Georgia's tourism sector is undergoing a qualitative transformation, where rising visitor numbers do not necessarily translate into higher revenues, according to Maiko Murachashvili, founder of the Strategic Hotel Management Group. Speaking to BMGTV, the hotelier said that while official statistics continue to show growth in tourist arrivals, average spending per visitor has declined, making visitor numbers alone an unreliable measure of success.
Murachashvili attributed the trend to a combination of factors, including cautious spending by European travelers due to regional geopolitical concerns and the growing share of lower-budget visitors from Asian markets. She noted that although Asian arrivals have helped sustain tourism flows, they generally contribute less to overall tourism revenue than higher-spending European visitors.
The hotelier also pointed to an oversupply of hotel rooms and uneven distribution of tourists across the country. While tourism revenues remain concentrated in a few destinations, hotel development has expanded nationwide, creating intense competition in many regions. As a result, many businesses have responded by cutting prices rather than competing through service quality, putting additional pressure on profitability.
Murachashvili argued that improving professionalism across the tourism industry is essential for its long-term sustainability. She called for greater investment in hospitality education and management while also criticizing what she described as a lack of professionalism and accountability within public institutions. According to her, addressing these issues would allow the private sector to operate more effectively and strengthen Georgia's tourism industry in the years ahead.
