Georgia's hospitality industry benefits from country’s rich cultural and natural attractions. To support the growing interest in these offerings, Georgia has 3,198 registered accommodation providers, though most are smaller-capacity family hotels and guesthouses. Since 2020, 238 new hotels have opened, and another 324 are planned by 2027, which will increase bed capacity by 130%. While Tbilisi and Adjara see the most growth, rural areas lag behind.  Key challenges include weak long-term planning, high operating costs for smaller businesses, and limited market diversification. For the sector to grow sustainably, the focus must shift to improving infrastructure, diversifying markets, and attracting high-value tourists.

The latest issue of Employment Tracker, offers insights into recent developments in Georgia’s labor market. In October 2024, the number of people receiving a monthly salary increased by 3.2% YoY. The share of individuals earning up to 600 GEL continues to decrease, though they still represent a notable portion (15%) of total salary recipients. Over the past six months, the Administration and Management sector, previously one of the fastest-growing, has experienced a decline in the number of vacancies. Please refer to the full publication for more insights.

Our latest publication analyzes Household Income and Poverty in Georgia (2019 – 2023): From 2019 to 2023, Georgia’s nominal median household income grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%, while real median household income, adjusted for inflation, increased at a CAGR of 4% annually. During this period, social transfers accounted for an average of 58% of the total income for the poorest 20% of households, highlighting their strong reliance on government assistance. Between 2020 and 2023, absolute poverty significantly decreased from 21.3% to 11.8%, while the relative poverty rate remained relatively stable, dropping by just 0.3 percentage points to 19.8%. The share of households reporting themselves as “poor” or “extremely poor” decreased slightly from 39.7% to 35.4% over the analyzed period, suggesting a persistent gap between subjective and objective measures of poverty.

In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 168 GEL per night in October 2024, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 261 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 115 GEL per night.  

Our latest monthly publication, Employment Tracker, offers insights into recent developments in Georgia’s labor market. In September 2024, 149 thousand persons received a monthly salary of up to 600 GEL. Over the past 6 months (from April 2024 to September 2024), the IT/Programming sector experienced a decline in the number of vacancies posted on jobs.ge compared to the same period of 2023 (-11.6%). From April 2024 to September 2024, the average YoY growth of vacancies published on jobs.ge sped up. Please refer to the full publication for more insights.

The U.S. has been a key economic partner for Georgia since regaining its independence in the early 1990s, providing significant support in the form of foreign assistance, foreign direct investment (FDI), and remittances. The first issue of the Profile of Bilateral Relations offers an in-depth exploration of key topics of the relationship between the United States and Georgia: Historical Background Bilateral Trade Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) U.S. Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) in Georgia U.S. Foreign Assistance Migration Remittances Foreign Exchange Flows Future Outlook

From January to August 2024, the Georgian economy demonstrated robust performance, with an average real GDP growth rate of 9.6%. Education and transportation and storage were the key contributors to growth in the first 6M of 2024, with contributions of 14.6% and 13.3%, respectively. Issue seven of the Macro Overview thoroughly explores different aspects of the economy in Georgia and beyond, including: Economic Growth; Economic and Business Climate; Key Macroeconomic Indicators; Labor Market; External Sector; Global Economic Trends.

In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 178 GEL per night in September 2024, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 291 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 110 GEL per night. The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in September 2024 was 547 GEL per night. In Tbilisi, the average price was 721 GEL, followed by Guria – 661 GEL, Kakheti – 649 GEL, and Adjara – 476 GEL.

The Business Association of Georgia (BAG) Index is a joint product of the Business Association of Georgia, PMC Research Center, and the ifo Institute for Economic Research. The BAG Index summarizes the BAG Business Climate, BAG Employment Barometer, and BAG Investment Environment, which are calculated according to the assessments of the top managers of BAG member businesses and companies in their corporate group. BAG and PMC Research Center publish the BAG Index on a quarterly basis from Q4 2019.  

Our latest Georgian Economic Climate publication offers assessments of various economic developments by Georgian economists.  Assessment of Georgia’s present economic situation was slightly positive, while predictions for Georgia’s economic situation by the end of the next six months were negative. Overall, their outlook was significantly more optimistic compared to the previous reporting period.   Political instability and labor shortage had the greatest impact on the Georgian economy in Q3 2024.   The pause in U.S. assistance “that directly benefits the Government of Georgia” was assessed very negatively in terms of its effects on Georgia’s economy.  Please refer to the full publication for more insights.