Investments in tourism: Georgia plans to spend 236 million lari in 2024

Georgia has developed plans for the development of the tourism industry, allocating 236 million lari from the state budget in 2024, as the head of the Ministry of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili said in parliament.

The trend continues to hold Georgia's leading revenues, with revenues from this industry amounting to $3.3 billion in just three quarters of 2023. As a result, the expected revenues of the state budget for 2024 are 7.6 billion dollars.

"236 million lari have been allocated to support tourism, including 191 million for a new five-year program for the development of tourist employment," Khutsishvili said.

In 2024, these funds will be used to modernize central districts such as Borjomi, Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Telavi, Batumi, Mestia, Mtskheta, Zugdidi and Kazbegi. It is also expected to complete the construction of two new cable cars in the Gudauri ski resort.

Important areas of development include sports tourism, cultural tourism and ecotourism. Funds will also be allocated to attract tourists from various countries, including China, with which a visa-free regime for tourists was introduced in 2023.

Georgia plans to increase the share of tourists from the EU, China and abroad to 30%, the agreement on the market share of the countries has increased to 70%. According to reports, the number of international visitors to Georgia in January-September 2023 increased by 43%, reaching 5.6 million.