Ia Tabagari, Chair of the Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association, says that ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have led some international visitors to postpone or cancel trips to Georgia. She highlighted that typical American tourist groups traveling through the Caucasus have canceled their bookings, citing security concerns related to Armenia’s proximity to Iran. Logistical challenges, such as disrupted transit through Dubai and Doha, have also contributed to cancellations. Tabagari expressed doubt that these groups will rebook this year.
Official statistics on international arrivals are limited, as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which the National Tourism Administration relies on, publishes data only quarterly. This lack of timely information prevents businesses from fully analyzing trends or planning short-term marketing strategies. “It’s April 2, and I’m eager to know how many foreigners visited in March and from which countries,” she said.
Despite uncertainty caused by the Middle East crisis, Tabagari believes Georgia should fully leverage its popularity among former Soviet countries. Neighboring Armenia and Turkey remain realistic markets for attracting summer tourists.
Recently, Tabagari surveyed tourism businesses via social media, collecting about 70 responses from guides, hoteliers, and tour operators. While the winter season results were moderately satisfactory, summer bookings remain low, and uncertainty in the market, primarily due to the Middle East conflict, remains the main concern.
