Why visit Georgia? Because Putin doesn’t want you to

There are plenty of reasons to visit Georgia.

Borjomi, the world’s tastiest mineral water. Nali, Tbilisi’s legendary live music pub. Khaciapuri (the Ajaran variety, of course). Fabrika, one of the coolest hostels in the world. Wine made in qvevri, just as it was made thousands of years ago. Ali and Nino. Batumi’s beach and surreal modern architecture. Skiing at Gudauri. White water rafting on the Mtkvari river. Defiantly decadent Tbilisi nightclub Bassiani. The monastery at Jvari. Hiking through the villages of Svaneti. Zurab Natroshvili’s sublime restaurant Bina 37. The cable cars of Sviatura. The fortress of Gori. A sub-tropical botanical garden. The alphabet, oh the alphabet.

I could go on, and on, but you get the idea. Georgia is fabulous and there are reasons-a-plenty to visit.

Right now though, there is just one reason you should visit Georgia:

VLADIMIR PUTIN DOESN’T WANT YOU TO.

The Russian dictator last week launched a new offensive against Georgia, banning all Russian airlines from flying to the country. The ban, which also forbids Georgian airlines from flying to Russia, comes into effect on July 8. Russians already on holiday in Georgia have been told to leave.

Putin’s motives are clear: not content with illegally occupying the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he now wants to inflict serious damage on the Georgian tourism industry, the most dynamic and fastest growing in the region and an increasingly key sector of the country’s economy.

Don’t let him. Visit Georgia.