Tourism in Georgia (country)

Tourism in Georgia is an increasingly important component of the country's economy. In 2015 it employed around 158,500 people, producing 6.7 percent of Georgia's GDP and providing US$1.94 billion of revenue.^[1] In 2019, the number of international arrivals reached a record high of 9.3 million people^[2] with foreign exchange income in the year's first three quarters amounting to over US$3 billion. The country plans to host 11 million visitors by 2025 with annual revenues reaching US$6.6 billion.^[3]

Georgian National Tourism Administration logo

The expenditures of foreign visitors to Georgia have a significant effect on the balance of payments, and approximately 35.9 percent of Georgia’s goods and service export revenue comes from tourism.^[4] International tourists stay an average of 6.5 days.^[5]

The official body tasked with promoting tourism to Georgia is the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA). In 2016, the GNTA participated in 21 international and domestic tourism fairs, conducted marketing campaigns on 16 target markets, and hosted 99 press and familiarization trips.^[5]

Accommodation

Hotel Tbilisi Marriott

As of August 2017, there were a total of 1,945 accommodation units registered in the GNTA database, with a total of 65,656 beds. The regions with the most beds were Tbilisi - 17,796 (27.1 percent) and Adjara - 12,126 (18.5 percent).^[6] The most prevalent form of accommodation is hotels (41,123 beds), followed by Family Hotels (11,374 beds). In 2017, 60 new hotels with a combined bed number of 3,894 were opened. From 2017 to 2019, 194 hotels are planned to open, with a total bed number of 21,216.^[6]

Hotel chains with operations in Georgia include:Marriott Hotels & Resorts, ^[7]Le Méridien, Courtyard by Marriott,^[8] Mercure,^[9] Millennium Hotel,^[10] Hilton Hotels & Resorts,^[11] Holiday Inn,^[12] Sheraton Hotels and Resorts,^[13] and Radisson Hotels.^[14]

Batumi features several casinos that attract tourists from Turkey, where casino gambling is illegal.^{[citation needed]}

Arrivals by country

Top 15 countries of origin for international tourists (first 5 months, 2016)

The most common citizenships of international visitors arriving in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019:^{[5][15][16][2][7][9]}

№	Country	2014		№	Country	2015		№	Country	2016		№	Country	2017
1	Turkey	1,442,695		1	Armenia	1,468,888		1	Azerbaijan	1,523,075		1	Azerbaijan	1,301,556
2	Armenia	1,325,635		2	Azerbaijan	1,393,257		2	Armenia	1,496,246		2	Armenia	1,287,168
3	Azerbaijan	1,283,214		3	Turkey	1,391,721		3	Turkey	1,254,089		3	Russia	1,135,610
4	Russia	811,621		4	Russia	926,144		4	Russia	1,037,564		4	Turkey	1,007,276
5	Ukraine	143,521		5	Ukraine	141,734		5	Ukraine	172,631		5	Iran	282,549
6	Iran	47,929		6	Israel	59,487		6	Iran	147,915		6	Ukraine	169,862
7	Poland	46,314		7	Poland	41,425		7	Israel	92,213		7	Israel	115,040
8	Israel	42,385		8	Germany	36,826		8	Kazakhstan	48,809		8	Poland	48,913
9	Germany	33,446		9	Kazakhstan	36,777		9	Poland	44,388		9	Kazakhstan	56,765
10	Kazakhstan	28,394		10	United States	31,147		10	Germany	40,889		10	Saudi Arabia	56,247
Total number of tourists in 2014		5,515,559		Total number of tourists in 2015		5,255,999		Total number of tourists in 2016		5,392,816		Total number of tourists in 2017		6,482,830

