PM on World Tourism Day: Georgia among “leading countries” in tourism competition

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said Georgia was among “leading countries” in international competition in the tourism sector and added the industry’s further development was his Government’s priority, in his address at the ongoing World Tourism Day event in Tbilisi.

Despite numerous challenges in the world, due to our commitment to sustainable tourism development, we have achieved significant results. In 2023, tourism revenues reached $4.1 billion, marking a historic milestone for Georgia and surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 26.2 percent”, he told the event.

The Prime Minister projected an increase in the number of international travellers to 7.9 million and a nine percent rise in tourism revenues, to $4.5 billion, this year.

International airports in Georgia are expected to serve up to 6.8 million passengers, which represents a 14 percent increase compared to last year. This growth is attributed to the development of Georgia's tourism industry, ongoing negotiations with airlines to increase flight frequencies, and the entry of new companies into the [domestic] market”, he said.

The head of the Government said the country’s new tourism development trends and policies were based on principles of sustainable development and contributed to the implementation of sustainable development goals. He highlighted the importance of “effectively” utilising the country's “rich natural and cultural resources” in this process.

Emphasising the “important” role of tourism in “fostering trust, peace, and development” of countries, Kobakhidze called for “united efforts” and “effective policies” to further advance the sector for the “common interest of all”.

He also highlighted the “successful” cooperation between the country and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Our country has been a member of the UNWTO since 1993. Georgia joined the organisation's executive board for the first time in 2021, for a four-year term. This is a significant opportunity for us to contribute to the organisation's development policy”, he said.

Georgia is hosting World Tourism Day for the first time. The decision to grant the country the hosting right was unanimously approved by 38 members of the European Commission of the WTO in 2023.

Government officials, representatives of international organisations and the tourism industry from around the world are being hosted in Tbilisi, with discussion panels focusing on global tourism trends and the role of peace in fostering industry development.