CONTEMPORARY STATISTICAL TRENDS OF OUTBOUND TOURISM IN GEORGIA

Ketevan Chitaladze E-mail: [email protected] Assistant Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Tbilisi, Georgia Abstract: In the conditions of rapid rehabilitation of tourism after the pandemic, in parallel with the increase in the statistical parameters of international inbound tourism, outbound tourism has also become quite active. Against the background of the change in the purpose of the trip, the geographical structure of leading tourism changed, the composition of accompanying persons was adjusted, the average duration of the trip increased, the cost structure was transformed, the amount of expenses incurred changed, the sex ratio of tourists changed, etc. Therefore, it is necessary and interesting to analyze the distinct trends of tourism in the background of these changes and to determine the regularities of development. The aim of the paper is to reveal the statistical trends of outbound tourism in Georgia at the modern stage and analyze it. Research methodology. Statistical observation, gathering-grouping and analysis methods were used in the research process. results. The rehabilitation of tourism in Georgia was carried out quickly, and it can be said that its scale and area of both international and domestic tourism have significantly expanded. Quantitative measures of tourism statistics indicators in many cases almost exceeded the indicators of the pre-pandemic period. It is true that, on average, the number of international cruise visits to Georgia decreases by 2% every year during the research period, expectations for the development of cruise tourism in the future are positive; Indicators of interest in outbound tourism are high for the age group of 31-50 years; It should be noted that the percentage of women among tourists is increasing. the average number of nights spent during outbound tourism increases; High degree of satisfaction of tourists with the country is maintained; The main purpose of travel for the residents of the country is to visit friends and relatives and shopping; Even in post-pandemic years starting from 2019, 94.4%-97.9% of referral visits each year were repeat visits. Against the backdrop of a decrease in average indicators, the indicators of outbound tourism in 2023 are increasing, and accordingly the amount of tourist expenses incurred by them has also increased, the acceptable airlines for both foreign and Georgian resident respondents were Georgian and Turkish airlines, the price of the low-budget company Wizz Air and the quality of the service received . Keywords: Outbound tourism, Analysis, Trend, Geographic structure, Tourist costs. JEL classification: C0