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Tbilisi by purchasing 40 new metro cars, modernising a metro car depot and rehabilitating tunnels.
9.1.3 Aviation sector news
Georgia’s airports served 4,555,673 passengers in January-October, marking a 4% rise year on year, United Airports of Georgia has announced.
Passenger traffic through the country’s airports surged by 23% in 2018. A similar growth rate was expected for 2019 before Russia introduced a flight ban in the wake of anti-Kremlin protests in Tbilisi during early summer. Traffic at Tbilisi International Airport, which mainly serves destinations to Russia and non-Schengen Area countries, decreased by 1% to 3,255,965 passengers in the 10-month period. In October alone, the figure was 15% lower year on year. The flight ban was introduced in July. It has visibly impacted passenger volumes at the country’s main airport.
Traffic at Kutaisi International Airport, the main airport for Europe flights, surged by 40% y/y to 719,324 passengers. The growth rate stood at 44% y/y in October alone.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a Kommersant interview on September 25 that he supports the resumption of direct flights from Russia to Georgia. They were suspended in July in a diplomatic row between the two countries over anti-Moscow demonstrations and anti-Kremlin remarks made by a TV presenter.
“It seems to me that it would be right [to restore the flights] since the majority of the Georgian population have realised the counterproductive and provocative nature of the trick that took place in the Georgian parliament,” Lavrov said, according R euters, referring to how the protests were sparked after word spread of a visiting Russian MP being invited to take the speaker’s chair in the parliament in Tbilisi.
The ban on passenger flights from Russia to Georgia triggered a wave of support on social media and in public media in favour of Georgia as a tourism destination. Russians intent on holidaying in the country or on visiting friends and relatives living there had to resort to road travel.
Losses to airlines resulting from the ban on direct flights between Russia and Georgia is estimated at RUB3bn ($47mn), Russian Transport Minister Yevgeny Ditrikh said on July 7, Tass reported.
The ban was introduced after mass protests outside the Georgian parliament, triggered by reports that a Russian lawmaker was giving a speech from the speaker’s chair inside the legislature.
9.1.4 Tourism sector news
International travel to Georgia generated revenues of $2.8bn in January-October, up $25mn (+0.9%) compared to the same period of last year, according to preliminary data from the country’s National Tourism Administration.
In October alone, revenues increased by 5.2% y/y to $267mn.
The gains came despite a flight ban introduced against Georgia by Russia in response to anti-Kremlin protests and comments made by a TV presenter during the early summer.
The number of international travellers visiting Georgia rose by 8.8% y/y to 782,670 in the tenth month, the body added. The number of visits classified as
50 GEORGIA Country Report December 2019 www.intellinews.com
