Georgia Recorded Growth in Aviation and Tourism Sectors in 2024

Deputy Economy Minister of Georgia, Mariam Kvrivishvili, announced on Tuesday that the country’s airline and tourism sectors witnessed “significant growth” in 2024.

Passenger flow through Georgian airports surged to over 7.4 million, marking a 24% increase compared to 2023, The Caspian Post reports, citing Georgian media.

"This gives us reason to be optimistic about a successful year for the airline and tourism sectors," Kvrivishvili said, adding the Government was maintaining its “consistent policy” of promoting Georgia to ensure the arrival of “even more tourists” with purchasing power through increased direct flights.

The United Airports of Georgia said Tbilisi International Airport in the country’s capital served 4,750,830 passengers, along with 22,715 flights - a 29 percent increase in passenger flow and 30 percent increase in flights from the year before.

Meanwhile, Kutaisi International Airport in the country’s west served a total of 1,722,809 passengers last year and handled 5,078 flights. This marked a three percent increase in passenger flow and a one percent increase in the number of flights compared to the previous year, which had recorded 1,671,306 passengers and 5,041 flights.

Similarly, Batumi International Airport in the Black Sea resort city achieved a “historic maximum” in passenger numbers last year, serving 951,760 passengers and facilitating 4,144 flights, the UAG said. This represented an increase of 53 percent in passenger flow and 33 percent in the number of flights compared to 2023, when the airport served 621,506 passengers and had 3,110 flights.

"[The year] 2024 was a historic year for Georgian airports. We successfully concluded negotiations for 13 new routes, indicating even more promising developments ahead," said Irakli Karkashadze, the CEO of the body.

The United Airports of Georgia added it would continue negotiations with airlines to introduce new services and routes across all three international airports of the country.