Island” LLC will submit to the state in order to obtain a permit.

Check out an interview with the vice president of the Turkish company Yüksel Proje, Kurshad Elmali, who is in charge of planning the construction and engineering direction of the Ambassadori Batumi Island project.

Let’s start with a story of the company and its international experience. 

Yüksel Proje was established almost five decades ago and has extensive experience in every kind of transportation project (motorways, highways, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, railways, metro, light rail, tramways, marine structures, airports), water & environment & energy projects, and in structures with specific requirements (hospitals, educational buildings, sports facilities) in more than 30 countries. Yüksel Proje has been part of many of sizeable high-investment projects in Türkiye, Caucasus, North Africa, European Sub-Saharan, Central & South Asia, and Balkan countries with highly qualified technical team of more than 1000 experts and administrative team.

We are proud to share that according to the data of ENR News Record, Yüksel Proje is steadily rising in the list of the largest 225 design companies in the world and maintains its place as one of the companies at the top of Türkiye’s largest exporters list.

Additionally, our innovative attitude in creating and using technological infrastructures always adds momentum to our business. Within the scope of R&D, we are providing BIM, Software Development, and Engineering Analyses with more than 120 experts in different fields. We are also proud to receive the AEC Excellence Award for our BIM studies on infrastructure design in 2019. In 2022, AEC selected a “short list” of the best projects, and our project made it to this short list.

We stand by all our work, but we are particularly proud to be mentioned in some of ongoing projects in the world:

• India; the Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Railway, which is one of the highest-altitude railway projects in the world, and the Chardham Railway, which provides access to 4 holy temples towards the Himalayan Mountains

• Atlantic Salmon Production and Processing Facility, which will be built in Japan. It is designed to be one of the world’s most extensive salmon production and processing facilities. It is an exciting project as it is a land-based facility with a sustainable production system.

• The Rail Baltica Project, which we provide design consultancy services for. The project aims to integrate the Baltic States into the European railway network. The high-speed railway, which crosses the borders of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, stands out as the most significant transportation project in the Baltic States.

Is an Artificial island the first project of your company in Georgia?

The artificial island is not our first project in Georgia. Between the years of 2007-2008, we provided survey, design, and engineering services for George W. Bush Street-Meunargia Street New Road Project.  After then, we took part in Kars – Tbilisi Railway project about 73 km long, and responsible for construction supervision Services. Türkiye Section is completed in 2012 and, the Georgian section is still going on and includes signalization and telecommunication works. This project aims to foster the united interest of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. Uninterrupted freight transportation between Europe to China will be established with the completion of this project.

Each of our completed and ongoing projects not only in Georgia but also in different parts of the world is of great importance for our company. It is an honor to provide engineering and consultancy services to new clients worldwide.

At what stage is the Ambassadori Batumi Island project? What were significant engineering solutions made during the design period?

We have recently finished the detailed design works and submitted the design reports and drawings to our Client, Ambassadori Batumi Island Llc. Geotechnical stability analyses and several modelling studies (wave agitation, hydrodynamic, water circulation, etc.) are currently being performed. 2D physical modelling studies for the revetments and breakwaters will be shortly performed in Ankara, Türkiye. After the completion of these analyses and studies, minor modifications may be adapted into the design.

One of the refreshing parts of designing a coastal/marine structure is that each project location requires its own unique approach, and it is not totally possible to replicate an engineering solution from another coastal/marine project. Moreover, it may not be also totally possible to apply one type of solution within a project. During our design stages, we realized that Ambassadori Batumi Island is a project where different designs should be adapted for different sections.

Even though this may sound challenging in engineering sense, our experienced and talented engineers have found successful solutions to many different coastal/marine problems in the past and they used their experiences in this project as well.

The challenging part for this project is to determine the approach direction of nearshore waves. What was observed from wave transformation studies is that the northern section of the project is impacted by slightly higher waves than the southern section, which is found to be due to bathymetric differences at the northern and southern sections of the project and the proximity of the submarine canyon to the southern section. These differences allowed us to divide the protection structures into ten different regions and create different revetment and breakwater cross sections for these regions.

During the project, after the practical work for the island’s construction began, were there any adjustments to the original plan? What was the reason?

