According to the latest report of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, in January – October, 2017 the number of international arrivals in Georgia reached 6,430,824, showing an increase of 18.8% compared to the same period of previous year. The majority of foreign travelers were from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Turkey and Iran.
The arrivals were also increased among the citizens of the countries from the European Union, such as Britain, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Germany. Exceptional growth in arrivals was recorded of citizens from the following countries: Saudi Arabia +171.5%, Kuwait +150.3%, Iran +122.8%, Republic of Korea +88.1%, Uzbekistan +75.4%, India +70% and China +56.9%.
The expenditures of foreign visitors to Georgia have a significant effect on the balance of payments, and approximately 64.3% of Georgia’s service export revenue comes from the tourism industry.
Georgia is offering to the tourists famous Hotel chains: Courtyard by Marriott, Biltmore Tbilisi, Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, Mercure, Millennium Hotel, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Hotels.
Georgia is attractive for tourists in many directions, especially for Wine Tourism and Ecotourism. Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world and winemaking is deeply integrated in the culture of the country. The oldest archaeological remains related to grape seeds and winemaking dating back 8,000 years have been found in Georgia, while today the country cultivates over 500 varieties of grape.
Ecotourism in Georgia offers adventurous routs and every season is special for its unique opportunities to discover country. 41% of Georgia’s territory is covered by forests, with 25% of Georgia’s territory lying within protected national parks. Protected areas of Georgia offer various services including: bird-watching, boating tours, hiking, Eco-educational tours, biking, horse riding, safari tours and sport fishing.
Batumi and Tbilisi are a key gambling spots in the region, as many of the surrounding countries face serious bans on this industry. The focus on gambling, results in a higher number of visitors and this industry plays a major role in the country’s touristic strategy.
Business tourism has drastically increased last years, as many investors and businessmen are interested to launch their activities in Georgia thanks to the flexible tax system that country is offering.
It has to be mentioned that Georgia is one of the safest destinations for tourists. In 2017 the International Crime Index ranked Georgia as the 7th safest country out of the 125 countries.
