Georgia is no longer the low-cost tourist destination it once was. According to Galt & Taggart’s tourism sector review, rising prices and a stronger lari since 2022 have made Georgia’s tourism services less globally competitive.
Restaurateur Vakhtang Kandelaki told bm.ge that rising product costs are already pushing up menu prices, especially in Tbilisi, with regional increases likely to follow.
“If the cost of cheese rises, khachapuri prices will rise too. It’s a chain reaction,” he said. Kandelaki warns that unless product prices stabilize or alternative supply markets are developed, restaurant prices will continue to surge.
He also pointed to the lack of support for local agriculture, noting that even suppliers struggle to predict prices. “Can you imagine my supplier doesn’t know the price of tomatoes tomorrow? That’s a serious problem for restaurants,” he added.
