Travel to Georgia in 2025: Turks and Russians Lead Visitor Numbers

Georgia has once again reported record-breaking visitor numbers—even in the off-season. According to the National Tourism Administration, 1,314,828 international traveler visits were registered in the country in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 1.1% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The number of trips for tourism purposes rose by 2.2% to 958,947.



By country, Turkey led the way with 225,265 visits. Russian visitors ranked second with 219,264 arrivals, up 1.8%. Armenia came third with 180,805 visits, followed by Israel with a sharp 72.9% increase to 80,896 visits. Azerbaijan rounded out the top five with 64,818 visits, a 25.9% increase. Among the top 15 countries, notable growth was seen from China (+40.1% to 13,875) and India (+27.7% to 26,372).



By region, Europe remained the leader with 933,040 visits, up 0.3%. East Asia and the Pacific followed with 90,672 visits, an increase of 7.7%. The Middle East ranked third with 27,180 visits (+5.6%). The most significant growth came from Africa, up 14.9% to 4,428 visits.



Land border crossings remained the most popular entry method, used by 659,765 travelers. However, land entry is gradually declining (-5.8%) as air travel grows. In the first quarter, 503,009 visitors arrived by air, a 12.3% increase compared to Q1 2024. Sea arrivals also rose by 13.6% to 7,175 visitors, while 2,594 people arrived by rail.



Tbilisi Airport remained the main entry point with around 350,000 arrivals—a 13.1% increase from January-March 2024. Traffic through Sarpi (Turkey border) fell 15% to 197,239, while Kazbegi (Russia border) increased by 1.9% to 177,522. Sadakhlo (Armenia border) ranked fourth with 142,625 arrivals.



Most visitors in Q1 were aged 31-50, totaling around 588,000. The number of male visitors far exceeded female visitors—788,598 men compared to 383,738 women.



In 2024, Georgia welcomed 7.36 million travelers, surpassing 2023 by 4.2%. Tourism visits increased by 9% to 5.1 million. Russia led the year with over 1.4 million visitors, followed by Turkey (1.3 million), Armenia (948,000), Israel (310,000), and Azerbaijan (219,000). Visitor numbers from China grew by 83.4% (from 48,000 to 88,000), India by 46.8% (to 124,000), Uzbekistan by 23.4% (to 64,000), and Saudi Arabia by 21% (to 88,000).

Overall, tourism volumes surpassed four-year highs, with revenues hitting a record $4.4 billion—the highest in 14 years. Tourists from Russia contributed over $850 million, Turkey $612 million, and Israel $194 million. The Georgian government forecasts another record in 2025, with revenues expected to reach $4.7 billion alongside increased tourist arrivals.

The industry continues to thrive, supported by expanding flight connections. Georgia’s airports also reported record-breaking passenger traffic—7.4 million passengers in 2024 (+24%) and 530,546 in January 2025 (+13%).

Data from Q1 2025 highlights the continuation of positive trends in Georgia’s tourism sector. Rising international arrivals, expanding source markets, and the growing share of air travel point to a qualitative shift in inbound tourism. Strengthening transport infrastructure and diversifying tourist flows are creating favorable conditions for further growth and greater economic contribution.