Tourism businesses in the Borjomi region are experiencing a significant downturn, with some facing unprecedented drops in visitor numbers. Eka Gegeshidze, founder of Landhouse Borjomi in the village of Zemo Sadgeri, told BM.GE that her facility has struggled throughout the summer, going an entire month without a single guest. She attributes the decline largely to geopolitical tensions affecting key source markets.
According to Gegeshidze, Landhouse Borjomi traditionally caters to tourists from Arab countries, but ongoing conflicts in the region, particularly the war in Israel, have drastically reduced arrivals. She says the decline has been felt across Borjomi, with other accommodation providers reporting up to an 80% drop in tourist numbers. “The situation with bookings is very difficult. Nobody expected such a bad picture, especially when there is relative peace inside the country,” she added.
Landhouse Borjomi consists of five cottages, built with an investment of GEL 750,000. The average price for a six-person cottage is around GEL 300, depending on season and cottage type. While the property previously relied on steady interest from the Arab market, weak demand this year has left bookings far below expectations, raising concerns about the region’s ability to recover in the coming months.
Official statistics reflect broader shifts in Georgia’s tourism landscape. In the third quarter of 2025, Russia accounted for the highest share of visitors - 26%, totaling 567,000 arrivals, followed by Turkey with 16.5% and Armenia with 12%. Overall, citizens of Russia, Turkey and Armenia made the most visits to the country, indicating that the composition of inbound tourism remains heavily concentrated in neighboring markets rather than long-haul destinations like the Middle East.
