Georgia was visited by 2.537 million people in January-November 2011, exceeding the same period in 2010 by 849,000 people, News Georgia reports.
Most visitors arrived from Turkey, at 645,500, followed by Azerbaijan with 642,000, Armenia with 626,000 and Russia with 255,600 (an increase ofa third), Interfax reports.
171,500 visitors used the Kazbegi – Verkhny Lars border-crossing point, 90,600 of whom came from Russia, 55,500 from Armenia, 13,100 from Georgia and 12,200 from other states.
After the introduction of a visa-free regime for Russians of the North Caucasus in October 2010, the Kazbegi – Verkhny Lars control post has been commonly used. Over 7,000 people from North Ossetia used it, 1,990 from Dagestan, 632 from Kabardino-Balkaria, 476 from Adygeya and 290 from Karachay-Cherkessia. 232 people arrived from Chechnya, 142 from Ingushetia. 17% of people entering Georgia from Verkhny Lars were from the North Caucasus.