№	Country	2018		№	Country	2019		№	Country	2020		№	Country	2021
1	Azerbaijan	1,424,610		1	Azerbaijan	1,526,619		1	Turkey	335,580		1	Turkey	326,494
2	Russia	1,404,757		2	Russia	1,471,558		2	Azerbaijan	295,132		2	Russia	212,979
3	Armenia	1,268,886		3	Armenia	1,365,048		3	Armenia	260,965		3	Armenia	164,698
4	Turkey	1,098,555		4	Turkey	1,156,513		4	Russia	208,677		4	Ukraine	144,901
5	Iran	291,070		5	Ukraine	207,667		5	Ukraine	42,414		5	Israel	100,686
6	Ukraine	177,058		6	Israel	205,051		6	Israel	25,731		6	Azerbaijan	82,718
7	Israel	156,922		7	Iran	141,997		7	Uzbekistan	14,410		7	Kazakhstan	66,787
8	Poland	66,903		8	Kazakhstan	103,611		8	Belarus	14,340		8	Saudi Arabia	63,437
9	Germany	64,486		9	Germany	89,051		9	Kazakhstan	13,779		9	Belarus	53,698
10	Belarus	58,955		10	Poland	88,300		10	Saudi Arabia	4,960		10	Uzbekistan	36,384
Total number of tourists in 2018		7,203,350		Total number of tourists in 2019		7,725,774		Total number of tourists in 2020		1,513,421		Total number of tourists in 2021		1,721,242

№	Country	2022		№	Country	2023	№	Country	2024
1	Russia	868,229		1	Russia	1,110,762	1	Russia	1,421,923
2	Turkey	540,135		2	Turkey	770,811	2	Turkey	1,336,834
3	Armenia	383,226		3	Armenia	515,668	3	Armenia	948,299
4	Israel	205,874		4	Israel	211,548	4	Israel	310,982
5	Ukraine	156,919		5	Azerbaijan	173,922	5	Azerbaijan	219,356
6	Azerbaijan	135,429		6	Kazakhstan	159,008	6	Kazakhstan	178,930
7	Belarus	125,615		7	Ukraine	132,127	7	Iran	145,670
8	Saudi Arabia	117,480		8	Belarus	124,333	8	Belarus	140,536
9	Kazakhstan	115,022		9	Iran	123,737	9	India	124,335
10	Iran	100,910		10	Poland	88,405	10	Ukraine	118,528
11	India	52,688		11	India	83,930	11	China	88,583
12	Uzbekistan	46,004		12	Saudi Arabia	70,676	12	Saudi Arabia	88,298
13	Germany	45,635		13	Germany	64,468	13	Germany	78,644
14	Poland	41,150		14	Uzbekistan	49,432	14	Poland	66,504
15	China	7,255		15	China	46,875	15	Uzbekistan	64,259
Total number of tourists in 2022		4,703,945		Total number of tourists in 2023		6,171,540	Total number of tourists in 2024		7,368,149

