The Intersection of Georgian Tourism and Russian Politics

Abstract

The article aims to explore the effect of global politics on tourism-dependent communities living in a geopolitically uncertain situation, using Georgia-Russia bilateral relations as an example. It discusses how the combination of political destabilization and tourism development affects Georgia's overall economic climate, raising the question of whether the benefits of tourism are sustainable in the face of such an unpredictable political environment. The article explains how powerful regional political dynamics have impacted Georgia's most formidable economic progress mechanism - tourism - and how strongly this has influenced the country’s development.