On June 13-14, PMC Research’s Dr. Giorgi Khishtovani partook in the “Changes and Challenges in the European Union” conference in Budapest, co-organized by the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) and the HUN-REN Centre for Economics and Regional Studies – Institute of World Economics.

On April 3, PMC Research held a working meeting to present its "Examining Gender Disparities Within Georgia's Funded Pension Scheme: Gender Pension Gap" research paper, and gathered feedback from key stakeholders.    

On 20-21 February, we hosted the “InvigoratEU: Invigorating Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy for a Resilient Europe” project’s kick-off conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, bringing together 18 leading European research organizations, all of which are members of a consortium led by the University of Duisburg-Essen.“InvigoratEU,” a project coordinated by the EU-Chair at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Institute of European Politics, sets out to explore how the EU ought to navigate its future relations with countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and the Western Balkans.     

PMC Research recently made a significant contribution to the Trans European Policy Studies Association’s (TEPSA) book, entitled Enlargement and the Future of Europe. Notably, researchers Elene Panchulidze and Irakli Sirbiladze (both of PMC Research), along with TEPSA’s Mariam Khotenashvili, co-wrote the compelling “Seizing the EU Enlargement Momentum: Georgia’s Prospects for Joining the European Family” chapter. Specifically, the chapter focuses on Georgia’s relations with the European Union (EU).

Our latest monthly publication, Employment Tracker, offers insights into recent developments in Georgia’s labor market. November marked the largest YoY decrease in 2024 in the total number of vacancies published on jobs.ge (-9%). In November 2024, the total number of people receiving a monthly salary reached 1 million for the first time. In Q3 of 2024, the labor market efficiency decreased as both the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate and the job openings rate increased. Please refer to the full publication for more insights.

In Q3 of 2024, Georgia recorded 2.4 million international visits, marking a slight 2% rise YoY, primarily attributed to a 15% decrease in same-day trips, while overnight trips increased by 8%.  In Q3 of 2024, outbound visits declined by 7% YoY, possibly due to rising travel costs, particularly in Türkiye, the top destination for Georgian outbound visitors, where inflation led to a 68% YoY increase in hospitality costs.  Over two years, 125,000 people attended performances as part of the “Starring Georgia” series, while income generated from ticket sales amounted to GEL 21.4 million, with tourists contributing 16%. 

In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 153 GEL per night in November 2024, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 232 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 111 GEL per night. The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in November 2024 was 443 GEL per night. In Tbilisi, the average price was 612 GEL, followed by Kakheti – 548 GEL, Guria – 502 GEL, and Mtskheta–Mtianeti – 372 GEL.

Georgia's hospitality industry benefits from country’s rich cultural and natural attractions. To support the growing interest in these offerings, Georgia has 3,198 registered accommodation providers, though most are smaller-capacity family hotels and guesthouses. Since 2020, 238 new hotels have opened, and another 324 are planned by 2027, which will increase bed capacity by 130%. While Tbilisi and Adjara see the most growth, rural areas lag behind.  Key challenges include weak long-term planning, high operating costs for smaller businesses, and limited market diversification. For the sector to grow sustainably, the focus must shift to improving infrastructure, diversifying markets, and attracting high-value tourists.

Green finance holds great importance today when it comes to combating climate change and achieving sustainability goals by directing investments towards environmentally friendly projects. This approach promotes energy efficiency, clean transportation, and sustainable agriculture, while also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and fostering economic growth. Ultimately, by integrating environmental considerations into financial decisions, green finance ensures a more sustainable and resilient global economy.

The research study analyses the gender aspects of Georgia's accumulated pension system and assesses the potential gender disparity in pensions between women and men.

In an era where critical infrastructure security and resilience (CISR) has become paramount to national security, economic stability, and public safety, nations are increasingly recognizing the importance of bolstering their protective measures and governance models. Georgia stands on the cusp of a significant reform, aimed at enhancing its critical infrastructure security and resilience. This policy paper presents an initial analysis of Georgia’s current critical infrastructure protection (CIP) landscape as well as insights from the governance models of two EU Member States, and sets out a potential path forward that could serve to safeguard Georgia’s infrastructural assets and align its policies with global best practices.  

Currently, the potential of the economic value of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) largely goes unnoticed in official statistics and research publications despite NTFPs being important natural resources that support sustainable bioeconomy value chains, green jobs, alleviation of poverty, and economic and social development. The purpose of the assessment is to overview the existing literature on NTFPs, select the priority NTFPs and provide additional insights regarding the NTFP value chain in Georgia, with an additional focus on target regions. Despite the data limitations, the analysis shows the increasing global demand for NTFPs and the potential for the development of NTFP sectors in Georgia. On the other hand, the NTFP value chain in target regions (Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Guria, and Kakheti) has further potential for development considering the abundance of selected organic wild NTFP products on their territories. However, issues like the lack of labor force, lack of knowledge on sustainable harvesting and product diversification, and the number and capacity of the processing enterprises create hindrances to the development of the value chain and higher inclusion of local vulnerable groups with an aim to improve the general socio-economic situation in rural areas. This document has been prepared by PMC Research within the framework of the project “Enabling the Implementation of Georgia's Forest Sector Reform - ECO.Georgia”, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and the Government of Georgia (GoG) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA), through its subordinated agencies and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia (MoESD).