Destinations and attractions

Narikala Fortress in Tbilisi

Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta

Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi

Ushguli community in Svaneti

Batumi seaside

Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe

Gudauri ski resort

Destinations[17]	Attractions
Tbilisi	Old Tbilisi • Narikala • Rustaveli Avenue and Freedom Square • Funicular • "Dry bridge" • Agmashenebeli Avenue • Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia • Art Museum of Georgia • Gabriadze Theater • Holy Trinity Cathedral • Ethnographic Museum • Tbilisi Botanical Garden • Lisi Lake • Rike park • Sioni Cathedral • Anchiskhati Basilica • Chardin street • Mtatsminda Park
Mtskheta	UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Jvari Monastery, St. Nino Monastery • Bebristsikhe • Armaztsikhe (Bagineti) • Armazi Fortress • Monastery of Shio Mghvime • Zedazeni • Ilia Chavchavadze Saguramo State Museum
Gori	Gori Fortress • Virgin Mary Cathedral • Historical-Ethnographic Museum • State Museum of Joseph Stalin • Museum of Military Glory • Gorijvari (resort) • Uplistsikhe • Ateni Gorge • Village Gardateni • Ruisi Cathedral of Transfiguration • Urbnisi Cathedral
Zugdidi	Dadiani Palace History and Architectural Museum • Ganmukhuri and Anaklia (Black Sea Resorts) • Kolkheti National Park • The swinging rock – "Kuakantsalia" • Khobi Monastery • Skuri (resort) • Complex of "Otsindale" • Shurubumu (wonder of the natural world) • Canyon of Intsra • Enguri Hydropower Plant
Kutaisi	UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery • Motsameta Monastery • Kutaisi State Historical Museum • National Museum of Military Glory • Historical district of the city • Vani Archeological Museum • Sataplia Nature Reserve • Prometheus Cave • Katskhi Pillar • Okatse Canyon
Telavi	Telavi State History and Ethnography Museum • Cholokashvili Street • Batonis Tsikhe Castle • Nadikvari Park • Giant Plane tree • Old Shuamta (one of the olsdest Orthodox churches in Georgia) • New Shuamta • Ikalto • Alexandre Chavchavadze Tsinandali Museum • Alaverdi Monastery
Mestia	UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ushguli (one of the highest settlements in Europe) • Svaneti Historic and Ethnography Museum • Museum of Michael Khergiani • Transfiguration Cathedral in Laghami • Ski lift and the view from Zuruldi • Chalaadi Glacier • Kala settlement • Village Adishi • Ipari-Nakipari Church of St. George • Latali Church of the Lord • Hiking • Camping
Stepantsminda	Stepantsminda Historic Museum • Gergeti Trinity Church • Gveleti Waterfall • Devdoraki Glacier • Dariali Gorge • Upper Truso Gorge • Khdi Gorge • Gorge of Artkhmo • Village Sno • Juta • Hiking • Camping
Borjomi	Blue Palace "Firuza" • Mineral Water Park • Borjomi Museum of Local Lore • Gogia’s Castle • Peter’s Castle • Likani Palace • Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park • Timotesubani Monastery - The Cathedral of Holy Virgin • The Green Monastery • Kvabiskhevi Church of the Assumption
Batumi	Beaches of Adjara • Old Batumi • Batumi Boulevard • Batumi Botanical Garden • Dolphinarium • Piazza Batumi • "Argo" Entertainment Center and Batumi Cable Car • Gonio Fortress • Makhuntseti Waterfall • Skhalta Monastery • Mtirala National Park
Akhaltsikhe	Rabati Castle • Atskuri Fortress • Sapara Monastery • Vardzia (cave town) • Khertvisi Fortress • Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory • Akhaltsikhe Synagogue
Kvareli	Kindzmarauli vineyard • Khareba vineyard • Ilia Lake resort • House-Museum of Ilia Chavchavadze • Kvareli Fortress
Sighnaghi	Town Streets, Museum of Sighnaghi • St. Stephen Church • Wineries • Bodbe Monastery
Gudauri	Skiing • Paragliding • Heli-skiing • Speedriding • Snowboarding • Ski school
Bakuriani	Skiing • Snowboarding • Recreation • Bakuriani Park • Snowmobiling
Tetnuldi	Skiing • Mountaineering • Snowboarding
Goderdzi	Skiing • Snowboarding • Freeriding

Winemaking

Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world and winemaking is deeply ingrained in the culture of the country.^[18] The oldest archaeological remains related to grape seeds and winemaking dating back 8,000 years have been found at an archeological site at Gadachrili Gora,^[19] in Georgia, while today the country has over 500 varieties of grape.^[18] As of 2019, Georgia has 20 appellations of origin of wines, they are: Tsinandali, Napareuli, Atenuri, Kindzmarauli, Akhasheni, Mukuzani, Khvanchkara, etc.^[20]

Ecotourism

See also: National parks of Georgia

Black Cliffs' Lake (3,000 m asl), Lagodekhi Protected Area

41 percent of Georgia's territory is covered by forests, with 25 percent of Georgia's territory lying within protected national parks.^[21] Protected areas of Georgia offer various services including: boating tours, birdwatching, eco-educational tours,^[22] hiking, horse riding, biking,^[23] safari tours,^[24] sport fishing.^[25] Georgia is a home to about 5,601 species of animals, including 648 species of vertebrates (more than 1 percent of the species found worldwide) and many of these species are endemics.^[26]

In 2016, 310,477 foreign and 424,397 Georgian citizens visited the Protected Areas of Georgia.^[27] The most popular attractions were Prometheus Cave, Kazbegi National Park and Sataplia Managed Reserve.^[5][28]

Safety

Countries that granted to Georgia the 'Safe Country' status

A travel advisory was in place during and after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. It had the severity level of "extreme danger", due to the risks associated with fallout from the war, including land mines.^[29][30]

Since then tourist safety has improved, and in 2017 the International Crime Index ranked Georgia as the 7th safest country out of the 125 in its index.^[31]

Practical information

Georgia uses the standard Europlug (220 V, 50 Hz), the international dialing prefix is +995, it uses the metric system, and its currency is the lari (GEL or ₾).^[29]

See also

• Visa policy of Georgia