Georgia’s Urban Transformation Through Integrated Participatory Planning

Georgia faces uneven economic growth, regional out-migration, and climate-related pressures, making livable cities essential for inclusive development. Tourism, contributing 26% of GDP and 28% of employment in 2019, is a key growth driver, but recovery from COVID-19 remains a challenge. The National Tourism Strategy 2015–2025 calls for holistic urban improvements, as more livable cities benefit both residents and visitors.

Increasing Georgia’s attractiveness as a regional and international tourist destination (and enhancing the overall livability of its cities) cannot be achieved by a single sector or level of government alone. The challenge lies in creating a multisectoral project where all stakeholders share a sense of ownership and work together toward the common goal of more livable Georgian cities and greater economic activity.

To address these challenges, Georgia adopted an integrated, participatory planning approach that brings together multiple sectors and stakeholders to align investments with long-term visions for livable cities. Supported by ADB, this approach began with the National Urban Assessment (2014–2016), followed by a policy advisory technical assistance in 2017, and evolved into a multi-stage initiative that placed communities at the center of decision-making.

Georgia’s Multi-Stage Initiative for Livable Urban Areas

Source: Asian Development Bank.

The Livable Cities initiative marked an important step forward in stakeholder engagement in Georgia, involving communities at an unprecedented scale and depth to ensure urban development priorities reflected real needs and aspirations.

The process unfolded in three phases:

Phase 1: Visioning and needs assessment. 
A brainstorming workshop was held at the national level with the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure; Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development; Municipal Development Fund of Georgia; Roads Department; United Water Supply Agency of Georgia; and Tbilisi City Hall to identify four proposed economic and tourism clusters for development. Through city visioning workshops and focus group discussions, 172 stakeholders across three regional clusters defined the vision for their city-region and identified the urgent urban needs within these four clusters.

Phase 2: Stakeholder consultation. 
Engagement expanded beyond government officials to include citizens, women, the elderly, businesses, NGOs, and youth groups. Children participated in design charrettes to illustrate their vision of the city. Participants articulated 10-year visions for their cities and identified initiatives to achieve them.

Phase 3: Integrated urban action plan. 
Consultations with the regional and local governments of Kakheti, Zugdidi, Mestia, and Tbilisi City Hall helped refine priorities and map short-, medium-, and long-term actions, along with potential funding sources from the government, private sector, ADB, and other partners.

Placing stakeholders at the center of decision-making in their communities Photo credit: ADB.

The result was a menu of investments endorsed by a steering committee led by the Ministry of Finance and key ministries. In 2019, ADB approved a $15 million loan for the Project Readiness Financing for the Livable Cities Investment Program, followed by a $120 million loan in 2021 to finance the Livable Cities Investment Project for Balanced Development.

This investment program includes:

• Urban upgrades: restoration of cultural heritage sites, parks, and green spaces.
• Community facilities: a presidential library and e-learning center in Zugdidi, 24 kindergartens, three sports complexes, and an Olympic-size swimming pool in Kutaisi.
• Transport improvements: Tbilisi Metro safety upgrades and BridgeLab. 

Collectively, these initiatives aim to improve residents’ quality of life, enhance tourism potential, and stimulate local economic development, delivering on Georgia’s vision of inclusive and sustainable urban transformation.

The implementation phase demonstrated the effectiveness of Georgia’s integrated and participatory approach. Contracts were awarded in 2021 and 2022, and construction began soon after, reflecting the speed and efficiency enabled by stakeholder-driven planning and upstream engagements. Investments were guided by community priorities, ensuring that projects addressed real needs and delivered tangible benefits.

Reviving regional identity: Some initiatives were uncommon in typical ADB investments, such as the swimming pool and sports facilities. These emerged from the participatory planning process as priority deliverables for reasons rooted in the area’s history. The west Georgian region around Kutaisi, the country’s third-largest city, had experienced significant out-migration, high youth unemployment, and a lack of recreational facilities, contributing to unhealthy choices amongst the youth. Historically, the region was renowned for water sports and produced some of Georgia’s top athletes, including Olympic swimmers and the national water polo team.

The pool and three sports complexes were identified as a way to revive this cultural legacy and promote healthy lifestyles, particularly among youth. These facilities were seen as critical for improving quality of life, providing recreational opportunities, and steering young people away from harmful behaviors toward healthier, more productive activities.

Preserving cultural heritage: Cultural heritage restoration initiatives include a picturesque ancient street in the Kakheti wine-making region, where basement cellars were discovered. These cellars were historically used for Georgia’s 8,000-year-old Qvevri wine-making tradition, which is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Another initiative focuses on Mestia and Lagami in the north, restoring historic Svan towers—defensive dwellings built between the 9th and 12th centuries.

Urban upgrades in Tbilisi: In Tbilisi, citizens prioritized more green spaces and accessible transport. In response, the project is investing in park development, nature-based solutions, and rehabilitation of the Tbilisi Metro. Kindergartens were also identified as a key investment. Originally, their budget was to come from the government, but funds were diverted to address the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent these projects from being abandoned, the government requested that kindergartens be financed under the loan, recognizing that without nearby childcare, many women would be unable to enter the labor market.

Inclusive and accessible design: All initiatives under this project adhere to energy efficiency and accessible design standards, addressing the needs of older persons, persons with disabilities, women, and children. Designs follow universal accessibility principles using the Inclusive Cities: Urban Area Guidelines. This was followed by participatory and gender-responsive planning under a twinning arrangement between Tbilisi City Hall and the City of Vienna to promote a human rights-focused, fair, and inclusive urban environment. Two guidelines were developed for the Fair Shared City initiative: Guidelines for Socially Inclusive and Gender-Responsive Residential Development and Fair Shared Green and Recreational Spaces—Guidelines for Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Design, prepared by Tbilisi Municipality in collaboration with the ADB Gender Equality team.

The kindergartens were built to be inclusive and accessible for children with disabilities, while parks were designed for all including the older persons. The emphasis on accessibility has had a ripple effect: in December 2020, Georgia passed a law protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, and similar specifications are now being adopted in other urban projects.

Regional influence: Beyond Georgia, this model has inspired similar approaches in Armenia, Uzbekistan, and India, demonstrating its potential as a regional best practice for livable, inclusive cities.