Why Do Residents of Georgia Travel Abroad?

The reasons why residents of Georgia travel abroad are diverse, but certain categories clearly stand out. Over the past few years, these trends have been shifting, and in 2024, some interesting changes have emerged.

Travel for leisure and entertainment has increased by 32% compared to the previous year. This indicates that more residents are choosing to travel abroad for vacations, whether to seaside resorts, mountain retreats, or cultural destinations. This category now accounts for approximately one-fifth of total visits.

Visiting relatives and friends remains the most common reason, making up about one-third of all trips. However, its growth has been relatively modest, increasing by just 4% compared to last year.

Trips related to shopping have decreased by 7%, though they still remain one of the most frequent travel purposes, accounting for around 33% of total visits.

Medical and wellness travel has dropped by 24%, making up only a very small share of all visits.

Business and professional travel has seen a significant decline, falling by 17%, now representing just one in ten trips. This is likely linked to the growing popularity of remote work and online meetings, which allow many companies to conduct international business without physical travel.

On a global scale, tourism is evolving in a similar direction. Leisure travel has recovered much faster than business trips, indicating that people are prioritizing personal and recreational travel over professional engagements. At the same time, “bleisure” travel—the combination of business and leisure—has become increasingly popular. A growing number of professionals are extending business trips to include extra days for personal relaxation.

As the data suggests, residents of Georgia are traveling abroad more frequently for leisure and personal reasons rather than for business. This trend highlights that travel is becoming more of a source of comfort and enjoyment rather than just a professional obligation.