TBILISI. July 2 (Interfax) - Georgia had 154,600 visitors from Russia in January-June 2012, or 75.5% more than the year before, the Georgian Interior Ministry reported on Sunday.
It said the number of tourist arrivals grew in spite of the absence of Georgia-Russia diplomatic relations and the visa regime.
The year-to-year growth in Russian tourist arrivals was 100% in June, 50,600 people, the ministry said, adding that "the trend had become constant."
A total of 65,100 Russian citizens (57.9%) crossed the Georgian border at the Kazbegi-Verkhny Lars checkpoint in the first half of this year, the ministry said.
The checkpoint reported 111,100 border crossings by citizens of Russia (59% of the total number), Armenia (25%), Georgia (8%), Azerbaijan (4%), Ukraine (3%) and other countries (1%).
In all, Georgia reported 1,690,500 foreign tourist arrivals in January-June 2012 or 53% more than the year before. Most of the tourists came from Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, EU countries, Ukraine and Iran.
Georgia had 2,822,400 visitors in 2011 or 38.9% more than the year before, including 278,000 visitors from Russia (63% growth).