Business Insider Georgia has conducted an exclusive interview with Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, focusing on the airline’s entry into the Georgian aviation market, prevailing trends, expectations, and long-term prospects.

What motivated Air Serbia to enter the Georgian market at this particular time?

Launching a new route requires in-depth market research and careful analysis of passenger flows to ensure long-term commercial sustainability. As part of our five-year network development strategy, we have identified the Caucasus as a region with strong potential for both inbound and outbound traffic. Among the available markets, Tbilisi stood out due to its growing tourism appeal, economic ties, and increasing interest in connectivity with Europe. Current projections indicate a balanced mix of point-to-point and transfer traffic on the Belgrade–Tbilisi route. We anticipate strong demand from passengers traveling between Georgia and Serbia, as well as from those using Belgrade as a convenient transit hub to connect to destinations across the Balkans, Central and Western Europe, Asia, and North America.

How does Georgia fit into Air Serbia’s long-term regional strategy?

The growing presence of international carriers in the Georgian market indicates strong and rising passenger demand, which aligns well with Air Serbia's long‑term regional strategy. Our decision to launch flights to Tbilisi is based on a strategic assessment of untapped potential, particularly in terms of transfer traffic via our Belgrade hub, which offers seamless connectivity to more than 100 destinations in our network. As the leading carrier in the Balkan region, we aim to strengthen regional connectivity by offering reliable and competitive service year-round. Accordingly, we operate the Belgrade–Tbilisi route throughout the entire year, reflecting our long-term commitment to this market and our confidence in its sustainable growth.

Which factors were the most important when deciding to launch flights to Georgia?

During the comprehensive evaluation process for any new destination, we develop a detailed business case that is required to demonstrate a positive financial outcome. This assessment incorporates a wide set of criteria, including projected passenger demand, anticipated average fare levels, the existence of visa‑free travel arrangements, the presence and distribution of diaspora communities, as well as the broader potential for economic and tourism cooperation. Taken together, these factors were instrumental in our decision to introduce flights to Georgia.

How has Air Serbia’s presence impacted local tourism since the launch?

The introduction of direct flights has already begun to show positive effects on tourism flows. The organized tourist groups have already begun traveling from Serbia to Georgia, which is an encouraging early indicator of growing interest. We also expect the number of tourist groups traveling from Georgia to Serbia to increase steadily in the coming period. Direct air connections consistently play a crucial role in stimulating tourism flows between two markets. By significantly reducing travel time, simplifying the journey, and providing greater accessibility, direct flights make both countries more attractive and competitive as leisure destinations. Additionally, improved connectivity often encourages tour operators to develop new travel packages, supports business travel, and strengthens cultural exchange. In this sense, Air Serbia’s presence is expected to contribute meaningfully to the rise in visitor numbers in both directions, fostering deeper economic, tourism, and people‑to‑people ties between Serbia and Georgia.

Have you offered any promotions or special deals for local passengers, and are there plans to further activate marketing campaigns in this direction?

We continuously invest in promotional activities, and with the launch of the route, we organized a dedicated media trip to Georgia. In cooperation with the Georgian National Tourism Administration, we hosted journalists from Serbia and provided them with an opportunity to experience Georgia’s key attractions firsthand. This initiative helped generate broader media coverage and strengthen awareness of the destination among Serbian travellers. In addition to this, we regularly offer various promotional fares and targeted marketing activities to stimulate demand on newly launched routes. Our marketing strategy includes digital campaigns, collaborations with tour operators, joint initiatives with tourism organizations, and tailored offers for local passengers. Looking ahead, we plan to further intensify our marketing efforts in this direction, with a combination of promotional activities, content partnerships, and visibility campaigns aimed at increasing interest and boosting passenger numbers on the Serbia–Georgia route.

What feedback have you received from passengers since the launch?

Passenger reactions since the launch have been very encouraging. Many travellers have highlighted how much easier the journey has become now that direct flights are available. Until recently, passengers traveling between the two countries were required to make at least one stopover, which made trips more complicated and time‑consuming. The introduction of nonstop service has therefore been warmly welcomed, as it significantly streamlines the overall travel experience. In addition to greater convenience, passengers appreciate having a more reliable and predictable travel option, which has already begun strengthening confidence in the route and supporting its continued growth.

How has the Georgian market performed compared to your initial expectations?

The performance of the Georgian market has been fully in line with our initial expectations. Load factors, passenger demand, and overall booking trends have closely matched the projections we made prior to launching the route. This confirms that the underlying market potential was accurately assessed and that there is stable, consistent interest in direct air travel between Serbia and Georgia. The early results also indicate a healthy balance of traffic in both directions, further supporting the long‑term viability of the route. As awareness continues to grow and cooperation with local partners deepens, we expect performance to remain strong and continue evolving in line with our strategic forecasts.

What are the next steps for Air Serbia in Georgia over the coming months or years?

During the upcoming peak of the summer season, we introduced an additional frequency, increasing the number of weekly flights from three to four. This enhancement reflects the strong initial performance of the route and our commitment to responding to market demand. As part of future development plan, Air Serbia will continue to monitor passenger trends and operational results closely in order to assess opportunities for further growth. Potential next steps include additional frequency increases during high‑demand periods, deeper cooperation with local tourism organizations, and expanded joint promotional activities aimed at strengthening the route’s visibility in both markets. Over the longer term, we will evaluate the possibility of further capacity adjustments or broader commercial initiatives that could support sustained development of air connectivity between Serbia and Georgia.

From today’s perspective, how do you assess the decision to enter the Georgian market, and what are your expectations for 2026?

From today’s perspective, entering the Georgian market has clearly proven to be a well‑founded decision, fully supported by the strong results we are achieving on this route. Passenger demand and overall performance indicators demonstrate that interest in direct air connectivity between Serbia and Georgia is both genuine and steadily increasing. The timing of the route launch also carried particular significance, as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries—an important milestone that underscored the value of strengthening ties and enhancing connectivity. As plans progress toward 2026, we expect this positive momentum to continue. Growing awareness of the route, rising tourism flows, and expanding business and cultural exchanges are all likely to further support development. We will continue to monitor market dynamics closely and identify opportunities for additional progress, whether through increased frequencies, new commercial initiatives, or broader cooperation with tourism and institutional partners.

Air Serbia’s entry into the Georgian aviation market was preceded by extensive and intensive cooperation with the United Airports of Georgia, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. How would you evaluate this collaboration?

The overall cooperation throughout the process has been highly positive and marked by exceptional professionalism. A particularly important moment took place in mid‑2023, when a Georgian delegation visited Belgrade and the Air Service Agreement between the two countries was signed. This meeting facilitated the exchange of contacts, strengthened institutional relationships, and provided essential support for the introduction of direct flights. Throughout all stages, communication has been efficient, transparent, and solution‑oriented, which significantly contributed to the smooth and timely completion of all required procedures. The engagement and responsiveness of the Georgian partners played a key role in enabling a seamless market entry and establishing a solid foundation for long‑term collaboration. We value this partnership greatly and look forward to continued cooperation—both operationally and through joint promotional and development initiatives aimed at further enhancing connectivity, tourism, and economic ties between Serbia and Georgia.