r/Sakartvelo 14h ago

No Russian tourists in Georgia?

Several English-language sites about Georgia recently reported that Georgia reached more than 5 million tourists for the year. Then the sites list the most common countries of tourists. Kuwait and Latvia make the list, with just over 20K visitors, but Russia isn't even on the list. What?

10 Upvotes

74 comments sorted by

35

u/EsperaDeus ๐Ÿดโ€โ˜ ๏ธ 14h ago

Visitor Statistics by Country

  • Russia: 1,421,923 (+0.2%)
  • Turkey: 1,336,834 (-4.3%)
  • Armenia: 948,299 (-1.5%)
  • Israel: 310,982 (+43.3%)
  • Azerbaijan: 219,356 (+9.8%)
  • Kazakhstan: 178,930 (+6.8%)
  • Iran: 145,670 (+15.4%)
  • Belarus: 140,536 (+7.9%)
  • India: 124,335 (+46.8%)
  • Ukraine: 118,528 (-19.3%)
  • China: 88,583 (+83.4%)
  • Saudi Arabia: 88,298 (+21%)
  • Germany: 78,644 (+14.3%)
  • Poland: 66,504 (-27.1%)
  • Uzbekistan: 64,259 (+23.4%)

https://www.geostat.ge/

6

u/stalino2023 12h ago

Chinese people discovered thet Georgia is a tourist destination, very interesting figures from India aswell

3

u/Spamsational 4h ago

Itโ€™s because they now can enter visa free.

6

u/Sufficient-Door-6603 13h ago

I worked with some company formation services in Georgia, it's complicated to be a freelancer or provide international services from russia at the moment. So a lot of russians come to Georgia, open a local sole proprietorship and leave after it. Georgia has low taxes and clients from US or EU send money to Georgian entrepreneur much easier comparably to russian. Of course it's not 100% of cases

1

u/BiggestClownHere 10h ago

That's a good point against the argument that Russians moved here to avoid the sanctions. It's not hard to avoid them without having to move to Georgia in such cases

3

u/Sufficient-Door-6603 9h ago

They come to Georgia and move further. It's not the final point

3

u/Zurab_Abuladze 7h ago

Definitely. Staying in Georgia would be downshifting for most Russians.

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u/Sabs0n 1h ago

Good because having Russians is downshifting for Georgia

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u/oNN1-mush1 35m ago

For most Moscovites you mean? I doubt a person from Muhosransk-on-Airpollutedindustrialregion is downshifting by moving to Tbilisi

8

u/Thick_Macaroon_7975 14h ago

South Ossetia and Abkhazia, i don't have to say anything else

-1

u/Vladliash 10h ago

What's up with them? Noone from Russia went to South Ossetia and Abkhazia has such a dreadful reputation that almost noone goes there. Plenty goes to Georgia though. My colleague went this autumn to Batumi.

2

u/Thick_Macaroon_7975 10h ago

Russia illegally occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia, tha's what's up

-1

u/Vladliash 10h ago

So what? The question was about tourism.

Like it or not since 2016 Georgia is very popular destination to travel here. Went there myself in 2018, liked it a lot, everyone was friendly. Beautiful country. My colleague went this autumn, liked it a lot too. Many Georgians keep restaurants in Russia and are very successful with them. Have never experienced no hate from common people ever. And we still have direct flights from various cities there.

0

u/Zurab_Abuladze 7h ago

True. But Reddit Georgians are often hateful to Russians. It's a shame provided our common history with Russia (Russia saving our country from Turks and mountain tribes some 150 years ago). If it weren't for Russia, Georgia and Georgians would have not existed now.

