1 million tourist visits in 3 months - new record high for Georgia
The Georgian National Tourism Administration has released the latest figures for the first quarter of 2026, revealing a new record for international tourist visits.
Between January and March 2026, Georgia welcomed 997,529 international tourist visits, marking a 4% increase (+38,582 visits) compared to the same period in 2025. This sets a historic high for tourist arrivals in the first three months of the year.
While tourism specifically saw growth, total international traveler entries (including transit and non-tourist visits) reached 1,300,505, a slight decline of 1.1% (-14,323 visits) year-over-year.
Turkey remains the primary source of visitors, contributing 238,368 visits in the first quarter. The Top 15 list of visitors includes neighboring countries alongside strategic markets such as the USA, UK, Germany, Poland, Israel, Kazakhstan, China, and India.
A significant milestone was reached in arrivals from the European Union and the United Kingdom, totaling 96,226 visits - a 30.2% increase over the previous year. Notable growth was recorded in:
Special growth was recorded from the following strategic markets:
The ongoing war in Iran and cancelled flights have negatively impacted visitor numbers from the following countries:
However, the Gulf States showed resilience with an overall 8.2% growth in visitors. While the UAE (-19.8%) and Kuwait (-18.7%) saw drops, other nations in the region experienced sharp increases:
Other News
The Telegraph publishes series of articles highlighting Georgia’s tourism potential
05.08.2026.22:11
Georgia’s National Tourism Administration is conducting a marketing campaign in the United Kingdom in cooperation with British Airways.
As part of the campaign, the leading British online publication The Telegraph has published a series of promotional and informational articles showcasing Georgia’s tourism potential.
One of the articles - “How to enjoy an active holiday in Georgia” - describes the country as one of Europe’s most exciting destinations for adventure tourism enthusiasts.
“Georgia is blessed with a spectacular range of landscapes - from the balmy beaches of the Black Sea coast through lush forests and gorges to the soaring, jagged peaks of the Caucasus. Together they make Georgia a superb outdoor playground, with world-class hiking as well as excellent cycling, rafting and skiing, all of it surprisingly accessible”, the article said.
Another feature - “This is how to uncover Europe’s coolest capital” - encourages British travellers to plan short breaks in Tbilisi.
“Tbilisi - a heady mix of ancient and modern, east and west, where hushed medieval churches vie with contemporary architectural marvels”, the article said.
It also noted that British Airways’ direct flights have made short visits to the city more attractive.
The article “The culinary destination you’ll want to savour”focuses on Georgian gastronomy, the country’s 8,000-year-old qvevri winemaking tradition, traditional dishes such as khachapuri, khinkali, pkhali, and tkemali, as well as the “Georgian supra” dining tradition. The publication describes Georgian cuisine as one of the main reasons to visit the country and offers British readers a guide to discovering authentic local flavours.
“With an exceptionally rich culinary heritage and the world’s longest history of winemaking, Georgia is a place where food and its enjoyment are both an art and a social ritual”, the article’s author, Rudolph Abraham wrote.
According to the National Tourism Administration, the UK marketing campaign aims to position Georgia as a diverse and competitive travel destination in the British market.
The campaign includes digital activities in partnership with British Airways, banner advertising, sponsored articles, integrated marketing initiatives, and the publication of co-branded content across leading online media platforms.