The detailed design has created only few adjustments due to the requirements needed to be met during construction. Our Client is planning to initiate the construction works with the two buildings at the center point where reclamation meets the existing coastline. In order for the construction to be conducted, 30 m space is required between the structure and reclamation boundaries. This resulted in modifications at this area.

In addition, in order for our Client to build a construction camp, to place and store the necessary equipment to be used during construction, a construction site is planned to be created at the initial stage. This construction site overlays on the land boundaries of the project site and overlaps with most of the final layout. Revetments will be constructed along the seaside boundaries of the reclamation fill to protect against the waves for a certain period, not more than 1 year. Therefore, the design of the final layout needed some minor modifications considering the temporary revetments and the need to create a construction site.

Is the project technically absolutely safe to accomplish from the point of engineering? Is it possible to use artificial land created for habitant and tourist purposes?

Yüksel Proje A.Ş. has tremendous experience in similar projects not only in Türkiye but also in other countries (Algeria, Turkmenistan, Angola, etc.). Specifically, Ordu-Giresun Airport and Rize-Artvin Airport were created in a similar way by reclamation and protection of this reclamation by revetments. Both projects had been approved by the experienced governmental authorities and successfully constructed.

Ordu-Giresun Airport and Rize-Artvin Airport have been in use since May 2015 and May 2022, respectively. Runways, taxiways, apron and terminal buildings were constructed on top of the reclamation areas for both airports. Considering the heavy loads resulting from these structures and airplanes, it can be easily concluded that Ambassadori Batumi Island can be created, and this area can have multi functions and purposes at the same time. Similar international projects (i.e. Palm Islands in Dubai, The Pearl in Qatar) provide similar proofs of such a project.

The Black Sea is known as aggressive by its nature. Therefore, the development of the island may be associated with considerable challenges; what would you tell us about this?

Yüksel Proje A.Ş. has completed many transportation and infrastructure projects at the Black Sea coast of Türkiye, namely, Black Sea Coastal Road Project, Samsun Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ordu-Giresun Airport and Rize-Artvin Airport.

The wave modelling studies indicate similar offshore design waves for these airport projects and Ambassadori Batumi Island project. The differences are mainly resulted from site-specific conditions in the nearshore areas of each project site. Some of these differences are local bathymetry, coastline orientation, submarine canyon, etc.

The offshore design wave heights for both airports are in the range of 7.80-8.50 m and the offshore design wave height for Ambassadori Batumi Island project is slightly smaller (7.07 m) than these values. However, the most important criteria are the seabed slope and bathymetry at the project site since they impact the wave transformation and thus nearshore design waves in front of the project site.

The seabed slopes are steep for both Ordu-Giresun and Rize-Artvin airports (roughly 0.06) and the water depths are -10.5 m and -27.5 m in front of Ordu-Giresun Airport and Rize-Artvin Airport, respectively. These differences result in nearshore design wave heights as high as 7.25 m and 8.90 m respectively for Ordu-Giresun Airport and Rize-Artvin Airport.

As for Ambassadori Batumi Island, seabed slope is mild (0.006), ten times milder than both airport projects, and the water depths in front of the project site is not more than 8.50 m, less than both airport projects. The impact of these site features results in nearshore design wave heights below 5.30 m for Ambassadori Batumi Island, which is significantly lower than both airport projects. To sum up, nearshore design waves are less than the airport project, resulting in a reasonably smaller armor layer units compared to both airport project.

Has your company executed similar projects on the Black Sea coast? What was the scale of each of them? What similarities can be discovered with Batumi Island?

Yüksel Proje A.Ş. has been the designer of various projects along Turkish Black Sea coast. Some of the well-known and big-scale ones are “Ordu-Giresun Airport” and “Rize-Artvin Airport”. As previously described, the offshore extreme waves are similar for these airport projects and Ambassadori Batumi Island project. However due to site features, nearshore design waves create more critical conditions for airport projects compared to Ambassadori Batumi Island project.

As for Ordu-Giresun Airport, a berm type revetment system with a total length of more than 5 km was designed and rocks as big as 12-15 ton were used at the armour layer of these revetments. As for Rize-Artvin Airport, a revetment system with a total length of more than 5 km was designed and Xbloc concrete units as big as 18 m3 (43,2 ton) were used at the armour layer of these revetments.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, we, as Yüksel Proje A.Ş., are proud to share that the design services of Artificial Island located in the Aegean Sea (approximate size of 200 m x 840 m) under the İzmir Bay Rail & Highway Crossing and Connections Project are completed in 2017.

