In the first half of 2023, the number of domestic visits amounted to 9.2 million which was 15% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2022. Notably, in Q2 of 2023, compared to the same period of 2022, growth in the number of domestic visits (25%) was much more pronounced than in Q1 of 2023 (6%). This marked a notable turnaround from the decline recorded in domestic visits observed throughout Q2-Q4 of 2022,- according to the report published by PMC Research Centre.
In the first half of 2023, the number of domestic visits was 38% higher than for the same period of 2019, while the number of international visits was still short of the pre-pandemic level, reaching 78% of the figure for the corresponding period of 2019.
In the first half of 2023, the average number of nights spent per visit was equal to 1.3, which is 11% lower than in the first half of 2022 (1.4 nights). Notably, in the periods after the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out, the average number of nights spent per visit were higher in 2020 (2.1) and 2021 (1.7).
The distribution of domestic visitors by visited region in the first half of 2023 was similar to previous periods. In particular, the main destination for domestic visits was Tbilisi (24% of total visits), followed by Imereti (18%), and Adjara (10%). To compare the dynamics, the number of visitors decreased in Shida Kartli (by 12%) and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (7%), while the number increased in Samtskhe-Javakheti (by 23%) and Tbilisi (11%).
In the first half of 2023, the main purpose of visits (48%) was visiting friends/relatives, followed by shopping (18%), and staying in a second/holiday home (10%). Notably, compared to the first half of 2022, the share of visitors who named shopping as the main purpose of their visit increased by 6 percentage points, exceeding the share of those who cited staying at their second/holiday home.
In the first half of 2023, the total expenditure of domestic visitors amounted to GEL 1.4 billion, which is 14.2% higher compared to the same period of 2022. However, that increase in expenditure by domestic visitors is comparatively modest when contrasted with the 45.9% increase recorded for total expenditure by international visitors during the same period in 2023.
The expenditure distribution in the first half of 2023 was similar to recent years with most expenditure going on shopping (36% of total expenditure), food and drinks (23%), and transport (21%). In the first half of 2023, compared to the first half of 2022, there were significant increases in the expenditure of domestic visitors on shopping (by 17%) and food and drinks (25%).
