Indicates the type of a location. Location Type Defined by CCTVPLUS Indicates the role that a specific instance of a description takes among all descriptions. Description Role Defined by CCTVPLUS The role in the overall content stream. Part Role Indicates a kind of content rendition. Content Rendition Defined by CCTVPLUS CCTV Newscontent Co.,Ltd. CCTV Newscontent Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. No access Chinese mainland CCTV Newscontent www.cctvplus.com +86-10-83949886 +86-10-63978447 contact@cctvplus.com 2026-06-13T18:28:45Z 2026-06-13T18:28:45Z 2026-06-13 2014-11-06T09:22:45Z China Central Television China Georgia Politics/Other June 12, 2026/File China-Georgian Parliament Speaker/Tourism Georgia becomes popular destination for Chinese tourists drawn by visa-free travel, direct flights Georgia is rapidly becoming a popular destination for Chinese tourists following the implementation of a mutual visa-free agreement and an expanding network of direct flights between the two countries. Last year, Georgia received 128,000 Chinese tourists, up by 44 percent compared with the previous year, according to Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian. That momentum has carried into this year, with Chinese tourism arrivals exceeding 20,000 in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 48.6-percent year-on-year increase. The surge follows a mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Georgia in 2024. "Fortunately, the relations between the two countries enable us to develop exchanges between the people, the people-to-people relations. It means that for the last, already, two years, I think, we have a visa-free regime, which enables the citizens of China or Georgia to travel without visa as a tourist," said Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili in an interview of China Media Group that aired on Friday. The two countries are seeing more direct flights. In addition to existing flights linking Tbilisi with Urumqi, a city in southwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a new direct route connecting Tbilisi and Shanghai is scheduled to launch in early July. Papuashvili said that he would use the new route for a personal trip to China if possible. "I think in the beginning of July, the new direct flight connecting Tbilisi to Shanghai will open, so maybe this will be the first point for first place to visit, using the direct flight connecting these two cities," said Papuashvili. Located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia has quickly become a highly sought-after destination for Chinese travelers. The country, bordering the Black Sea, Russia, Türkiye, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, offers distinct seasons, diverse landscapes, and popular winter ski resorts. Beyond these attractions, Papuashvili said that Georgia's historical heritage is a strong draw for tourists. "First of all, I think for both nations, the first issue is that we are both one of the oldest civilizations, China and Georgia. Georgia is not only so-called, but just recently there are another study which has proved that Georgia has is also the cradle of wheat, and this is the oldest cultivated wheat, found in Georgia. So therefore, we can call Georgia the oldest place of bread. So I think this part, I mean, culinary parts of Georgia, is always interesting for visitors to see in Georgia, but also ancient buildings and traditions," said the speaker. English/Nats/Part Mute Beijing, China - Released on June 12, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Interview in progress 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Parliament Speaker (partially overlaid with shots 3-5): "Fortunately, the relations between the two countries enable us to develop exchanges between the people, the people-to-people relations. It means that for the last, already, two years, I think, we have a visa-free regime, which enables the citizens of China or Georgia to travel without visa as a tourist. We have more and more direct flights. I think in the beginning of July, the new direct flight connecting Tbilisi to Shanghai will open, so maybe this will be the first point for first place to visit, using the direct flight connecting these two cities." ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Tbilisi, Georgia - 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 3. Various of people at market FILE: Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - May 28, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 4. Passenger plane from Georgia taxiing 5. Various of customs officers serving foreign travelers ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Tbilisi, Georgia - 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 6. Various of traffic Beijing, China - Released on June 12, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Parliament Speaker (partially overlaid with shots 8-11): "First of all, I think for both nations, the first issue is that we are both one of the oldest civilizations, China and Georgia. Georgia is not only so-called, but just recently there are another study which has proved that Georgia has is also the cradle of wheat, and this is the oldest cultivated wheat, found in Georgia. So therefore, we can call Georgia the oldest place of bread. So I think this part, I mean, culinary parts of Georgia, is always interesting for visitors to see in Georgia, but also ancient buildings and traditions." ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Tbilisi, Georgia - 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 8. Various of city landscape, traffic 9. City landscape FILE: Tbilisi, Georgia - May 2022 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 10. Freedom Square FILE: Georgia - 2022(CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 11. Various of bread on shelves ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Tbilisi, Georgia - 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 12. Various of national flag of Georgia, flag of European Union, government building 13. Freedom Square