The tourism share of GDP in Georgia is an important indicator of the sector’s contribution to the national economy. Over the past decade, tourism has faced major challenges and a strong recovery. This article examines the available economic data, international travel revenue and possible development scenarios through 2030.
Tourism development cannot be measured by international visitor numbers alone. Tourism revenue and the sector’s value added are also important. Together, these indicators help explain tourism’s role in Georgia’s economy and highlight areas that may interest investors.
What Is the Tourism Share of GDP in Georgia?
According to the National Statistics Office of Georgia’s tourism satellite accounts, tourism-related industries accounted for 7.3% of Georgia’s GDP in 2024. In 2019, their share was 8.3%.
The value added generated by these industries also increased. In 2019, it amounted to approximately GEL 3.6 billion. By 2024, it had reached around GEL 5.9 billion.
These figures reveal an important distinction. The economic value generated by tourism-related industries increased, while their share of the overall economy declined.
One possible explanation is the growth of other economic sectors. Tourism’s share of GDP can fall even when the sector expands, particularly if the wider economy grows faster.
It is also important to distinguish between tourism’s contribution to GDP and revenue from international travel. These are different economic indicators. Spending by international visitors does not translate directly, in full, into tourism’s contribution to Georgia’s GDP. For further information, see the National Bank of Georgia’s balance of payments data.
Tourism’s Contribution to Georgia’s GDP Over the Past Decade
2015-2019: Growth Before the Pandemic
Between 2015 and 2019, Georgia’s tourism sector expanded across international markets. International travel increased, air connectivity developed, and hotel infrastructure expanded. Georgia also strengthened its visibility as a travel destination.
In 2019, tourism-related industries accounted for 8.3% of GDP. This provides a benchmark for the sector’s economic importance before the pandemic.
However, growth was not uniform every year. Tourism performance was influenced by the international economic environment, transport connections, conditions in key source markets, and political developments.
2020-2021: The Pandemic Shock
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to tourism. International travel restrictions disrupted businesses across the sector. Flights were reduced, and borders were closed.
Hotels, restaurants, tour operators, guides, and transport providers faced significant difficulties. Other businesses that depended on tourism were also affected.
The pandemic years should be considered separately when assessing long-term performance. The decline during this period did not reflect a typical economic cycle. The recovery that followed was also influenced by the low starting base.
2022-2025: Recovery and Rising Tourism Revenue
From 2022, Georgia’s tourism sector entered a recovery phase. Revenue from international travel increased, and business activity improved.
In 2024, revenue from international travel reached USD 4.4254 billion. This was a record at the time. Revenue increased by 7.3% compared with the previous year.
In the same year, international visitors spent approximately GEL 4.8 billion at hotels and family-run accommodation establishments.
Read more in Travel News: Tourist Spending at Hotels in Georgia Increased.
Tourism revenue increased further in 2025. Revenue from international travel reached USD 4.6902 billion, up 6% from 2024.
Georgia recorded more than 5.52 million international tourist visits in 2025. Total visits by international travellers exceeded 7.8 million.
For additional information, see Travel News: 2026 Starts Strong for Georgia’s Tourism Sector.
Despite the recovery in revenue, tourism-related industries accounted for 7.3% of GDP in 2024, compared with 8.3% in 2019.
This indicates that tourism recovered and generated more economic value. However, its relative share of the overall economy had not returned to its pre-pandemic level by 2024.
Rising revenue does not always mean that real economic activity has grown at the same rate. Nominal revenue can also increase because of higher prices. A broader assessment should therefore consider visitor spending, service quality, and the value added generated by the sector.
What Does This Mean for Tourism Businesses and Investors?
A declining share of GDP does not automatically mean that tourism is performing poorly. Other industries may simply be growing faster. Nevertheless, the data highlight an important point: increasing visitor numbers alone is not enough to strengthen tourism’s economic contribution.
Several areas are important for Georgia’s future tourism development:
- Attracting visitors from markets with higher average spending.
- Increasing visitor expenditure and length of stay.
- Developing tourism products that operate throughout the year.
- Expanding regional tourism beyond the main destinations.
- Developing wine, gastronomy, medical, and ecotourism.
- Improving service quality and workforce skills.
