Tourism accounted for 7.5 percent of GDP growth in 2018. Georgia received a record number of 8.7 million international visitors (tourists, transit, other) in 2018, a 10 percent increase over 2017. This figure included 4.8 million tourists, which was 16 percent higher than the previous year. Georgia has substantial potential for tourism development because of its great natural beauty, varied topography, a pleasant climate, and rich culture and history. To facilitate tourism, the Government of Georgia eased its visa regime, began widespread rehabilitation of roads, privatized infrastructure and hotels, and established limited tax incentives for tour operators. New development taking place in Batumi, at ski resorts in Gudauri, Bakuriani, Goderdzi and Mestia, the winegrowing region of Kakheti, and other areas are turning Georgia again into an attractive tourism destination. Citizens from Georgia’s neighbouring countries made up the largest share of international visitors in 2018. The top five source countries were Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. The number of visitors from Europe increased by 12 percent and from the United States by 25 percent from 2017 to 2018. The government has made it a priority to turn Georgia into a four-season tourist destination and is supporting and promoting medical, entertainment, sports, wine and other kinds of tourism. ‘Check In Georgia’ (www.checkingeorgia.gov.ge) is an example of a government project, that supports turning Georgia into a regional cultural and entertainment center. Leading Sub-Sector: Tour Operators, Hotels, Infrastructure Georgian tour operators report an increase in tourists in both summer and winter, particularly in adventure and cultural tourism. The seaside resorts of Batumi and Kobuleti are undergoing rapid development. Development of tourism infrastructure will require significant investment and rehabilitation of assets such as hotels, restaurants, sports facilities, and ski resorts. Rehabilitation of several recently privatized hotels is underway all over Georgia, which will provide opportunities for supporting industries, such as food and beverage distributors to facilitate growing demand. The World Bank’s roads rehabilitation and construction project aims to promote tourism by decreasing travel time and increasing auto safety as well as facilitating the transport of goods across the country. The World Bank is implementing a long‐term program aimed at nature conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and sustainable tourism development.
