Development of Tourism in the Black Sea Region of Georgia in the Post-pandemic Period in the Context of Russian Media

Abstract

Russian news media cover and analyze the development of tourism in the Black Sea region of Georgia quite frequently. As we all know, they consider the development of tourism in Abkhazia, as an independent state, separately, while regarding the rest of the Black Sea area as Georgia. As long as Georgia has no control over its state borders, we are obliged to keep an eye on the development of tourism in Russia-captured Abkhazia.

According to the Ministry of Tourism of Abkhazia, 45% of the 1.15 million tourists vacationing in Abkhazia in 2022 stayed overnight. By the end of 2022, 858 accommodation facilities with 39,000 beds were registered in Abkhazia (8.3% more than in 2021) [1]. Tourists also stay in the private sector. In 2022, 1 million 150 thousand people visited Abkhazia for vacation and excursions. This indicator was a record for the last 29 years.

“According to the verbal survey and monitoring of tourist facilities and collective accommodation facilities, the average number of people arriving in Abkhazia in 2022 is about 1 million 150 thousand people. These are one-day tourists, sightseers and those who stayed in collective accommodation facilities. And in the private sector”, said Inara Benia, head of the Department of Analysis, Forecasting and Development of the Resort and Tourism Industry of the Ministry of Tourism of Abkhazia [2].