Lile Maglaperidze, founder of Kutaisi-based restaurants "Lilestan" and "Gala", says the profile of visitors has changed significantly over the past two years, forcing businesses to adapt to a new reality. Speaking on BMGTV’s program Women’s Narrative, she noted that the composition of tourists visiting the region has shifted.
According to Maglaperidze, restaurants previously welcomed a large number of visitors from Israel, which remained one of the leading source markets even last year. However, the current visitor mix has changed, with Russian and Polish tourists now forming the main share of foreign guests, while the number of visitors from Spain, France, and Germany has declined.
She also highlighted that during the off-season, the share of local Georgian customers has increased. At the same time, demand for experiences centered on Georgian gastronomy, including wine and family wineries in Imereti, has decreased compared with previous years.
Maglaperidze added that tourists from Asian markets often have different culinary preferences and are less interested in traditional Imeretian cuisine. As a result, restaurants may need to adapt menus to suit these visitors, as up to 80% of traditional dishes may not align with their dietary habits or tastes. Despite the changes, she expects the period from late February through May to traditionally bring gradual growth, though the exact outlook for this year remains uncertain.
