Lonely Planet names Georgia top 2018 travel destination

Lonely Planet has named Georgia as one of ten countries it thinks should be a priority for tourists in 2018.

In a list published earlier this week, the leading travel guide company described the South Caucasus nation as “a country of ancient recipes cooked up in tucked-away taverns where toastmasters raise glasses of spirits to honour heroes old and new.”

Georgia was seventh in the ranking, after Chile, South Korea, Portugal, Djibouti and New Zealand. The other three countries on the list were Mauritius, China and South Africa.

The list is published annually and claims to highlight the countries that travellers “need” to visit in the upcoming year.

Lonely Planet also claimed that Georgian immigration officials are so welcoming that they often offer visitors glasses of red wine when they arrive in the country.

If you plan to visit Tbilisi, you can download our free New East Travel Guide app and explore the city like a local. For recommendations on where to stay in Georgia and beyond, check out our edit of amazing hotels and hostels across the New East.