There are currently 85 airlines operating in the Georgian aviation market, flying to 125 destinations. This was stated by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Mariam Kvrivishvili, at an event dedicated to the start of the expansion of Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport.
According to the Minister, the country's main airport is not only a transport facility but also an important element of economic development. Its expansion should support tourism growth, increase the volume of international transportation, attract new investments, and strengthen trade ties.
Kvrivishvili noted that over the past five years, 43 new airlines have entered the Georgian aviation market. Recent examples include the launch of direct flights between Tbilisi and Copenhagen, the start of operations by Norwegian Air Shuttle, and the upcoming entry of Chinese airline China Eastern Airlines, which will operate three flights a week between Tbilisi and Shanghai.
The head of the department emphasized that the record number of carriers expands opportunities for passengers, increases competition among airlines, and contributes to the further development of the tourism industry.
At the same time, Georgia has begun a large-scale modernization of its airport infrastructure: the expansion of Tbilisi International Airport will increase its capacity from 5 to 10 million passengers per year.