1.3 mln people, of which 16.2% were Armenian citizens, visited Georgia over 6 months

In January-June, three million foreigners visited Georgia, which is 354 thousand more as compared to the analogous period of last year (growth +13.4%), Sputnik-Georgia reports.

The number of visitors who visited Georgia for 24 hours and more amounted to 1.3 million people, which is 295.1 thousand people more as compared to the analogous period in 2016, the Facebook page of the National Tourism Administration says.

Most of the visitors were from Azerbaijan (+7.4%), Armenia (+16.2%), Turkey (-15.9%), and Russia (+27.5%).

The greatest number of frequent EU state visitors were from Austria (+54%), the Netherlands (+ 36%), Germany (+32%), the UK (+28%), France (+23%) and Lithuania (+17%).

Citizens of Iran (+223.4%), Uzbekistan (+163%), Saudi Arabia (+159%), India (+133%), Israel (+48%) and China (+41%) have started visiting Georgia frequently.

As to the data of the recent months, 666 thousand foreigners visited Georgia in June alone, which is 147,7 more as compared to the analogous period last year (growth +28.5%).

According to the data of the first quarter of 2017, the income from foreign tourism amounted to $434,6 million (growth +23.3%), which is $82 million more as compared to the analogous period last year.

As per the data of the first quarter of 2017, the share of tourism in the Georgian GDP made up 6.8% (growth +0.8%). In 2016, the share of tourism in the GDP totaled 7.1% (growth +11.8%). (news.am)