On Monday, Levan Davitashvili, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Georgia, announced that the government’s growth forecast for the domestic tourism sector in 2024 had been successfully met, with international tourism revenues reaching a historic $4.425 billion. This marks a 7.3 percent increase compared to the previous year, underscoring the sector’s robust performance.
“Additionally, the fourth quarter of the year, despite various challenges, proved to be quite productive. We generated $963.7 million in revenues from the sector, reflecting a 10.3 percent increase for the quarter,” Davitashvili said during a press briefing following a Government meeting.
In discussing the source of these gains, Davitashvili highlighted particularly strong performances from specific countries. Revenues from visitors from Israel saw a significant surge of approximately 41 percent, totaling $128 million. Growth was also observed in visitors from Azerbaijan, with an 18 percent increase, along with positive gains from countries such as Iran and the European Union, contributing an additional $21 million.
However, there were some declines in revenues from certain regions. The minister reported a 9.4 percent decrease in visitors from Russia, with total revenues amounting to $88 million, and a decline of 18.9 percent from Ukraine, which generated $148 million. Additionally, there was a modest 3 percent drop in tourism revenues from Turkey.
Beyond financial performance, Davitashvili noted that 2024 had seen a “record number” of tourist visits to Georgia, reaching 5.1 million. This milestone demonstrates the growing appeal of the country as a travel destination, reflecting the success of ongoing efforts to promote Georgia internationally.
