Georgia Strengthens Gulf Investment Ties at International Real Estate Forum in Tbilisi

The Georgia International Real Estate Forum 2026 brought together Gulf investors, international developers, and Georgian officials in Tbilisi for two days of deal-making and strategic planning that reinforced the country's growing appeal as a real estate and tourism destination for capital from the Middle East and beyond.

The forum attracted participants from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait alongside European and local Georgian developers. Presentations covered Tbilisi's residential market, Batumi's booming coastal tourism infrastructure, and emerging investment opportunities in Georgia's secondary cities and mountain resort areas.

The headline figures from the forum were striking. Gross foreign investment in Georgian real estate reached a record $1.8 billion in 2025, with Gulf-origin capital accounting for approximately 40 percent of that total. Residential apartment sales to foreign buyers in Tbilisi and Batumi continued at elevated levels, driven by buyers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and increasingly from Western Europe.

Developers presenting at the forum highlighted Georgia's combination of low property taxes, simple property registration processes, favorable pricing relative to regional comparators, and a strategic location as key investment attractions. Batumi, in particular, has become a hospitality investment focal point, with international hotel brands — including several Marriott and Hilton properties — either operational or under development.

The forum addressed challenges alongside opportunities. Concerns were raised about the pace of urban planning infrastructure to support Tbilisi's rapid densification, with participants calling for improvements in public transport, water management, and green space provision. Some observers noted that the speed of development in Batumi risks outpacing the destination's carrying capacity if managed tourism policies are not implemented.

Panel discussions explored the regulatory framework for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Georgia, with multiple participants expressing interest in formalizing this asset class as a vehicle for channeling institutional Gulf capital into Georgian property markets. According to the Georgia Real Estate Outlook 2026, investor sentiment remains broadly positive despite political headwinds. The Bank of Georgia's economic outlook similarly noted real estate as one of the primary channels through which foreign capital enters the Georgian economy, with Gulf investment expected to remain a dominant force in the market through 2027.

Further Reading:
Batumi Boom: How Georgia's Coastal City Became a Gulf Investment Hotspot
Tbilisi Commercial Real Estate: Grade A Stock and Office Market Trends