We used our experience in these projects, specifically in airport projects, and poured it into design studies of Ambassadori Batumi Island. Even though we have completed our design stages except for minor modifications that may be adapted due to on-going geotechnical studies, modelling works and 2D physical laboratory studies, at this stage it is safe to reveal that mostly Xbloc concrete units with different but significantly smaller sizes than 18 m3 will be used as armour layer protection along the seaside revetments of the project.

Have the Airport projects carried out in the Black Sea in Turkey significantly impacted the environment?

It is true that large amounts of reclamation fill material and rocks for revetments are used in airport projects. Environmental Impact Assessment studies were performed for both projects in accordance with Turkish regulations and laws. Not only for big projects like these airport projects but also in smaller scale projects, the impacts of the structures on the neighboring areas have been thoroughly searched, analyzed and mitigated in Türkiye. Even though it is not in our scope, we are sure that a similar approach will be adapted for this important project as well.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that these projects usually have short-term impacts than long-term impacts, since the nearby flora and fauna usually migrate to the project site after a certain period and adapt to the new environments. As for the possible impact of the project on the hydrodynamic and sediment dynamics of the area, we are currently performing modelling studies to understand if they have impacts or not. Even though our experience indicates that the impacts will be low, the findings of hydrodynamic and sedimentation studies will definitely be reflected into the EIA studies as well as into the design.

As for the infrastructure connecting the island and the city, which may be related to the general planning, is there a need to build additional infrastructure to access the island?

Yes, there will be a need to make improvements on the existing transportation infrastructure of the city near the project site to provide a high-quality access to the site. Considering the expected number of users that will be attracted to the project site, significant number of trips are expected to be generated. In order to see the impact of these trips, a traffic impact assessment should be conducted. Based on the outputs of this proposed study, the need of improvements could be determined.

What distinguishes the artificial island of Batumi from other artificial islands in the world? What advantages will the development of such a project bring to the city of Batumi?

Similar projects have been performed in various parts of the world. Some of the well-known ones are listed below:

• Jurong Island, Singapore

• Dalian Jinzhouwan International Airport, China

• Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, China

• Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong

• Northern City, Bahrain

• Peberholm, Denmark

• Fisherman’s Island, Australia

• Velana International Airport, Maldives

• The Pearl, Qatar

• King Abdul Aziz Sea Port, Saudi Arabia

• Songdo International Business District, South Korea

• Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates

The list of reclamation projects is quite long and only a few of the examples are listed above. As seen from the list, reclamation areas can have various functions and serve for different uses (i.e. industry, transport, housing, commercial, etc.).

Not only reclamation projects but also each coastal/marine project has differences resulting from its unique site-specific conditions and features. As for Ambassadori Batumi Island, the project site will eventually serve for almost all of the above given uses (except for industry) within itself and a small town will be created and added to Batumi. The project site will serve as an attraction area for Batumi in addition to the existing charm of the city, expected to significantly contribute to the different sectors, mainly tourism and housing sectors, as well as income earned from these sectors.

Let’s touch on the current global challenge, namely global warming. Is the issue of the potential rise of the sea level taken into account when designing Batumi Island, and what engineering solutions are taken to prevent this problem in the future?

Sea level rise due to global warming is one of the main design criteria for coastal and marine structures. As Yüksel Proje, we have been taking into account sea level rise and its impacts in our designs. At this point, it would be best to mention our experiences from our latest projects at the Turkish Black Sea coast specifically for the last 10 years. We have gathered extensive information about sea level rise trends at Black Sea, specifically at Turkish Black Sea coast and nearby coastal areas, through wide literature research and also from the gauge measurements. This research provided us with valuable design criteria of sea level rise trends in our airport projects, Ordu-Giresun and Rize-Artvin and we performed our designs considering the sea level rise 100 years later.

