Abkhazia is also bidding on tourism

The defacto Abkhazian has taken several steps recently to attract tourists to the region. Abkhazia used to be a famous tourists destination during the Soviet Union era. Tourism companies are advertising very intensively Abkhazia’s tourists potential throughout the former Soviet Union countries and in particular Russia. The separatist leadership claims that more than 600, 000 tourists have spent their holidays in Abkhazia this year. They are rather optimistic and think that by the end of the summer season Abkhazia will receive 2 million tourists. Georgian analysts challenge this and suggest that those figures are exaggerated. They also challenge the method in which Abkhazian officials calculate the tourists. Most probably Abkhazians consider as tourists one-day visitors who travel to Abkhazia from the Russian Federation, as well as the many Russian military troops entering the territory with their families while on service.