Moscow will prevent the passenger flights of Georgian airlines from landing in Russia, the Transport Ministry said on Saturday, citing security concerns.
The move, which begins on July 8, follows an outbreak of anti-Russia protests in central Tbilisi this week triggered by a parliamentary address by a Moscow lawmaker.
The Kremlin had said the inward ban was to "ensure Russia's national security and protect Russian nationals from criminal and other unlawful activities."
Russian President Vladimir Putin had already ordered a temporary ban on passenger flights from Russia to Georgia in the wake of Thursday's rallies.
Read more: Georgia's Russia protests benefit Mikheil Saakashvili
Peak tourism season
Travel companies have been advised to stop selling holiday packages to Georgia, while Russian tourists already in the country have been told to return home.
The bans echo action Russia took in 2006 on flights and imports of Georgian wine and mineral water when tensions between the countries rose previously.
More than 240 people were injured outside Georgia's parliament on Thursday night when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at angry protesters.
Tens of thousands of people had turned out against the decision to allow the Russian delegation into the legislature.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Georgia, melting pot of cultures
Multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious: This is Georgia. The breathtakingly beautiful country between the Caucasus and the Black Sea is one of the oldest settlement areas of mankind. Today about 3.7 million people live in this small country with its magnificent nature and culture.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
The capital Tiblisi
The metropolis of Tbilisi is Georgia's cultural center. And it has been since the 5th century. The city has known Roman, Arab, Turkish, Persian and other conquerors. Russia invaded Georgia in 1799 and remained there until the end of the Soviet era. They all left their traces. Tbilisi celebrates the present day with new constructions such as the Peace Bridge and the Concert Hall (right).
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Old town and fortress
Since the 3rd century, the Narikala fortress has kept watch over the old town with the typical balconies and carvings on the houses. The panorama path up to the fortress leads through a labyrinth of alleys. The massive castle has seen conquerors come and go, was destroyed and rebuilt again and again. Only a lightning strike in the powder warehouse (1827) turned it into a ruin.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Where the royals resided
The Metekhi Virgin Mary Church can be seen on the steep bank of the Kura, which flows through Tbilisi. From the 12th century, the residence of the Georgian kings was located on this site, as is indicated by the equestrian monument next to the church. It depicts King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi. In 1937, under Soviet rule, the residence was demolished. The church survived.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
700 years of bathing culture
The Abanotubani district with its hot thermal springs is considered the oldest part of Tbilisi. The springs have been used for 700 years. The Persian-style bathhouses were built later, in the 17th century. The bathing rooms are located under the domed brick vaults. A number of them are still in use today and are a popular meeting place to bathe and chat.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
7,000 years of wine cultivation
They are called Chinuri, Chichwi or Orbeluri. Grape varieties from Georgia enjoy an excellent reputation. The largest wine-growing areas are in the east of the country, in Kakheti. Archaeological finds prove that wine was cultivated in Georgia over 7,000 years ago. And even this very day wine is cultivated in amphorae. UNESCO declared this method an intangible cultural heritage.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
70 years of Soviet rule
When you travel through the country, you will encounter relics from Soviet era: houses, factories, monuments or, as here, this viewing platform on a former military road near Kazbegi mountain. All of them stone testimonies. Georgia was part of the Soviet Union for 70 years — until 9 April 1991, when the people voted for independence in a referendum.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Hiking in the Caucasus
The most diverse landscapes and climate zones are concentrated in the most compact area; from the mountain villages of the Caucasus to the beaches of the Black Sea. Almost half of Georgia is covered with forest. Two-thirds of the country is mountainous, with several 5,000 meter (16,404 ft) peaks. Numerous nature reserves and national parks make Georgia a worthwhile destination for hikers.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
A remote UNESCO World Heritage Site
2,200 meters (7,218 ft) above sea level, in the Great Caucasus, lies Ushguli — "Courageous Heart"; a community of four villages with roots dating back to the 16th century BC. Ushguli is considered to be the highest situated permanently inhabited place in Europe. Since 1996, the villages with their characteristic fortified towers have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Vardzia — city in the rock
Up to 50,000 people lived in the cave town of Vardzia. It lies in the south of Georgia. It was built in the 12th century as a fortress to defend against Turks and Persians. It was carved by hand with simple tools into a 500-meter-high (1,640 ft) rock face, seven stories above each other. There were bakeries, stables, a treasury and a church.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
The old capital of Kutaisi
160 kilometers (99 mi) from the Black Sea coast lies the old capital of Georgia, Kutaisi. It was the residence of the Georgian kings from the 10th century until 1122. Many are buried here. Churches, monasteries, palace ruins and the well-preserved medieval townscape make this city worth a visit. Today it is the economic and cultural center of West Georgia.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Coastal town of Batumi
The Black Sea coast with a mild Mediterranean climate. The port city of Batumi, the third largest city in Georgia, beckons you to take a stroll along the beach, with a promenade flanked with artworks. A city of contrast: Between the derelict residential buildings, huge malls and luxury residential buildings are being built. Real estate mogul and current US President Donald Trump has invested here.
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Georgia — a holiday destination between the Caucasus and the Black Sea
Hospitality & traditions
More than twenty different ethnic groups live in Georgia, including Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Arameans, Jews and Greeks. They brought their traditions and customs with them. And the Georgians? They love their own traditions and do not miss a single festival to wear their traditional costumes. They celebrate passionately — with traditional music and dances. Folk festivals are always a spectacle.
Author: Anne Termèche (sbc)
Anti-Russian sentiment still runs high more than a decade after the two nations fought a war in which Georgia effectively lost two large chunks of its territory, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Moscow has recognized both as independent states and stationed permanent military bases in each, prompting deep anti-Russian sentiment in Georgia.
Read more: Rural Georgians look to the sun to ease energy poverty
Popular among Russians
The country is a popular destination for Russian tourists, who are attracted by its dramatic mountain scenery and its wine.
Decrying the Kremlin's travel bans, several Russians said the decisions had little to do with safety concerns.
"Tourism in Georgia is on the rise, and the decision has shocked the whole industry," Aleksan Mkrtchyan, head of Pink Elephant, a chain of travel agencies, said in a statement.
"This ban is silly," Margarita Semyonova, a 19-year-old Russian student, who visited Georgia last year, told the Agence France-Presse news agency.
Elena Chekalova, a prominent chef and culinary blogger, questioned on Facebook: "Why are they deciding for us what we cannot eat, where we cannot fly, who we cannot be friends with?"
Demonstrators have denounced the government as overly Russia-friendly and called for a snap election
On Saturday evening, about 1,500 demonstrators assembled outside Georgia's parliament once again; the crowd was expected to grow during the evening.
mm/jlw (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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