- Strengthening the digital visibility of tourism businesses.
- Improving access to international markets.
These areas may be relevant to investors considering tourism-related opportunities in Georgia. Potential areas of interest include accommodation, regional experiences, food and wine tourism, wellness services, and activities that extend the tourism season.
Travel News has published further material on several of these segments. Explore our articles on Wine Tourism in Georgia, Gastronomy Tourism in Georgia, and Agritourism in Georgia.
Regional development is another important consideration. Tourism spending should not be concentrated in only a few major destinations. A wider distribution of visitors can create opportunities for local businesses, suppliers, and service providers.
For investors, this makes it important to assess not only national tourism figures but also the location, seasonality, target market, and business model of a potential project.
Tourism in Georgia: Outlook to 2030
Forecasting tourism’s exact share of GDP in 2030 is difficult. Macroeconomic forecasts assess the growth of Georgia’s overall economy. They do not automatically determine what share of GDP tourism will represent in a particular year.
The Parliamentary Budget Office of Georgia’s 2026-2030 macroeconomic forecast outlines different economic growth scenarios.
Tourism’s future will depend on several factors. These include international demand, air connectivity, investment, regional conditions, and Georgia’s competitiveness as a destination.
Three illustrative scenarios can help frame the possibilities.
Base scenario: Tourism continues to grow, but its share of GDP changes only modestly. The sector generates more economic value, while other industries grow at a similar or faster pace.
Optimistic scenario: Visitor numbers increase in higher-spending markets. Regional and year-round tourism products expand. Service quality improves, and private investment grows.
Under these conditions, tourism could grow faster than the overall economy, increasing its share of GDP.
Pessimistic scenario: External shocks and regional instability slow tourism growth. Air connectivity could also face challenges. In this situation, tourism’s contribution to the economy could decline relative to other sectors.
These scenarios are analytical frameworks, not official forecasts of tourism’s future share of GDP. A specific percentage projection would require a reliable source that directly supports it.
Will Tourism Become More Important to Georgia’s Economy?
Tourism’s future in Georgia will depend on more than the number of visitors entering the country. Visitor spending and length of stay also matter. The types of services visitors purchase can influence the economic value generated by each trip.
The distribution of tourism revenue is another important factor. A stronger contribution to the economy could come from attracting higher-spending visitors and developing new tourism products in the regions.
To assess progress towards 2030, Georgia will need to monitor more than visitor numbers and tourism revenue. Regular analysis of tourism’s share of GDP and the value added generated by tourism-related industries is also essential.
For Georgia, the challenge is not simply to attract more tourists. It is to generate greater economic value from each visit and distribute the benefits more widely across the country.
Travel News – Tourism Partner Media
Sources and Further Information
- National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) – Tourism satellite accounts and data on tourism-related industries’ contribution to GDP.
https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/categories/720/turizmis-satelituri-angarishebi - National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) – Tourism statistics.
https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/categories/658/turizmis-statistika - National Bank of Georgia – Revenue from international travel and balance of payments data.
https://nbg.gov.ge/media/news/sakartvelos-sagadasakhdelo-balansi-2025-tseli-meotkhe-kvartali - Parliamentary Budget Office of Georgia – Macroeconomic forecasts for 2026-2030.
https://pbo.parliament.ge/ge/26-16-mo/item/1472-2026-2030.html - Travel News – Tourist Spending at Hotels in Georgia Increased.
https://travelnews.ge/saqartvelos-sastumroebshi-turistebis-danaxarjebi-gaizarda/ - Travel News – 2026 Starts Strong for Georgia’s Tourism Sector.
https://travelnews.ge/2026-turizmis-tvalsazrisit-dzalian-kargad-daitko/ - Travel News – More Than 3 Million Visits to Georgia in Six Months.
https://travelnews.ge/6-tveshi-sakartveloshi-3-mln-ze-meti-viziti-shedga/
Methodological note: These figures should be interpreted according to the methodology of each source. Tourism’s share of GDP, revenue from international travel, and tourism’s broader economic impact are different measures.
The scenarios for 2030 are not official forecasts of tourism’s share of GDP. They should not be interpreted as guaranteed outcomes or investment returns.
