Tsotne Japaridze, founder of Traffic Travel Georgia, says the country’s tourism sector began recovering in the second half of summer after a largely stagnant first half of the year. Speaking on BMGTV’s program Tsertili, he said August, September and October were particularly busy, although regional conflict and political uncertainty had weighed on the market earlier in the year.
Japaridze identified instability as the sector’s biggest challenge, making long-term planning and business development difficult. While he said tourism businesses continue operating despite uncertainty, he hopes conditions will gradually stabilize. Official figures show Georgia recorded 4.4 million tourist visits in the first nine months of 2026, up 2.3% year-on-year, while international tourism revenue reached $3.8 billion, an increase of 4.4%.
He also noted significant changes in the geographic makeup of visitors. Markets such as Japan, China, Australia and South Africa have become more prominent, while the United States, previously an important source of high-spending tourists, has declined. Japaridze said Germany and Poland remain leading European markets for Georgia.
According to Japaridze, recent growth is linked more to the recovery of international travel and the introduction of direct flights than to tourism marketing campaigns alone. New connections from Tbilisi to London and destinations in Italy have helped increase visitor numbers, demonstrating the importance of air connectivity in attracting international tourists.
