Georgia marks two years of protests as tourist numbers hit record
More than 5.5 million international visitors arrived in 2025, an 8.4% increase over the previous year, even as the political standoff with the ruling party continues in Tbilisi.
By Robert Marshall ·
Monday marks the second anniversary of the contested parliamentary elections in Georgia.
The vote took place on October 26, 2024. Protests began two days later and reached a peak on November 28, 2024, when the government announced it would not place the opening of EU negotiations on its agenda before the end of 2028.
Every weekend, crowds gather in Avlabari Square in Tbilisi’s Armenian quarter for the Saturday March. Protesters move toward the Bridge of Love and then to Freedom Square before marching toward parliament. They chant slogans against the government of Irakli Kobakhidze.
The demonstrations target Georgian Dream, the ultraconservative party that has held power since 2012. Critics accuse the party of growing authoritarianism and argue that its decision to suspend EU accession talks moves the country closer to Moscow. Georgia received EU candidate status in 2023.
Despite the political tension, the country recorded a high of more than 5.5 million international tourist visits in 2025. According to the Georgian National Tourism Administration, this figure represents an 8.4% increase compared to 2024. It is almost ten times the roughly 560,000 visitors who came to the country twenty years ago.
Travelers arrive from various regions, including Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, tens of thousands of Russian citizens have moved to Georgia. They bring capital and open businesses, which has exerted pressure on the property market. This trend fuels local discontent among a population that views Russia as an occupying power following the 2008 war and the 1990s conflicts.
Georgia’s economy grew by 7.5% in 2025, marking five consecutive years of expansion. Moscow remains a key economic partner through trade, tourism, remittances, and energy imports. The country’s GDP growth coexists with persistent issues of unemployment, low wages, and poverty in rural areas.
The relationship with the EU has deteriorated recently as Brussels criticizes the government’s record on the rule of law and political repression. The next step in the political process remains focused on the ongoing weekly marches in Tbilisi and the broader geopolitical dynamics affecting the Caucasus region.
Source: The Guardian
