Prices are down on the peninsula, but tourism is falling
After the tragic events in the Crimea, some tourists cancel their reservations (in sanatoriums and large hotels, such 10% of vacationers, in guest houses — about 20% of refusals). Others do not change their vacation plans and are still going to go on vacation to the peninsula. About housing prices and how the state of emergency and uncertainties with the road affect the tourist flow, we talked with the vice-president of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Sergey Romashkin and the chairman of the Association of Small Hotels of Crimea Natalia Stambulnikova.
— The tragic events that have taken place in the Crimea over the past week, of course, affect the flow of tourists, — Sergei Romashkin says — But those tourists who are now in Crimea intend to rest until the end. We do not record any sudden early departures.
We called the tourists on Monday, when there was no traffic on the Crimean bridge for almost a day, most of them confirmed to us that they would not change their plans, they were going to rest until the end of the tour, and they would wait for the restoration of traffic on the bridge.
Some of our tourists , whose vacation came to an end, went home along the land «corridor» through the new Russian territories. They later shared that they reached Rostov-on-Don a couple of hours faster than they had previously traveled through the Crimean bridge.
As for new arrivals, then, according to the expert, sales of vouchers this week have decreased by 30% compared to the previous one.
— Tourists are waiting to see if traffic jams on the Crimean bridge will increase. They are also waiting for information on races in new Russian territories. Of course, there are waivers as well. But they are not widespread. The situation is changing every day. With its deterioration, it is clear that the tourist flow will fall.
Our tourists mainly go to the Southern Coast of Crimea, which looks more protected. There have not been any negative events so far.
According to experts, accommodation prices in Crimea this year are lower than in 2022.
— In May, this difference was about 30%. July 1 we saw — minus 10% compared to the previous year. Now — minus 25-30%. It seems to me that it is wrong to explain the choice of tourists by some kind of benefit. At the same conditionally Crimean prices, you can find accommodation in the same Anapa, Adler, Abkhazia. It seems to me that the issue here is not the price issue.
People just love Crimea. The fact that prices are now reduced is a bonus for them, but this is not the main thing. They simply do not want to change their place of rest.
According to Sergey Romashkin, a room in a good Crimean hotel on an all-inclusive system costs 7-8 thousand rubles a day for two.
< p>— Without food, you can find accommodation for 1.5-2 thousand per day for two. The spread is large. The same fashionable hotels offer accommodation in rooms for 25 thousand per day. And sell them, the buyer is. In any case, even if you are driving your car to rest in the Crimea with your family, you will spend 7-8 thousand rubles a day, you need a hundred thousand for two weeks of rest.
Chairman of the Association of Small Hotels of Crimea Natalia Stambulnikova, in turn, says that in their sector, cancellations for bookings for July and August are approximately 20%. (According to experts, about 70% of vacationers stay in mini-hotels and guest houses).
Most of all, according to Natalia, the South Coast of Crimea is traditionally «loaded».
— We take into account small businesses, guest houses. On the South Coast «loading» — about 60%, on the west coast — up to 40%, on the east coast — thirty%. For example, on the city beach of the same village of Chernomorsky, there can be 20 vacationers at a distance of 200 meters. Which, you see, is very comfortable.
In Crimea, a double room in a small guest house, on average, can be rented for 2,000 rubles a day without meals. Apartments for a large family or a large company can be found for 7 thousand rubles a day.