Georgia’s tourism sector is facing new pressure due to a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices, which has led to more expensive travel packages. According to PEGAS Touristik Georgia, the situation is creating significant losses for the industry and resembles crisis conditions seen during the pandemic.
Company director Salome Beraia says the increase in fuel prices has directly affected airline costs, which make up the largest share of tour package prices. As a result, already-sold travel packages have become more expensive to fulfill, forcing companies to renegotiate contracts with airlines signed earlier this year.
Beraia noted that nearly 40% of summer season flights had already been sold, but even those could not be maintained at original prices. She said the financial losses for tourism companies are substantial and cannot be described as small figures.
According to PEGAS Touristik Georgia, the crisis is likely to continue beyond the summer season. The company expects recovery to be slow, warning that both this year and the first quarter of next year will remain challenging for the sector.
