Georgia, Tbilisi, Sept.5 / Trend, N.Kirtskhalia /
In 2011 Georgia expects three million tourists, which is 54 percent more than last year's figure.
"Approximately the same growth was planned on a domestic tourism," Tourism Department said.
According to the latest data, about 900,000 people rested in the Georgian resorts in 2011, which is 40 percent more than 2010.
The highest growth of tourist flow was recorded in Adjara, where, according to the Department, a million tourists rested. Some 626,000 tourists were local vacationers. This is almost 99 percent more than January-August 2010.
The "Georgian Railways" also confirmed the growth in tourist flow. According to the Georgian Railways, in 2011 the railways carried a record number of passengers, although the company did not disclose the exact numbers. The Georgian Railways said in January-July more than a million passengers were carried. Revenues from passenger traffic exceeded 5.5 million lari.
Some 700,000 passengers were carried during the entire holiday season in 2010, which was a record figure at that stage.
A growth of passenger traffic is also recorded on bus segment.
As Okriba bus terminal said, according to preliminary data, during the current holiday season the number of passengers increased by 15 percent compared to last year's season.
Some experts, meanwhile, stressed the shortage of tourists in 2011, however, the government disagrees with it. According to official statistics, 1.5 million tourists visited Georgia in July, as many are expected by late 2011.