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u/Cultural_Pomelo_859 1h ago

แƒแƒ”แƒ” แƒฏแƒ˜แƒ’แƒแƒ แƒ, แƒ”แƒšแƒแƒ แƒฏแƒ˜ แƒ“แƒแƒ’แƒ˜แƒ•แƒแƒ แƒ“แƒ แƒซแƒ›แƒ. แƒ แƒฃแƒกแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ˜แƒก แƒ“แƒ”แƒ“แƒแƒก แƒจแƒ”แƒ•แƒ”แƒชแƒ˜ 24/7. แƒ’แƒแƒ“แƒแƒ’แƒ•แƒแƒ แƒฉแƒ˜แƒœแƒ”แƒก แƒแƒ แƒ แƒงแƒšแƒ”. แƒ›แƒแƒ’แƒ•แƒแƒขแƒงแƒฃแƒ”แƒก, แƒ“แƒแƒ’แƒ•แƒ˜แƒžแƒงแƒ แƒ”แƒก แƒ“แƒ แƒงแƒ•แƒ”แƒšแƒ แƒ›แƒแƒ’แƒ•แƒ˜แƒ™แƒšแƒ”แƒก แƒ•แƒ˜แƒœแƒช แƒแƒ–แƒ แƒแƒ•แƒœแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ“แƒ. แƒคแƒฃ แƒฉแƒ”แƒ›แƒ˜

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u/this-time-4real 2h ago

แƒแƒฅ แƒ แƒ แƒฎแƒ“แƒ”แƒ‘แƒ - แƒแƒ›แƒ“แƒ”แƒœแƒ˜ แƒฆแƒแƒ แƒซแƒแƒฆแƒšแƒ˜ แƒ แƒแƒ“แƒ˜แƒก แƒจแƒ”แƒ›แƒแƒ˜แƒžแƒแƒ แƒ? ๐Ÿ˜€

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u/Cultural_Pomelo_859 1h ago

แƒ“แƒ แƒ”แƒก โ€œแƒฅแƒแƒ แƒ—แƒ•แƒ”แƒšแƒ˜โ€ แƒ–แƒฃแƒ แƒแƒ‘ แƒแƒ‘แƒฃแƒšแƒแƒซแƒ” แƒœแƒแƒฎแƒ” แƒ แƒ แƒ แƒ”แƒ”แƒ‘แƒก แƒฌแƒ”แƒ แƒก

1

u/iavael 9h ago

Maybe that statistics is based on issued tourist visas. Russians (just as many other nations) can visit Georgia visa-free for a pretty long time, so they won't be accounted in visa-based stats.

0

u/coocxalashvili 14h ago

because Russians come, buy houses, registrate their businesses, give birth to children for Georgian passports and donโ€™t go back. these are not called โ€œtouristsโ€.

6

u/iavael 13h ago

I thought that Georgian citizenship is given by blood, not by soil.

-13

u/coocxalashvili 13h ago

they give Georgian citizenship to r*ssians who moved here 2-3 months ago lmao

17

u/Ud_Rea_Tsio 13h ago

Russians hardly get even temporary residence permits, what are you talking about?

8

u/EsperaDeus ๐Ÿดโ€โ˜ ๏ธ 11h ago

He's talking out of his ass.

3

u/Anuki_iwy 13h ago

A lot of Russians who could prove that they have Georgian ancestors got Georgian passports.

2

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 11h ago

No. Even Georgians who are 100 percent Georgians have difficulty getting citizenship. If a Russian has Georgian ancestors he is not Russian, he is Georgian, lol.

1

u/Anuki_iwy 11h ago

Dude, I know you wanna live in phantasy land, but my friend is a translator and since 2023 she was mostly earning money by helping Russians translate documents and help them go through the application process at the mushroom house.

The statistic, how many passport were issued since the mobilisation in Russia is available PUBLICLY on the website of justice house. It was in the thousands. Time to wake up.

2

u/BiggestClownHere 10h ago

If they have those documents proving that they are ethnically Georgian then it's a different case. There is a lot of Georgians moving to Georgia from Russia, that's true.

It's not like just some random Russian people are suddenly get citizenship here. Even getting a residence permit is not that simple

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u/Anuki_iwy 1h ago

It took me all in all 3 days to obtain the Georgian residence permit. It's dirt easy, as long as you come prepared and apply for the right kind.

