Georgia Tourism: Record 5.5 Million Visitors Amidst Two-Year Political Standoff

Tbilisi recorded more than 5.5 million international tourist visits in 2025, according to data released by the Georgian National Tourism Administration. The figure represents an 8.4% increase over the previous year and stands at nearly ten times the volume of visitors the country received two decades ago, when annual arrivals were approximately 560,000.

The surge in tourism coincides with a deepening domestic political crisis. Monday marks the two-year anniversary of the parliamentary elections held on 26 October 2024, which were widely viewed as contested. Demonstrations began two days after the vote and intensified on 28 November 2024, when the government stated it would not place the opening of EU accession negotiations on its legislative agenda before the end of 2028.

Protesters continue to gather in Avlabari Square in Tbilisi’s Armenian quarter every weekend for the Saturday March. Crowds move toward the Bridge of Love and then to Freedom Square before marching to the parliament building. Their primary target remains Georgian Dream, the ultraconservative party that has held power since 2012. Critics accuse the ruling party of advancing authoritarian policies and shifting the country’s alignment toward Moscow by suspending EU accession talks, a move that stands in contrast to the EU candidate status Georgia received in 2023.

The influx of visitors is driven by diverse motivations, including the country’s historic sites, post-Soviet aesthetic, and natural landscapes. Tourists arrive from Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, tens of thousands of Russian citizens have relocated to Georgia. These residents have injected capital into the local economy and opened businesses, while also placing substantial pressure on the real estate market through widespread home purchases.

This Russian presence has fueled discontent among a population that still views Moscow as an occupying power. That sentiment is rooted in the early 1990s wars against Russian-backed separatists in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the brief war fought in August 2008. Although diplomatic relations between Tbilisi and Moscow were severed after the 2008 conflict, economic ties remain strong. Trade, tourism, remittances, and energy imports from Russia continue to support the Georgian economy.

Georgia’s economic indicators show resilience despite these political tensions. Gross domestic product grew by 7.5% in 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of expansion. However, the economy still faces challenges including unemployment, low wages, and depopulation in many rural areas. The country, which has a population of fewer than 4 million and covers a territory roughly the size of Ireland, remains sandwiched between Russia and Turkey.

The relationship between the government and the European Union has deteriorated recently. Brussels has criticized Tbilisi regarding the rule of law and political repression. Many observers believe that if Moscow strengthens its position in the Ukraine war, it may gain greater ability to exert pressure on the Caucasus region.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire who founded Georgian Dream in 2012, remains a central figure in the nation’s political landscape. In his 70s, Ivanishvili served as prime minister from 2012 to 2013 and built his fortune in Russia during the 1990s. He renovated the Rustaveli theatre two years ago, a project often cited as a symbol of the party’s influence on national infrastructure.

The next major scheduled event is the continuation of the weekly Saturday Marches, which have become a defining feature of public life in Tbilisi. The government faces ongoing pressure to clarify its stance on European integration while managing the economic benefits and social frictions brought by the record number of international visitors.