INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
annexed peninsula and millions of Russian vacationers are set to stay away from its Black Sea resorts for the second year running.Tourist
near the beach in Sevastopol told The Moscow Times
They asked for anonymity, saying they planned to apply for government-backed financial support and were worried how the authorities might
But the owner said this year, it will be at just 30% capacity in June and around 60% in the peak make-or-break months of July and
Crimea struggling under heavy sanctions and economic crises for much of the post-annexation period.Fortunes appeared to be on the up in 2021
as pandemic-related border closures gave a much-needed boost to the domestic tourism sector, with a record 9.4 million Russians opting to
hole.Official government data showed 60% of firms in the tourism industry were in the red last year, with combined losses of 709 million
rubles ($10 million), as tourist inflows dropped by around a third
In 2021, profits had come in at 1.8 billion rubles ($25 million).Only 3% of Russian hotel bookings were made in Crimea last year, down from
19% in 2021, according to online booking portal Ostrovok.Ru
This year they have fallen even further, to just 1%.Russian-installed officials and some industry figures insist Crimea is safe for
tourists, despite being well within reach of Ukrainian weapons and having been rocked by attacks during the course of the 16-month
stationed in Sevastopol and a car bomb that disrupted travel across the Crimean Bridge for months.But pointing to recent drone attacks in
Fleet training range before being sent to the front line.Victor Korotayev / KommersantOfficials say the more reduced flow of tourists is
largely the result of Russia banning flights from the rest of the country to Simferopol airport and that there is still high demand to visit
Sochi or other resort towns on the Russian mainland in search of business.Others remained outwardly bullish despite the threat of attack,
