Georgian Tourism Administration Head: 9-month revenues from int’l tourism at “record high” $3.5 billion

Maia Omiadze, the Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, on Friday said revenues from international tourism had increased “significantly” between January and September and reached a “historic peak” of $3.5 billion.

This marks a 6.5 percent increase compared to 2023 and surpasses pre-pandemic earnings by an astounding 34 percent”, she added.

Omiadze noted revenues from European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Israel and Saudi Arabia had “significantly increased”.

Notably, revenues from Israel soared to a “record” $323 million, reflecting an increase of 24.9 percent or $64 million over the previous year. Meanwhile, revenues from Saudi Arabia also hit a “historic high” of $108 million, up 21.7 percent compared to 2023.

For the EU and the UK, revenues  totalled $456 million, up by 6.7 percent year-on-year, the Administration said.

We are continuing our marketing campaigns in target markets. This year, we have launched campaigns in the UK, the EU, Israel, and the Persian Gulf countries. Next year, we are beginning active campaigns in new tourist markets, including India and China, alongside our continued focus on the UK. With the introduction of direct flights between the UK and Georgia, we anticipate an even stronger promotional effort”, Omiadze said.

In terms of quarterly performance, the third quarter alone also witnessed  a “record” revenue of $1.6 billion, contributing to an overall increase of eight percent in tourism income for the year, the Administration said.