• In November 2018, compared to November 2017, in Georgia the hotel price index decreased by 0.1%;• In November 2018, compared to November 2017, the daily rates for standard double hotel rooms decreased the most in Guria(-14.7%) and Kakheti (-13.6%);• In November 2018, compared to November 2017, the hotel prices in Tbilisi decreased by 8.9%;• In November 2018, the average cost of a room in each category was as follows: 3-star hotel room - 120 GEL per night; 4-star hotelroom - 221 GEL; 5-star hotel room - 489 GEL; guesthouse room- 63 GEL;• In November 2018, compared to October 2018, the hotel price index decreased by 11.2%.

In October 2018, compared to October 2017, in Georgia the hotel price index increased by 7.2%; In October 2018, compared to October 2017, the daily rates for standard double hotel rooms increased the most in Adjara (22.7%) and Samtskhe-Javakheti (17.9%); In October 2018, compared to 2017, the hotel prices in Tbilisi increased by 1.3%;

During October 2017 – September 2018 period, in Tbilisi the highest average prices of a room in a 3* and 4* hotels were recorded in December 2017, respectively 165 GEL and 293 GEL, the lowest prices were recorded in February 2018, respectively 124 GEL and 214 GEL. In September 2018, the hotel price index decreased by 5.9% compared to August 2018; In September 2018, the average cost of a room in each category was as follows: 3-star hotel room - 135 GEL per night; 4-star hotel room - 244 GEL; 5-star hotel room - 521 GEL; guesthouse room- 70 GEL.

In August 2018, the hotel price index increased only by 0.01% compared to July 2018; In August 2018, the daily rates for standard double hotel rooms increased the most in Guria (7.6%), while the hotel prices decreased mostly in Samtskhe-Javakheti (-1.6%); In August 2018, the 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index decreased by 0.9% compared to July 2018; In Guria the 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price increased by 18.4%, such price increase was primarily due to 3, 4 and 5 star hotel price increases in Ureki; In August 2018, in Tbilisi, the 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel prices decreased by 0.3% compared to July 2018; In August 2018, the average cost of a room in each category was as follows: 3-star hotel room - 147 GEL per night; 4-star hotel room - 253 GEL; 5-star hotel room - 455 GEL; guesthouse room- 74 GEL.

In July 2018, the hotel price index increased by 2.7% compared to June 2018; In July 2018, the daily rates for standard double hotel rooms increased the most in Adjara(10.1%) and Samtskhe-Javakheti (5.9%), while the hotel prices decreased only in Tbilisi (-1.2%); In July, the average cost of a room in each category was as follows: 3-star hotel room - 148 GEL per night; 4-star hotel room - 254 GEL; 5-star hotel room - 455 GEL; guesthouse room- 72 GEL; In Tbilisi, the 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel prices decreased by 2.1% in July 2018, compared to June 2018; On Tripadvisor, 1618 accommodation units are registered in Tbilisi, significantly exceeding the number of accommodation units registered in Baku - 456, Yerevan - 436 and Ankara – 364.

In June 2018, the hotel price index increased by 8.6% compared to May 2018; The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index increased by 10.6% in June 2018 compared to May 2018; Among 3*, 4* and 5* hotels the highest price increases were recorded in Adjara – 36% and Guria – 32.8%, in Tbilisi prices increased only by 0.4%; In June the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was GEL 143 per night, 4-star hotel - 247 GEL, 5-star hotel - 403 GEL, guesthouses - 73 GEL.

The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index increased by 2% in May 2018 compared to April 2018; For guesthouses, the price index decreased by 1.8% in May 2018 compared to April 2018; According to Airbnb, in May 2018, looking at the self-governing cities of Georgia the highest average cost of an apartment was recorded in Batumi-US$48; In the first quarter of 2018, compared to the first quarter of 2017, the number of inbound visitors increased significantly in Imereti (by 67%) and Mtskheta-Mtianeti (by 47%).

The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index increased by 3.4% in April 2018, compared to March 2018; The prices for guesthouses increased by 6% in April 2018, compared to March 2018; According to Airbnb, in April 2018, looking at the capital cities of Georgia and its neighboring countries1 the cheapest apartments were found in Ankara (on average US$35 per night), while  the most expensive were found in Moscow (on average US$130 per night); On Airbnb, in April the average price of an apartment in Tbilisi was US$44 per night, while in Georgia as a whole it was US$45 per night; According to the Georgian National Tourism Administration, during 2016-2017 the highest number of accommodation units2 in Georgia were opened in Guria, with a total of 30 units.

The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index increased by 9% in March 2018, compared to February 2018;In March 2018, the daily rates for 3-star, 4-star and 5-star standard double hotel rooms increased significantly in Tbilisi (15.5%), while the daily rates decreased the most in Mtskheta-Mtianeti (-10.6%);During the last five months (November 2017-March 2018), in terms of regions, the most expensive 3-star and 4-star hotels were in Mtskheta-Mtianeti; In March 2018, 292,017 tourists visited Georgia, which is 64% more compared to February.

In this bulletin, we discuss: hotel prices in February across different regions of Georgia; the hotel price index in February 2018 compared to January 2018; monthly hotel price changes during the November 2017-February 2018 period.