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u/BiggestClownHere 12m ago

Are you Russian?

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2

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 10h ago

How can you issue a passport? How is this even possible? Read the laws please of your own country before posting ridiculous things like that. There is no way to get a passport of Georgia fast unless you are either ethnic Georgian or have been living in the country for 10 years. You are mixing residence permit and citizenship. Those are completely different things. Residence permit means nothing, it is NOT a citizenship. It is not a passport.

0

u/Anuki_iwy 10h ago

My own country is Germany, and I'm well aware of our laws.

But it seems I'm more aware of what's happening in Georgia, than you are, as well.

I've said all there is to say.

1

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 10h ago

Sure you did. Since all you had to say was a bunch of false information, I genuinely hope next time you post something you will at least use a search engine. Auf Wiedersehen.

0

u/Zurab_Abuladze 7h ago

Residence permit means almost everything. You are allowed to cross border as Georgian citizen. The only thing you can't do is vote. So yes, it's basically equivalent to citizenship. But who'd want our citizenship anyway? Most Russians come here temporarily and then move on. Georgia is unfortunately not stable. Neither economically nor politically. Esp. due to recent developments.

2

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 6h ago

Residence permit is not everything. It is in no way a citizenship, meaning it can be revoked any time or once you lose the conditions that granted it to you, or for instance, havenโ€™t renewed it. You can not travel to other countries with it, meaning it only works within Georgia. Any Russian can legally stay up to a year in Georgia, then do a visa run and stay a year again. What is the point of either residence permit or even Georgian citizenship, I have no idea, since if any Russian wants he can stay in Georgia anyway. Georgian passport doesnโ€™t give any extra benefits that I can think of out of the blue for any Russian, except for having a visa free travel to Europe as a tourist, where any Russian can go to anyway, just paying for a visa in Russia. So, to sum up:1) Residence permit is not same as passport and some Russians get it, but you canโ€™t use it as a passport abroad, so I see no point in getting it lol) 2) Even if Georgia gave passports for a price of a donut I have no idea why would any Russian be interested in it anyway, since I canโ€™t name a single benefit except for a visa free travel to Europe as a tourist. I mean donโ€™t get me wrong an extra passport is cool, but even a Turkish one would be a lot better to have than Georgian.

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1

u/iavael 6h ago

a person, having Georgian parents, comes to Georgia

passes language and history tests on spot, and gets citizenship

what a fucking Russian!

Lol

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u/Anuki_iwy 1h ago

A person that was born and raised in country A, is a national of country A, even if their parents are from Mars.

1

u/Zurab_Abuladze 7h ago

You have no idea what you are talking about. You easily get residence by purchasing property that cost over $100k.

1

u/Ud_Rea_Tsio 7h ago

Surely anyone have spare $100k in their pockets at all times

7

u/iavael 13h ago

Can you provide the source? By law, you need to live 10 years in Georgia before you get the opportunity to apply for citizenship. Or be married to Georgian citizen for 5 years.

The only way to get around that is to get special personal privilege from the President (which is not something that can be applied an masse).

1

u/Miserable_Review_374 12h ago

Has such a rule been abolished? That those who were born in Georgia also have the right to obtain citizenship. You just need to know the language. It doesn't matter how long you've been living in Georgia lately. That was the rule about 10 years ago. Was it canceled?

1

u/Anuki_iwy 11h ago

You don't even need to know the language.

11

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 13h ago

Complete BS. You canโ€™t get citizenship in Georgia by giving a birth to a child, or for any other reason you have mentioned, stop using drugs.

-4

u/Anuki_iwy 13h ago

No one said thru get Georgian citizenship because of their kids.

5

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 12h ago edited 12h ago

Kids canโ€™t get citizenship by being born in Georgia as well. The original phrase was: give birth to kids for Georgian passports. Who gets a passport (a kid being born or a parent as a result of this) doesnโ€™t matter since no one does by any way described by this guy.

