Tourism in Georgia 2025: Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Israel Lead the Way

Between January and June 2025, Georgia welcomed 3.15 million international travelers—an increase of 4.4% compared to the same period in 2024. The growth has been steady for several years, with the most significant rise seen in leisure trips, reports the Georgian National Tourism Administration.

TOP-15

In the first six months of 2025, foreign nationals made 2.81 million trips to Georgia, which is 4.6% higher than during the same period last year. Russia led all countries, with 581,099 visits—an increase of 53,580 over the previous year (+10.2%). Turkey ranked second with 533,614 visits (–14.5%), followed by Armenia with 390,788 (+0.8%). Israel holds fourth place in the TOP-15 with 171,294 visits, showing one of the highest growth rates at 35.7%. The flow from Israel increased by 45,000 people year-on-year, indicating a significant surge of interest. Azerbaijan rounds out the top five with 135,248 visits over six months, reflecting growth of 36.0%.



The highest growth rate in the TOP-15 was recorded by China, up 42.3% to 46,755. Visitor numbers from India grew by 31.4%, reaching 75,893. Saudi Arabia also showed significant dynamics, with a 28.8% increase to 26,910.

From Europe to Africa

Over 2.24 million visits came from European countries, an increase of 3.4%. Among EU nations, Poland showed the strongest results with 33,658 visits (+21.9%), followed by Germany with 32,392 (+4.2%). Next were Greece with 13,662 (+28.2%), France with 12,885 (+8%), Italy with 10,985 (+26.1%), and the Netherlands with 7,621 (+11%).

Cyprus led Europe in growth rates with a 31.1% increase, rising from 2,211 to 2,899. Significant growth was also recorded from Portugal (+29.1%, 2,424). There was also an increase in visits from Spain (+25.9%, to 7,954), Ireland (+22.4%, to 2,374), as well as from the Czech Republic (+18.9%, 6,005), Hungary (+10.9%, 3,540), Belgium (+9.3%, 3,678), Romania (+6.7%, 3,860), and Finland (+3.6%, 1,655).



After Europe, analysts noted significant numbers of visits to Georgia from East Asia and the Pacific region—242,400 (+12.3%). Similar growth was recorded from Middle Eastern countries, +12.4%, totaling 80,700 visits. From the Americas, Georgia welcomed 31,159 visitors (+4%), while arrivals from Africa numbered 8,188 (+5.7%).

Other Figures

In January–June 2025, most visits to Georgia were made by men—around 1.8 million, representing 63.9% of the total and marking a 2.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Women visited the country over 1.01 million times, with a higher growth rate (+8.7%).

Travelers most often crossed the border through Tbilisi Airport, which handled 803,842 arrivals, accounting for 28.6% of all international visits—a 14% increase over January–June 2024. The Sarpi (Turkey) checkpoint ranked second with 489,549 trips but recorded a decline of 16%.



At the Kazbegi (Russia) checkpoint, figures rose by 6.1% to 449,303. Growth was also noted at Sadakhlo (Armenia) with an increase of 7.2% to 349,291. Fifth place went to Kutaisi Airport, which saw 207,247 visits—a 14.9% increase. Batumi Airport recorded the largest growth among major points of entry, with a 36.7% increase to 187,711.



Most international visits to Georgia were made by land—over 1.5 million trips, or 56.6% of the total. However, compared to the same period last year, land visits decreased by 3.4%. Air travel ranked second, with 1.2 million travelers (42.7%), up 17.2% from 2024. Rail travel also rose by 19.1% to 5,764, though it still accounted for just 0.5% of the total. Sea travel increased by 7.2% to 14,435.

Outlook

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili emphasized that record figures were achieved thanks to effective government policies that contribute to overall economic growth, job creation, and support for small and medium-sized businesses. “On one hand, we worked on launching direct flights with target countries; on the other, the right marketing campaigns delivered the results we see today in record-breaking tourism numbers,” she explained.

In 2025, Georgia expanded its flight programs, with new airlines entering the market. Currently, more than 70 companies operate in the country on over 110 routes. The Minister also highlighted growth in visits from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Persian Gulf, calling these locations key markets for cooperation. “We are confident that in the coming quarters, the number of tourists from target markets will reach record highs once again,” said Mariam Kvrivishvili.

Prepared by Tatyana Borodina