Georgia draws 5.5 million visitors
Tourist numbers surged 8.4% last year even as the capital prepared to mark the two-year anniversary of the election that triggered a prolonged political crisis.
By Mason Reed ·
Georgia recorded more than 5.5 million international tourist visits in 2025. That figure represents an 8.4% increase over 2024 and is nearly ten times the roughly 560,000 visitors the country received two decades ago, according to the Georgian National Tourism Administration.
The arrival of millions of travelers coincides with a deepening political standoff. On Monday, the country marks two years since the contested parliamentary elections held on October 26, 2024. Protests began two days after that vote and intensified on November 28, 2024. On that date, the government stated it would not place the opening of EU accession negotiations on its agenda before the end of 2028.
Every weekend, crowds gather in Avlabari Square in Tbilisi. They march toward Freedom Square and parliament to protest the Georgian Dream party. The ultraconservative party has held power since 2012. Critics accuse it of authoritarianism and of pulling Georgia closer to Moscow by pausing EU talks, despite the country receiving candidate status in 2023.
Travelers arrive from Europe, the Middle East, and large numbers from Russia. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, tens of thousands of Russian citizens moved to Georgia. They opened businesses and bought homes, which put pressure on the property market. Locals view Russia as an occupying power, a sentiment rooted in the wars of the 1990s and the August 2008 conflict.
The economic relationship with Moscow remains complex. Although diplomatic ties were severed after the 2008 conflict, Russia continues to supply energy and capital. Trade, tourism, and remittances support the Georgian economy. GDP rose by 7.5% in 2025, marking five consecutive years of expansion. However, the country still faces unemployment, low wages, and depopulation in many rural areas.
Relations with Brussels have worsened recently. The EU has criticized the Georgian government for its record on the rule of law and political repression. Many observers believe a stronger Russia in the Ukraine war would increase its ability to pressure the Caucasus region.
The next major milestone is the two-year anniversary of the elections on Monday. Weekly marches are expected to continue in Tbilisi as the standoff persists.
Source: The Guardian
