The year 2017 has been unprecedented for Georgian tourism. The number of visitors to the country reached 7.6 million which was 19% more as compared to the same figure of the previous year. Of the total number of visitors to Georgia, 46% were tourists (a visitor is any foreign traveller entering the country’s territory. A tourist is traveller who spends 24 hours or more in the country) which is 3.2 percentage points more as compared to the same figure of 2016. The trend of growth continues throughout 2018 as well. In light of the improved statistics vis-à-vis visitors and tourists, FactCheck took interest in the 2017-2018 winter tourism figures. Together with the figures for mountain resorts, FactCheck will also review the statistics of visitors and tourists in Georgia during the winter season. In accordance with the information of the Mountain Resorts Development Company, the tourist season at Georgia’s winter resorts generally comprises the months from December to March with the duration of the season differing for specific resorts. In the 2017-2018 winter tourism season, 2,063,565 visitors entered Georgia which is 18% more as compared to the same figure of the previous year and is the highest number of the accounting period (2013-2018). The highest number of visitors to Georgia during the season was registered in December at 600,004 persons. Of importance is that throughout 2013-2018, the number of visitors coming to Georgia during the winter season has been constantly growing. The growth rate of visitors is also changing.   Table 1: Visitors during Georgia’s Winter Tourist Season in 2013-2018 (thousand persons, %)

Years	December	January	February	March	Total	Growth Rate
2013-2014	392,628	320,005	295,434	394,884	1,402,951	7%
2014-2015	435,446	309,753	293,152	386,257	1,424,608	2%
2015-2016	465,985	323,159	360,402	451,737	1,601,283	12%
2016-2017	486,141	387,070	368,010	511,045	1,752,266	9%
2017-2018	600,004	444,241	440,806	578,514	2,063,565	18%

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; Georgian National Tourism Administration   In the 2017-2018 winter season, 894,307 tourists entered Georgia which is 29.3% more as compared to the same figure of the previous years. The aforementioned figure, as well as the respective growth rate of those years, are the highest in the accounting period. Of the 2013-2018 period, the number of tourists coming to Georgia during the winter season dropped only once. This was in the 2014-2015 winter season when the figure fell by 5%. Since then, it has been constantly increasing.   Table 2: Tourists during Georgia’s Winter Tourist Season in 2013-2018 (thousand persons, %)

Years	December	January	February	March	Total	Growth Rate
2013-2014	145,642	122,996	108,685	144,934	522,257	-
2014-2015	145,946	111,908	101,046	136,389	495,289	-5%
2015-2016	155,048	116,369	120,215	170,835	562,467	14%
2016-2017	177,982	154,083	139,918	219,642	691,625	23%
2017-2018	234,969	189,476	177,845	292,017	894,307	29.3%

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; Georgian National Tourism Administration   The statistics of visitors coming directly to Georgia’s winter resorts are published by the Mountain Resorts Development Company. The company uses the SKI DATA programme to calculate the number of tourists using the cable cars.   Table 3: Visitor Statistics from Georgia’s Winter Resort Cable Cars during the 2017-2018 Winter Tourist Season

	Bakuriani	Gudauri	Goderdzi	Hatsvali	Tetnuldi	Total
Number of visitors	132,704	345,997	10,283	35,890		524,874
Growth rate as compared to the previous season	15%	25%	129%	119%	122%	25%

Source: Mountain Resorts Development Company of Georgia   Of the total number of travellers to Georgia, 524,874 visitors visited mountain resorts during the 2017-2018 winter season which is 25% more as compared to the same figure of the previous year. Of these, the highest number of visitors was registered in Gudauri using the cable cars – at 345,997 visitors. This figure is 25% more as compared to the 2016 figure. The highest growth rate^[1] was registered at the mountainous resort of Goderdzi in Ajara – at 129%. The number of visitors to Tetnuldi increased by 122% whilst the number of visitors to Mestia’s resorts of Tetnuldi and Hatsvali increased by 119%. Some 132,704 visitors were registered using Bakuriani’s cable cars which is 15% more as compared to 2016’s data. Georgia’s tourism potential is constantly growing. The amount of tourism incomes also follow suit. In 2017, the total amount of tourism income constituted USD 2.8 billion which was 6.9% of Georgia’s gross domestic product (GDP) of the year.   [1] In the cases of Goderdzi, Hatsvali and Tetnuldi, the growth rate has been significantly affected by the low base effect.