Georgian airports serve 21% more passengers in January-June

Georgian airports are becoming busier as the number of passengers served at three airports in Georgia is on the rise, according to the latest statistics.

During the first six months of 2016 the number of passengers at Georgian airports increased by 21.33 percent year-on-year (y/y), said Georgian Civil Aviation Agency.

Statistics showed between January-June this year 1,082,828 passengers took regular or charter flights from Georgia’s three airports. During the same period of 2015, Georgian airports served only 892,468 passengers.

In particular, Tbilisi's Shota Rustaveli International Airport served 893,222 passengers between January-June 2016, which was a 19.22 percent increase y/y.

As for Batumi International Airport, 92,682 passengers utilised the service in January-June 2016 – a 47.14 percent increase.

And at Kutaisi International Airport, 78, 859 passengers were transported on regular or charter flights in the first six months of 2016 – a 21 percent increase to the same period of the previous year.

Meanwhile, the statistics showed the number of passengers increased significantly for the following routes:

Israel and Georgia – 65,759 passengers (87 percent increase);

The United Arab Emirates and Georgia – 82,107 passengers (78 percent increase);

Russia and Georgia – 202,000 passengers – (56 percent increase);

Greece and Georgia – 16,084 passengers (155 percent increase)

Ukraine and Georgia – 135,511passengers (28 percent increase).

Meanwhile, a record number of tourists have visited Georgia in the first five months of 2016, said head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze.

Between January and May Georgia hosted 2,119,275 international visitors (tourists, transit, other), which was a 15 percent increase y/y.

Of the 2,119,275 international visitors so far this year, 782,814 were tourists. This was an increase of 19 percent y/y. (Agenda.ge)