Record Number of People Visit Georgia's Preserved Areas in 2018

For the first time in the history of the Agency of Protected Areas, more than a million people visited Georgia's National Parks.

In 2018, the number of visitors to national parks in Georgia amounted to 1,130,462 visits, which is an 18% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

53% of the visitors were Georgians and 47% of them foreigners. Among the foreigners who visited the preserved territories, the majority were from Germany, Poland, Israel, Ukraine, and Russia.

The most visited territories last year were: Prometheus Cave; Martvili Canyon, Kazbegi National Park Tbilisi National Park and Okatse Canyon.

During 2018, revenues received from ecotourism services amounted to GEL 8,417,991, which is 87% higher than the revenues of the same period in 2017.

The Agency of Protected Areas says that infrastructure and rehabilitation works are underway in the national parks to boost ecotourism in 2019. A new ecotourism direction will be opened this year for tourists: a natural monument of the Okatse Waterfall, where an ecotourism trail and infrastructure have been arranged.

By Thea Morrison