Georgia faces decline of tourism revenues amid Azerbaijan's border closure

On March 11, the period of the special quarantine regime, imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, has been extended in Azerbaijan.

The corresponding decree was signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Caliber.Az writes.

The period of the special quarantine regime in Azerbaijan has been extended until July 1.

The move comes “in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the country and the consequences it may cause,” according to the decision of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers.

In line with the decision, Azerbaijan's land borders with all its neighbours (Russia, Georgia, Iran, Armenia) have again remained closed to passenger traffic.

Commenting on the matter, Georgian Deputy Minister of Economy Mariam Kvrivishvili has recently said that Georgia lost more than 1.5 million tourists due to the Azerbaijani land border closure, which amounts to about $400 million in lost revenues.

The closed land border with Azerbaijan prevented Georgia from fully recovering its tourist flows after the pandemic, he added.