440,806 Int’l Travelers Visit Georgia in February

Georgia hosted 440,806 international travelers in February 2018, which is 72,796 visitors more compared to the same period of the previous year (growth +19.8%).

The information was released by the head of Georgia’s National Tourism Administration (GNTA) Giorgi Chogovadze on March 5.

In February, the number of foreign travelers who spent at least 24 hours and more in Georgia amounted to 177,845 which is 37,927 travelers more than in February 2017 (growth +27.1%).

The largest number of visitors in February 2018 came from Azerbaijan (-2.2%), Armenia (+27.1%), Turkey (+28.1%), Russia (+24.2%) and Iran (+130.6%).

According to Chogovadze, in February the positive trend was maintained from the EU countries as well: the United Kingdom + 49%, Lithuania + 36%, France + 31%, Germany + 21% and others. Number of travelers from Kuwait increased by 134% followed by Iran + 131%, China + 83%, Israel + 73% and India + 37%.

In January-February 2018, the total amount of international travelers was 885,047, which is 129,967 peoples more than compared to the same period of 2017 (growth +17.2%).

As for the travelers who spent at least 24 hours and more in Georgia in January-February, their number amounted to 367,321 which is 24.9% more compared to the same period of the last year.

"We are pleased that tourism in Georgia is dynamically developing and the main reason for this is that our government has the right vision and politics of tourism development,” the Head of the GNTA stated.

Chogovadze believes that 2018 will be a very successful year for Georgia in terms of the tourists.

“For the first time we will cross the 8 million mark for international travelers, while revenues from tourism will exceed $ 3 billion,” he added.

By Thea Morrison

Photo: Svaneti

Source: GNTA