Georgia
Georgia's tourism industry hit by loss of Israeli visitors
“Bookings have been cancelled, and projections for new bookings are very low” according to one restauranteur.
Georgia’s summer season has begun but a significant share of visitors are missing: Israelis.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has meant Israelis are less able or unwilling to travel internationally. This drop in numbers is being felt in Georgia which usually welcomes many visitors from Israel.
“The loss is noticeable. The situation in the region has affected the number of tourists from Israel,” says Levan Giorgadze from Tbilisi Free Walking Tours.
“Compared to previous years, the number of tourists from Israel has decreased noticeably. I wouldn’t say that they don’t come at all anymore, it’s just, of course, in smaller quantities.”
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is popular year-round with tourists, while the beaches along the Black Sea coast are a popular summer holiday destination.
Shota Burjanadze, Chairman of the Georgian Restaurateurs Association, expressed similar worries: “Bookings have been cancelled, and projections for new bookings are very low. Therefore, unfortunately, this year will not live up to expectations.”
But not everyone agrees. Maia Omiadze, Head of Georgia’s Tourist Association, believes the summer will be busy, bustling and successful. She notes that the 15 places from which tourists visit the most include Georgia‘s neighbouring countries, Persian Gulf nations and the European Union.
“The data for the first quarter of 2024 was very positive. This result allows us to have high expectations and to assume that the second quarter, the summer season and the general trend towards the end of the year in the tourism industry will be very positive,” she says.
“We expected tourists mainly from Asia, Persian Gulf and European countries. European countries made up 5% of the total number. Today, tourists are mainly expected to visit Adjara and are largely coming from our neighbouring countries, Turkey, Armenia and Russia,” Maia adds.
Office for National Statistics data for the first quarter of 2024 shows these nations still hold the top three places for the most number of visitors to Georgia.
Watch the video above to see more about Georgia’s tourism industry in 2024.
PERRY, Ga. (WALB) — The Georgia National Fair announced ticket pricing changes for 2026 in a Facebook post.
Children ages 3-10 will now require a $5 admission ticket.
Adult tickets purchased with cash at the entry gate will cost $20, excluding discounted admission days. Adults paying with a card at the gate will pay $15.
All online transactions will include a processing fee.
Discounted admission days will be $10 for everyone. Seniors 60 and up are $10 every day.
For more ticket information and fair dates, visit https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/getconnected/pricing.
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Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
GEORGIA, Ga. (WALB) — A new bill introduced to the Georgia Senate could create a constitutional amendment to restrict voting to legal U.S. citizens.
The bill, Senate Resolution 4EX says, “No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people.”
If passed, Georgians will vote on the constitutional amendment in the November election.
Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger said “I have been calling on the legislature for years to pass this amendment to the state constitution. I am glad to see the legislature finally act to ensure only American citizens are voting in our elections.”
According to Raffensperger, Georgia was the first state in the nation to conduct citizen verification of voter rolls. Since 2022, Raffensperger’s office conducted two citizenship audits of Georgia’s voter rolls.
SR 4EX Text
“Casting a vote is one of the most important elements of American citizenship. Any illegal vote dilutes the value of a citizen’s lawfully cast ballot. U.S. Citizens should decide Georgia elections. Period. I urge the legislature to pass this important legislation.”
The state uses information from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) to identify people who are non-citizens. This data is based on documents provided to DDS, through its REAL ID drivers licenses or state identification cards.
That information is also ran through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify an individual’s citizenship status.
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To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.
Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
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