Finance Minister First Deputy Giorgi Kakauridze says tourism flows are expected to increase once the situation in the region stabilizes. He attributed the recent slowdown mainly to developments involving Iran and the broader Middle East, which affected flights and made some travelers more cautious.
Kakauridze said the decline in tourism has been minimal and overall growth remains, although it is disappointing that the sector is not expanding at a faster pace. He noted that both the Georgian government and international financial institutions had initially expected a more significant negative impact.
According to Kakauridze, the limited decline indicates that demand for Georgia remains resilient. Once regional conditions become stable and peaceful, he expects tourism flows to return to previous levels and then continue growing.
International visitor trips to Georgia fell 2.7% year-on-year to 2,734,504 in the first half of 2026. Kakauridze said the sector still has clear potential for further growth once external risks ease.
