With focus on Batumi, Ajara beckons Indian visitors

Batumi, along with rest of Georgia, has seen a sharp spike in Indian visitors (Photo: Visit Batumi)

With the introduction of direct flights from Delhi to Georgian capital Tblisi, the Black Sea coastal region of Ajara, along with the rest of Georgia, has seen a massive growth in Indian arrivals and the country as a whole could see 100,000 visitors from India this year.

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Since August 2023, when Indian carrier IndiGo introduced direct flights between New Delhi and Tbilisi, Georgia has become one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets for Indian tourists.

Batumi is a premium Black Sea resort town (Photo: Visit Batumi)

In a press statement, Visit Batumi, the tourism promotion organisaton of the capital of Ajara, says that the Ajara region, with its scenic capital Batumi located on the Black Sea coast and marking the easternmost point of continental Europe, is aiming to bolster its profile in the Indian market to tap into this remarkable rise in Indian visitor numbers.

With just a thrice-weekly direct Delhi-Tbilisi route that started late last year, Georgia already bested its 14,000 Indian visitor arrivals of 2019 by a staggering 80 pc growth recorded in 2023 when Indian visitor arrivals reached over 25,000.

The statement adds that in the six-month, October 2023 to March 2024 period, passenger traffic on direct flights from India to Georgia has increased by almost 200 pc.

However, with IndiGo now bringing Georgia ever so closer to the Indian market, increasing its thrice-weekly Delhi-Tbilisi operation to direct daily starting August 2024, the Indian visitor arrival growth, by some estimates, could potentially be more than 100,000 this year, says Visit Batumi.

“We are delighted to announce that recently, the Ajara region and the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara hosted distinguished representatives from leading Indian media outlets, known for their extensive readership among India’s affluent audience and a prominent marketing company Blink Brand Solutions,’’ says a spokesperson of Visit Batumi.

Batumi offers a unique mix of heritage, nature & modernity (Photo: Visit Batumi)

India is considered a promising market for Georgia, reflected in the recent surge of high-spending Indian tourists, the statement adds.

According to Visit Batumi, during their visit, the Indian delegates experienced the Ajara region’s varied tourism offerings, from marine and mountain attractions to iconic sites in Batumi, Mtirala National Park and Kobuleti.

With its vibrant capital Batumi on the Black Sea coast, Ajara meets the diverse needs of Indian travellers, making it a perfect leisure and family destination, as well as appealing to the expanding Indian business travel sector.

The region features a rich mix of tourism options, including ski resorts and winter activities, wine tourism, MICE tourism, mountain and water adventures, and bird-watching. Additionally, the destination is well-prepared to meet the dietary preferences of Indian visitors, including vegetarian cuisine, adds the statement.