Natural beauty of Georgia: The growing tourist popularity of protected areas

The economic reality, supported by statistics, indicates a significant increase in the number of tourists willingly heading to the nature reserves of Georgia. During the seven months of this year, 370.6 thousand travelers noted visits to the most popular protected areas of the country. This impressive figure exceeds the statistics of 2019 by 31%, and confirms the importance and potential of Georgian ecotourism.

The total number of visitors to nature reserves for the same period amounted to 521 thousand, which exceeds the figure of last year by 13%. The report of the Agency of Protected Areas says that interest in the riches of Georgian nature is constantly growing.

The top 5 most popular nature reserves in Georgia include such incredible places as the mysterious Prometheus Cave, the picturesque Martvili Canyon, the beautiful Sataplia, the majestic Tsalka Canyon and the unique Mtirala National Park. These natural attractions attract not only local tourists, but also travelers from Poland, the UAE, India, Kazakhstan and Russia.

The Agency of Protected Territories of Georgia actively promotes the development of ecotourism by implementing projects that ensure not only the preservation of unique natural resources, but also contribute to the sustainable socio-economic growth of the regions.

Beyond the beauty of the protected areas hides a rich variety of Georgian fauna: more than 100 species of mammals, 330 species of birds and 160 species of fish. Protected areas become a refuge for 90 species of rare and vulnerable species of animals, which is an impressive 67% of the number of animals on the "Red List" of Georgia.

87 protected areas are designated in the country, among which 11 are National Parks. These natural oases annually attract hundreds of thousands of tourists, providing them with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of wildlife and diversity of ecosystems of Georgia.