PMC Research Centre published the Quarterly Tourism Update for 2023. According to the document, the number of international visits to mountain resorts has not yet fully recovered to the pre-pandemic level. In 2023, the total number of international visits to mountain resorts amounted to 83% of the 2019 figure. Of note, the number of such visits in Q1 of 2023 exceeded the figure for the corresponding quarter in 2019, which was attributed to the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships being held in Bakuriani.
Gudauri was the top mountain resort destination for international visitors to Georgia in 2023. A total of 447,696 international visitors went to mountain resorts in Georgia in 2023, of which 71% visited Gudauri.
Bakuriani remains the primary mountain resort destination for domestic visitors. In 2023, out of a total of 324,326 domestic visitors to mountain resorts in Georgia, 71% chose Bakuriani. Mirroring the overall increasing trend in domestic tourism, in 2023, domestic visits to mountain resorts exceeded the pre-pandemic level by 21%.
Mountain resorts in Georgia exhibit significant seasonality, with most visitors going there in the first and third quarters of the year. Notably, the number of visitors to Mestia (Svaneti) is highest in the third quarter. In Mestia, the low activity in the first quarter is often attributed to issue concerning electricity, internet connectivity, and road infrastructure in winter that discourage both international and domestic visitors.