As for Ambassadori Batumi Island, we have specifically assessed the gauge measurements at Georgian coasts. The gauge measurements for the last 50 years indicate a sea level rise of +3.5 mm/yr for Batumi and +8.7 mm/yr for Poti. Since this is a signature project not for only Batumi and Georgia but also for Black Sea, in order to be on the safe side, we have considered a slightly conservative sea level rise trend of +10.0 mm/yr. This provided us with a +1.00 m sea level rise at the end of 100 years. Therefore, all of the elevations at the project site were determined considering this +1.00 m sea level rise. In addition, breakwaters, revetments and berthing areas were also designed in accordance with +1.00 m sea level rise.

In the process of creating an economic concept for development, Ambassadori Batumi Island cooperates with Colliers, a global leader in real estate services and investment services. We talked to the partner of Colliers Georgia Levan Gvaramadze about this topic.

Could you give us more information on the collaboration between Colliers and the Ambassadori Group?  Can you tell us about the scope of the market research Colliers is conducting for the artificial island project in Batumi? Specifically, to what extent is Colliers involved in the study and development of the artificial island project in Batumi? Are foreign specialists also involved in the study, or is it conducted only at the local Colliers office?

Colliers began cooperation with the Ambassadori Group at the beginning of summer 2022, where we became involved as economic advisors and development consultants. Colliers is represented in this project by the development consulting teams of Colliers UK and Colliers Georgia. More specifically, Colliers is working on developing an economic concept for an artificial island in Batumi and justifying the market and financial feasibility of the project, together with teams of international urban planners and engineers.

The Ambassadori Group has reportedly invited a constellation of highly-regarded engineers, architects, and development planners to participate in the project, with the goal of ensuring its international level of quality. Can you tell us about any direct contact Colliers has had with these companies and what kind of collaboration you have with the project contractors?

Within the framework of this project, we are actively working with the international masterplanner company – ARUP, which works on the urban planning concept, and with the engineering company Yuksel Proje, focusIng on engineering technical solutions. We work together to create a project that is efficient both economically and urban planning wise. Colliers prepares a demand forecast and a functional development program based on market research and international experience, which then is translated into technical solutions by engineers and master planners. In addition, as you know, the architectural company SHOP Architects is working on one of the large development areas of the project, in this case we coordinated their developed project solutions with the forecast of the proposed demand. The work is still in progress.

We understand that individual details of the project may still be confidential, but could you share with us the details of what is planned to be developed on the island?

What can be shared at this stage is that we are talking about creating a new multi-functional attraction center in Batumi on an area of ​​76 ha, which will feature large-scale recreational spaces, accommodation of various sizes and classes, clusters of food establishments, exclusive entertainment and leisure spaces, convention spaces, premium Villas, high class shopping and business centers, a large Yacht club and berth, water park, social infrastructure, including educational and health facilities. According to forecast indicators, land creation process will need 3-4 years, and the phased development of the project will take 15-20 years.

What can you tell us about the Batumi Artificial Island concept in general? What makes it unique and how do you see it influencing the future of Batumi? What benefits do you anticipate the project will bring to Georgia?

The artificial island is the first project in the region, which has already attracted great interest. As you know, the supply of land in the vicinity of the sea coast in Batumi is quite scarce, and the mentioned project opens up new opportunities both from the point of view of development and investment, as well as from the point of view of tourism. The land supply created by the Ambassadori Batumi Island project is expected to attract additional new major investors. Development activity will further increase interest in Batumi as a tourist and business destination, which is expected to translate into more tourists, more transactions and business activity, and generally increased spending power of tourists and visitors.

The development of artificial islands typically leads to the growth of surrounding areas and an increase in real estate prices. Can you give us your prognosis for the nearby areas? How do you think the implementation of this project will impact the residents of Beenze and Bartskhana who live in close proximity to the island?

As we mentioned, with the development of the island, a new important center of attraction is created in the city of Batumi, which, if implemented according to the proposed concept, will increase the demand for real estate in its vicinity. It is expected that existing property owners here will enjoy an increase in their property values ​​if the island is developed at the planned pace. The hospitality infrastructure developed on the island will require a large number of staff, which increases the employment opportunities for both the local neighborhood and the whole Batumi.

Tell us about your company and its’ activities in Georgia.

Colliers is a global leader in providing real estate services and investment services, operating in 65 countries and employing more than 18,000 professionals. Colliers has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NASDAQ) since 2015. Colliers has been doing business in Georgia since 2014 and works in the development consulting, evaluation, brokerage, construction project management and supervision, real estate marketing and investment attraction fields.

BM.ge