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% 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% 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%) and Adjara - 12,126 (18.5%).[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.

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]

№ Country 2015 № Country 2016 № Country 2017 № Country 2018 № Country 2019
1 Armenia1,468,888 1 AzerbaijanIncrease 1,523,075 1 AzerbaijanDecrease 1,301,556 1 AzerbaijanIncrease 1,424,610 1 AzerbaijanIncrease 1,526,619
2 Azerbaijan1,393,257 2 ArmeniaIncrease 1,496,246 2 ArmeniaDecrease 1,287,168 2 RussiaIncrease 1,404,757 2 RussiaIncrease 1,471,558
3 Turkey1,391,721 3 TurkeyDecrease 1,254,089 3 RussiaIncrease 1,135,610 3 ArmeniaDecrease 1,268,886 3 ArmeniaIncrease 1,365,048
4 Russia926,144 4 RussiaIncrease 1,037,564 4 TurkeyDecrease 1,007,276 4 TurkeyIncrease 1,098,555 4 TurkeyIncrease 1,156,513
5 Ukraine141,734 5 UkraineIncrease 172,631 5 IranIncrease 282,549 5 IranIncrease 291,070 5 UkraineIncrease 207,667
6 Israel59,487 6 IranIncrease 147,915 6 UkraineDecrease 169,862 6 UkraineIncrease 177,058 6 IsraelIncrease 205,051
7 Poland41,425 7 IsraelIncrease 92,213 7 IsraelIncrease 115,040 7 IsraelIncrease 156,922 7 IranDecrease 141,997
8 Germany36,826 8 KazakhstanIncrease 48,809 8 PolandIncrease 48,913 8 PolandIncrease 66,903 8 KazakhstanIncrease 103,611
9 Kazakhstan36,777 9 PolandIncrease 44,388 9 KazakhstanIncrease 56,765 9 GermanyIncrease 64,486 9 GermanyIncrease 89,051
10 United States31,147 10 GermanyIncrease 40,889 10 Saudi ArabiaIncrease 56,247 10 BelarusIncrease 58,955 10 PolandIncrease 88,300
Total arrivals in 20155,901,094 Total arrivals in 20166,350,825 Total arrivals in 20177,902,509 Total arrivals in 20188,679,544 Total arrivals in 20199,357,964

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% of Georgia's territory is covered by forests, with 25% 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% 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]

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.[28][29]

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.[30]

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 ₾).[28]

See also

Notes and references
  1. "Georgian tourism in figures" (PDF). GNTA. 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  2. "Statistics". MIA. February 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  3. "Georgia Tourism Strategy" (PDF).
  4. "Research Reports". Galt & Taggart Co. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  5. "Georgian tourism in figures" (PDF). GNTA. 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  6. "Accommodation Units". GNTA. August 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  7. "Tbilisi Marriott hotel". marriott.com.
  8. "Courtyard Tbilisi". marriott.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. "MERCURE TBILISI OLD TOWN". mercure.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  10. "The Biltmore Hotel Tbilis". millenniumhotels. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  11. "HILTON BATUMI". hilton.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  12. "Holiday Inn Tbilisi". ihg.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  13. "Sheraton Batumi". sheratonbatumi.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  14. "Radisson Blu Iveria". radissonblu.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  15. "Statistics". GNTA. 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  16. International Travel (Residence) (2018)
  17. "Destinations". GNTA. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  18. Ivan Watson (20 April 2010). "Unearthing Georgia's wine heritage". CNN. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  19. Andrew Curry (13 November 2017). "Oldest Evidence of Winemaking Discovered at 8,000-Year-Old Village". National Geographic.
  20. National Agency of Wine. "Georgian wine". Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  21. "Details". Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  22. "Kolkheti National Park". Agency of Protected Areas. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  23. "Bordjomi-Kharagauli Protected Areas". Agency of Protected Areas. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  24. "Vashlovani Protected Areas". Agency of Protected Areas. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  25. "Chachuna Protected Areas". Agency of Protected Areas. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  26. "Eucariota, Animalia, Chordata". Georgian Biodiversity Database. Institute of Ecology. 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  27. "2016 წლის ვიზიტორთა სტატისტიკა თვეების მიხედვით". Agency of Protected Areas. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  28. Planet, Lonely. "Georgia travel - Lonely Planet". Lonely Planet.
  29. Planet, Lonely. "Eastern Europe & the Caucasus forum at Lonely Planet". www.lonelyplanet.com.
  30. "Crime Index for Country 2017". www.numbeo.com. Numbeo. 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
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