Tourist flows from China and India are becoming increasingly important for Georgia, though their interests and geographic distribution are specific. According to Tatia Mamrikishvili, Head of the Sector at Galt & Taggart’s Research Department, the Asian market views Georgia primarily as a medical tourism hub.
During a visit to Business Morning, Mamrikishvili noted that Chinese tourists show particularly strong demand for niche medical procedures, mainly in reproductive medicine.
“In the case of Chinese tourists, we primarily see interest in reproductive services. More broadly, Asian markets show interest in niche medical procedures such as aesthetic medicine, dentistry, multi-specialty treatments, and diagnostic tests,” Mamrikishvili said.
She added that medical tourism could become a key driver for attracting high-spending tourists to Georgia, especially from Asian markets.
“Interest from Asian countries in niche medical services is already emerging, and this is an area where the country should make a strategic focus,” Mamrikishvili emphasized.
Mamrikishvili also noted that spending patterns of visitors from China differ significantly from other markets, and average expenditure statistics alone do not provide a complete picture.
“China and India are relatively new tourist markets for Georgia, and short-term statistics make a full assessment difficult. Looking only at average spending does not justify labeling these tourists as low-spending. The structure of their expenditures and the purpose of their visit are more important,” she explained.
For reference, in 2025, Georgia received 128,000 visitors from China, marking a 44% annual increase. According to data provided to BMG by Geostat, Chinese visitors spent a total of GEL 220 million, with an average expenditure of GEL 1,718 per visit.