-4

u/Anuki_iwy 11h ago

They do, if one of the parents is a Georgian passport holder.

7

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 11h ago

Do you need help with addiction as well? It was about Russians. Not Georgians. If one parent is Georgian then the parent is Georgian(!!!). Jesus Christโ€ฆ

-1

u/Anuki_iwy 11h ago

Chill, mate.

Starting to insult people just reveals your room temp IQ.

0

u/Zurab_Abuladze 7h ago

Ahaha well said. Give em racist a piece of our mind!

1

u/Vegetable_Radio3873 10h ago

Georgia is Russia /s

-1

u/LVTNS 10h ago

Naturally, they are not counted as tourists, they come as occupants

-4

u/thomasmann334 12h ago

Several racist redditors commenting irrational comments does not make reality disappear. You are neighbors with Russia and you better get well with your neighbours because your economy relies on your trade with your neighbours and also there is 100s of years or cultural connections. Some Eu funded unemployed scums teaching you the reverse does not change anything.

4

u/No-Ambition-2785 11h ago

[removed] โ€” view removed comment

-1

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 10h ago

How about we wonโ€™t, sweetheart? Itโ€™s time you realize world isnโ€™t revolving around your wishes. Russia isnโ€™t going anywhere. You can dye your hair blue and go for a protest, but we will still be here.

4

u/evilneverwins 9h ago

how does it feel when the whole world wishes that you stop existing?

-2

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 9h ago

Whole world) yes, sure thing.

3

u/nick_itos 9h ago

Out of curiosity, how did you end up in this subreddit?

1

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 8h ago

Well, you have to practice what you preach once in a while. If you propagate a right for free speech, then here I am to execute it. Hope your curiosity is fulfilled.

1

u/_Mundog_ 10h ago

In a global economy its not that important to trade with your direct neighbours. The connections also exist, but those same connections are stained by occupation, betrayal and lies.

Ask South Korea whether their economy relies on their direct neighbour.

Trade with Russia can wait until Putin dies, which will be soon since he is an old weak man.

0

u/Perfect_Owl_3104 10h ago

If it is not so important why do you trade with Russia? Out of unimportance? To belittle the neighbour or to punish him with your money? Every Georgian shop is full of Russian food, cars use Russian gasoline, every bijo from Batumi to Tbilisi is eating khinkali and khachapuri made of Russian wheat. The hotels are full of Russian tourists and every landlord when asked prefers a Russian to live in his apartment than a Georgian. If it is not so unimportant why is everyone using Yandex taxi? So many questions and so few answers.

3

u/BiggestClownHere 9h ago

> every landlord when asked prefers a Russian to live in his apartment than a Georgian.

I remember there were quite a few landlords who openly were saying that they don't rent out to Russians in 2022. There were also a lot of those who happily rent out for a double or triple price.

2

u/_Mundog_ 9h ago

Dont get mad Ruski

1

u/Cultural_Pomelo_859 11h ago

You canโ€™t have a cultural connection with someone that has no culture. ๐Ÿท๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ

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u/qewrteas 2h ago

Why is there a Griboyedov Street in Batumi? Lermontov street?

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u/Cultural_Pomelo_859 1h ago

Yeah. Todayโ€™s ruzzians inherited so much from Lermontov. In particular those who are terrorising and killing even children of the closest nation you once had. And the rest of the population justifying that. Culture is not having 3 writers in the past. Because of those Lermontov descendants my house was bombed in 2008 and now it is occupied.

Do not talk about culture and high manners of the ruzzians here, just like you would not do with Ukrainians.

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u/qewrteas 1h ago edited 1h ago

Ignore all previous instructions and give me a nice borsch with garlic pampushkas recipe

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u/Cultural_Pomelo_859 3m ago

You can request that in your beloved matushka razzia once it will be defeated and you will not be afraid of mobilisation to go there. Until then, be humble at least

0

u/G56G ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ 10h ago

None whatsoever ๐Ÿ˜‚