94% Increase in Visitors to Mountanous Adjara

The number of tourists visiting the routes of mountainous Adjara has increased by 94%. Over the last year, the number of visitors who checked into hostels, house-hotels, touristic and dining locations there was 238,665, 94% more than in 2018.

The greatest number of travellers was to be found in tourist hot-spot Kobuleti, 137% more than in 2018. Another leader when it came to visitor numbers is the Keda Municipality with a 57% increase. Then came Khelvachauri (up 94%), Khulo (up 61%), and Shuakhevi, which saw a year-on-year increase of 30%.

Tinatin Zoidze, Head of the Department of the Tourism and Resorts in the Adjara region, commented on the rocketing number of tourists in the region. While assessing the progress, she highlighted the importance of the increase and the effect it is likely to have on the overall picture of Georgian tourism, and consequently the economy. She also revealed what the department’s focus will be in future so as to make the increased number of visitors coming to the region an ever-growing tradition.

“It’s certainly good news that the number of tourists in Mountainous Adjara has grown. This can be seen not only in the data of touristic routes, hostels and hotels, but also that of museums, wine cellars, and touristic attractions. This gives an additional incentive to those in the agricultural and touristic businesses to develop their services and the general touristic infrastructure. At the moment, we have 15 touristic routes marked down in the municipalities of Adjara and we vow to work actively to further develop these places, and offer new tourist products to visitors. It is by developing the tourist spots in the mountainous region of Adjara that we will achieve our overall goal: make the region attractive to tourists year-round,” Zoidze said.

The statistics of travellers coming to the region was prepared following a study of the hostels, hotels, tourist hot-spots, and attractions by the tourist information centers of the Adjara Tourism Department.

Additionally, this year, the Adjara Tourism Department plans to popularize the region’s touristic attractions at 28 international tourism fairs. At 11 of these fairs, Adjara will have its own stand where visitors will get a chance to grab the latest promotional materials of the region, while also being able to taste Georgian sweets and wine.

By Nini Dakhundaridze