Chinese Ambassador highlights positive impact of the China-Georgia visa-free travel

Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, on Saturday announced that 89,000 Chinese tourists visited Georgia in 2024 - a historical record and an 83 percent increase from the previous year - highlighting the positive impact of China–Georgia visa-free travel.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Zhou attributed the surge to the bilateral visa-free agreement signed shortly after the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

“Shortly after the establishment of the strategic partnership between China and Georgia, the two countries signed a bilateral visa-free travel agreement, which underscores the importance of this partnership. Since the introduction of visa-free travel, people-to-people exchanges have significantly increased, further enriching the essence of our strategic cooperation. In 2024, 89,000 Chinese tourists visited Georgia - an 83 percent increase from the previous year and a historical record. During the recent International Workers’ Day holidays, Georgia became one of the top ten most popular new travel destinations abroad for Chinese tourists”, Zhou said.

The Ambassador expressed optimism about increased Chinese tourism and investment in Georgia.

He also encouraged more Georgians to visit China, calling on them to explore “5 000 years of civilisation blended with modern development”.