In contrast to last year, the number of foreign tourists in Georgia climbed by 226.4 % in December 2021. According to the National Bank of Georgia, tourists made up 89.9% of total visitors and increased by 239.1% annually (NBG).
The tourist sector always plays an essential role for any government as it bolsters the economic growth in the country. Tourism increases economic revenue, creates more employment, improves a country’s infrastructure, and fosters cultural exchange between Foreigners and locals.
Remarkably, the number of single-day visits to Georgia were also increased in the month of reporting, as stated by the National Bank of Georgia.
As per statistics released by NBG, the number of tourists who have visited Georgia was mainly from Turkey, Russia and Armenia.
The figures of visits to the country is increasing yearly despite the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the number of visitors from EU nations to Georgia climbed by 6.6 times, accounting for 14.9 % of the total increase. Specifically, the NBG also stated that the digits of international travelers to Poland, Germany and Lithuania has soared.
Moreover, the number of visits from Israel is notable among other countries, both in terms of growth rate and a significant proportion of contribution to the overall growth of Georgia.
An increase in the number of visitors to the country brings more revenue and contributes to the country’s overall growth.
The country of Georgia has many places of attraction such as Old Town (Altstadt)Tbilisi, Batumi Botanical Gardens, Kutaisi market, Lake Rica, Aerial Tramway in Tbilisi, Batumi Dolphinarium.
However, in 2019, Georgia recorded around 8 million tourists. Thus, making the country rank 53rd in the world according to worlddata.info. Indeed, in 2019, each visitor to Georgia has spent around 1,216.05 GEL (US$402). In the tourism sector alone, the country has generated around US$3.55 billion, which equals to 22.41 per cent of its GDP.