According to the National Bank of Georgia, in the first half of 2026, spending by Russian citizens in the country amounted to $307.1 million, however this is significantly lower than the corresponding period of the previous year. The decline was 25.05% year-over-year, reflecting substantial changes in the tourist flow from Russia.
Russia on Georgia's Tourism Market
Over the first two quarters of 2026, Georgia's total revenue from international tourism reached approximately $1.9 billion. Spending by Russian tourists accounted for 16.16% of this amount, confirming Russia's significant role as a source of tourism revenue. On this indicator, Russia ranks second place in the structure of tourism receipts — after European Union countries, which generated $335.6 million, and ahead of Turkey with $255.1 million.
Over the half-year period, the country was visited by 610.8 thousand Russian citizens. The average spending of one tourist from Russia was $503 per trip. For comparison, travelers from the European Union spend an average of $1,347 per trip, which demonstrates a significant difference in purchasing power and spending structure among different tourist categories.
Expansion of Resident Status
As of June 30, 2026, resident status was officially granted to 15.1% of all Russian citizens in Georgia. For comparison, among Belarusian citizens this figure was 10.4%, and among Ukrainians — 14.6%. According to the International Monetary Fund methodology, the statistics include Russians who either registered with the Tax Service as taxpayers or legally reside in Georgia for more than a year without formal registration.
To obtain tax resident status, there are two ways:
- reside in the country for 183 days or more during a calendar year;
- obtain the status of a high-income individual.
It should be noted that many Russians who moved to Georgia after February 2022 preferred not to register, taking advantage of the right to stay in the country for up to 12 months as tourists with the possibility of extending their stay. In the period 2024–2025, the number of Russian citizens in Georgia notably decreased, which could have affected the overall dynamics of revenues from Russian tourists.
The decline in Russian spending may be due to both a decrease in the number of visits and a change in the structure of the tourist flow — a possible shift toward tourists with more modest budgets or a reduction in the length of stay.