The main findings of the survey of Georgian economists conducted in the fourth quarter of 2022 are: Georgian economists have a positive assessment of Georgia’s present economic situation. Though their predictions for Georgia’s economic situation for the next six months are negative. Almost 90% of surveyed economists think that high inflation currently represents the highest threat to the Georgian economy. 94% of surveyed economists think that among other policy approaches tighter fiscal policy is likely to be the most effective in tackling inflation in Georgia. Similarly, 89% believe in the effectiveness of imposing a tighter monetary policy. The majority of Georgian economists (44%) think that the Estonian model for profit tax should be applied to the financial sector in Georgia from 2023.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has stifled the latter’s maritime industry. It has disrupted 15 of Ukraine’s 18 seaports as well as its inland water navigation facilities. As the maritime industry usually plays a crucial part in Ukraine’s external trade, the abovementioned disruptions have hampered the country’s exports markedly. To portray the effects of the halting of operations at Ukrainian ports on both domestic and international markets, it is essential to analyze the significance of Ukraine’s maritime industry and its role in the country’s external trade, the Black Sea, and beyond.

The successful participation of youth in the Georgian labor market is crucial for not only their own personal wellbeing, but also the prosperity of the country as a whole. Although the broad topic of employment is one of the most discussed issues at the national level in Georgia, the more specific matter of youth employment is afforded relatively little attention. Seeking to address this shortcoming, this bulletin focuses on changes in the Georgian labor market and relevant indicators for the age group of 15-24 in the period of 2017-2021.

In Q2 of 2022, international visits to natural attractions amounted to 62% of the pre-pandemic (Q2 of 2019) value, while domestic visits exceeded the pre-pandemic value by 54%, which could be explained by changing behavioral trends among domestic visitors and specifically their increased demand for local tourism destinations. By the end of the first nine months of 2022, the number of visits to Protected Areas had already recovered to 66% of the total number of visits in 2019. During the covered period, most of the international visitors to Protected Areas were from Russia (83 286 visitors) and Belarus (48 422). Meanwhile, the most visited destinations were Martvili Canyon, followed by Prometheus Cave and Tsalka Canyon.

In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 163 GEL per night in October 2022, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 255 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 121 GEL per night. The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in October 2022 was 428 GEL per night. In Kakheti, the average price was 570 GEL, followed by Tbilisi - 564, Guria - 531 and Adjara - 378.

In October 2022, the number of persons receiving a monthly salary decreased by 0.4% compared to the corresponding period of 2021 and increased by 3.7% compared to the corresponding period of 2020. In 2022, from May to October, the total number of vacancies published on jobs.ge amounted to 43,751, which was 32% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2021 and 164% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2020. In 2022, from May to October, a total of 12,962 vacancies were published in the field of sales/procurement, which was 58% higher than the corresponding period of 2021 and 209% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2020.

In September 2022, the number of persons receiving a monthly salary increased by 3.5% compared to the corresponding period of 2021 and by 6.3% compared to the corresponding period of 2020. Overall, in Q2 of 2022, the BAG Employment Barometer amounted to 27.7 points, which is 2.8 points more than in Q1. In Q2 of 2022 year, the Employment Barometer was positive for all sectors. Overall, according to the BAG Index Survey, in Q2 of 2022, 32.1% of surveyed companies increased their number of employees, 6.3% recorded a decrease, and 61.6% reported no change. In 2022, from April to September, the total number of vacancies published on jobs.ge amounted to 42,523, which was 37% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2021 and 194% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2020. In 2022, from April to September, a total of 12,628 vacancies were published in the field of sales/procurement, which was 63% higher than the corresponding period of 2021 and 263% higher compared to the corresponding period of 2020.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the border crossing statistics have shown significant differences in the number of entries and exits by Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians. From January to September 2022, the difference between entries and exits of citizens of Russia was equal to 58.6 thousand unique persons. Despite only a partial recovery in the number of international visits, in Q1 of 2022, the total expenditure of international visitors exceeded the pre-pandemic (Q1 of 2019) value by 21%, while in Q2 of 2022, the total expenditure was only 6% lower than Q2 of 2019. The average expenditure per visit tripled in Q1 of 2022 and almost doubled in Q2 of 2022, compared to the corresponding periods of 2019. This could be explained by the fact that in the first half of 2022, the average length of stay almost doubled as it increased from 3.8 to 6.4 nights.

In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 177 GEL per night in September 2022, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 287 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 115 GEL per night. The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in September 2022 was 440 GEL per night. In Kakheti, the average price was 580 GEL, followed by Adjara - 489, Guria - 454 and Tbilisi - 434.

International rankings and indicators help us to understand and assess how countries are performing in different areas. In this bulletin, Georgia’s positions in international rankings and the dynamics therein are reviewed based on the latest data. Georgia’s positions will also be compared with other Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus).