Georgian restaurants are popular among Russians for their delicious food and wine. But that could change as Russia's consumer watchdog plans to restrict imports of Georgian wine. It comes on the heels of a flight ban implemented after anti-Russia protests in Tbilisi. Ross Cullen has more from Moscow.
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With its snow-capped peaks, rolling fields and delicious food,
Georgia attracted eight million tourists last year.
More than a fifth came from neighbouring Russia.
But that's about to change.
The capital Tbilisi has been rocked by anti-Russian protests in recent weeks.
They began when a Russian MP addressed the Georgian parliament.
The image of Sergei Gavrilov sitting in the speaker's chair and speaking Russian angered many Georgians.
He says the relationship between the two has deteriorated, blaming Georgia for the rift.
Sergei Gavrilov, Russian MP
"I think that relations have been frozen quite seriously, especially in tourism. We hope that Georgian leadership will show their commitment to international obligations and international law, and will embark on a course to restore guarantees for all visitors. But I don't think it will happen in the near future."
In response to the protests, Russian President Vladimir Putin banned flights between the two countries.
And the impact on Georgia's economy could be significant.
1 point 4 million Russians visited the country in 2018 but now with the flight ban Georgia is expected to lose out on more than 700 million dollars in tourism revenue, as the number of Russian visitors drops.
Russia's consumer watchdog also plans to restrict imports of Georgian wine…accusing brands of a drop in quality.
The Kremlin says any clampdown on Georgian wine is not linked to the current political climate.
But Russia is the number-one destination for Georgian wine and so there will be painful results for vineyards, as wine expert Vasily Raskov explains.
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Vasily Raskov, Wine Connoisseur
"The Georgian economy is very sensitive in this sector - wine is a very big part of their exports. For Russians it will be more of an inconvenience. Consumers will be upset in the shops, their favourite wine may disappear, and of course in Georgian restaurants in Russia the variety of wines will drop"
Russia and Georgia have had a strained relationship for many years, even going to war in 2008.
This may be just the latest standoff of many, but its economic impact could be felt for years to come.
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