In early May, in the annexed Crimea, the official tourist season was officially launched. On this occasion in the coastal cities of the peninsula held solemn events: costumed processions and fireworks. May Day holidays have always served as an indicator of how many holidaymakers should wait for the upcoming summer. This year, Russian tour operators recorded a drop in sales during the May holidays. According to their data, 38 percent of tourists went to Crimea less than in 2016.
The data of tour operators are confirmed by the owners of private hotels and hotels located on the southern coast of Crimea. "We had a drop in the flow of 35-40 percent in May," says a hotel employee in Koreiz (Big Yalta). According to him, this gives reason to assume that the number of vacationers in July-August will decrease by 20-30 percent. One of the main reasons for the loss of interest of Russians to the Crimea this year - weather conditions. "It's raining, the sea has not warmed up - cold water scares away tourists," he explains..
Another factor, according to the interlocutor, high prices and low service in the Crimea. As a result, vacationers opt for direct competitors. In the case of the peninsula, this is Turkey, where charter flights from Russia resumed last August. Before that, they were canceled due to the deterioration of Russian-Turkish relations after the incident with the shot down Su-24 fighter.
"Turks now offer tours at very affordable prices. We can not stand competition and lose, "- says a hotel employee. Although, he said, the Russian authorities promised that a trip to Crimea this summer would be cheaper than to Turkey. But a wave of euphoria among the Russians passed: "Now you can not go out only on patriotism. The economic crisis also affected the solvency of Russian citizens - they began to spend less ".
The high cost of air tickets is another reason that negatively affects the tourist flow to the Crimea. "Budget flights are only from Moscow and St. Petersburg, and from other Russian cities they are very expensive," he said.. - In this case, transportation costs reach 35-40 percent of the cost of the whole tour package, and this is a lot of ".
These words are confirmed by the "minister of resorts and tourism" in the government of the annexed Crimea Sergey Strelbitsky. In his opinion, the cost of air tickets to the peninsula "kills" the tourism industry. As an example, he cited prices for flights to the Crimea and Antalya.
"We" are killed "by air travel and passenger delivery. For comparison, in order to fly to Crimea and back in August, you need 15 thousand rubles, and it happens that 15 thousand need only one way, and in Antalya - 13 thousand rubles in both directions. If you take the time of flight, then we fly to Crimea 2 hours 20 minutes (from Moscow), and to Antalya - 3 hours 30 minutes, "Strelbitsky said on air to local media.
According to Strelbitsky, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation checks the prices for air transportation to the Crimea. "We have reduced VAT, but it still remains. It seems to me that the development of domestic tourism in Russia lies precisely in the sphere of providing the opportunity to move freely and cheaply across Russia, "he added..
The figures that were recently announced by the authorities of the annexed Crimea are significantly different from those of Russian tour operators. According to local authorities, in January-May 2017 in the Crimea 807.6 thousand tourists had a rest. This is 0.3 percent lower than the level for the same period last year.
The picture, observed in the tourist places of the peninsula, indicates a much greater percentage reduction in the number of tourists. For example, the Professor's Corner near Alushta has always been considered a popular holiday destination. Now on weekdays on the beach there are few people here. At the weekend - more, but this, according to the old-timer, is explained by the presence of local residents and Crimeans.
"While the season is not very, people are few, I would like more," - says the waiter of one of the institutions on the embankment of the Professor's Corner. Visitors, according to him, are deterred by prices for food, entertainment and rental housing. "If you count all the expenses, then a 10-day holiday in the Crimea for a family of 3-4 people will cost at least 800-900 US dollars," - says the young man.
When asked how to correct the situation, he shrugs: "We hope that in July-August there will be more people. Previously, Russians came to Crimea usually in these two months, "- says the waiter.
Tents selling souvenirs sell t-shirts with various inscriptions. One of the shirts depicts a man in a cap "Russia" and wrote the words: "No money, but I'm holding on". The phrase of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, delivered in the Crimea, was continued as a marketing move.
DW.