Tourister 2024: Georgia’s Premier Tourism Summit

The Georgia Tourism Summit (www.tourister.ge),"Tourister" was held on February 20-21, 2025, in Batumi at the Rooms Hotel.

Over the course of two days, nearly 300 attendees had the opportunity to hear from local and international tourism experts through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and thematic workshops. Participants included representatives from Booking.com, AirDNA, Galt & Taggart, Exely, and others.

Main Theme: Resilience of Georgian Tourism

Industry representatives emphasized that, given the current political situation, the tourism sector is facing various challenges. The primary solution lies in dialogue between the private and public sectors to collaboratively seek solutions. The summit was filled with valuable insights and key takeaways.

Key Industry Insights from the Summit

Booking.com Presentation
A representative from Booking.com discussed demand trends in Georgia and globally, along with tourist behavior patterns in Tbilisi and the Black Sea region.

• Tbilisi’s hotels and accommodations:
• 75% of visitors are international travelers, while 25% are domestic tourists.
• The top three source markets for Tbilisi are Russia, Germany, and the UAE.
• The average length of stay is 3-7 nights.
• 80% of bookings are made via mobile devices.
• Batumi’s hotels and accommodations:
• 70% of visitors are international tourists.
• The top three source markets for Batumi are Israel, Turkey, and Russia.
• The average length of stay is 3-7 nights.

AirDNA Presentation
AirDNA provided an analysis of Georgia’s short-term rental market, sharing critical tourism economy insights.

• Annual occupancy rates for aparthotels have increased:
• 2019: 38.8%
• 2024: 46%
• The most in-demand rental units are one-bedroom aparthotels.
• Georgia lags behind Turkey and Romania in terms of short-term rental demand but outperforms Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

Galt & Taggart Presentation – Tourism & Real Estate Market Overview

• Tbilisi’s hotel market:
• 35.4% increase in hotel rooms in 2024, reaching 13,443 rooms.
• Average daily hotel prices decreased by 5%, but occupancy rates remained stable.
• Batumi’s hotel market:
• 19.8% increase in hotel rooms in 2024, reaching 7,585 rooms.
• Despite a drop in average hotel prices, occupancy rates improved, leading to higher revenues.
• Real Estate Market Trends:
• Tbilisi:
• Home purchases are mainly for residential purposes.
• Average apartment size: 70 sq. m.
• Average price: $92,000
• Foreign buyers account for 10-15% of purchases.
• Batumi:
• Most apartments are bought as investment properties.
• Average apartment size: 40 sq. m.
• Average price: $59,000
• Foreign buyers make up 60-70% of purchases.
• The top foreign buyers in Batumi are from Russia, Israel, Poland, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Business Exhibition & Networking

The summit also hosted a business exhibition, providing attendees with additional networking opportunities and direct engagement with international tourism experts and senior executives.

Organizers & Sponsors

Tourister is organized by the Tourism Institute (www.tourisminstitute.ge) and the digital marketing agency Shindi (www.shindi.ge).

• General sponsors: Bank of Georgia, Beta Holding
• Sponsors: Hotel Colosseum Marina, Guru Holding, Exely
• Media partners: Entrepreneur Georgia, BMG Media, Palitra News, Batumelebi