Negative season: experts have calculated the losses of the Kuban due to anti-covid measures

The financial losses of the business of the Krasnodar Territory due to the restrictions introduced in July-August can range from 40 to 55 billion rubles, the Association of Tour Operators of RUSSIA (ATOR) has calculated.

Recall that, according to the decision of the authorities of the Krasnodar Territory, from July 1, it is possible to check into hotels and hotels in the region if there is a negative PCR test or a vaccination certificate. From August 1, accommodation facilities will only accept vaccinated guests.

From July to September 2021, 6.5 million tourists planned trips to the Krasnodar Territory. In July, according to tour operators, the tourist flow will decrease from the forecast by 20-25%. This is due to the fact that many are not ready to pay extra for PCR tests (mostly family tourists with small amounts of vouchers, where the price for tests will be 20-25% or more of the cost of accommodation). In August, about 50% of tourists may refuse to travel to the Krasnodar Territory, according to ALEAN.

In July, at least 3 million tourists have vouchers to the accommodation facilities of the Kuban resorts. The average price of a trip per person is 18-20 thousand rubles. Based on this, direct losses in July could reach up to 15 billion rubles.

According to ATOR, tours for 2.5 million people were sold on average in August. This estimate does not include those staying in the private sector. We are talking about both tourists who bought vouchers from tour operators, and those who organized their trip with accommodation in hotels on their own. The total cost of the tours sold for August is about 50 billion rubles (at the rate of 20,000 rubles per person). As a result, business losses in August can range from 25 to 40 billion rubles.

“We should not forget about the multiplier effect. We are talking about the restaurant, transport, entertainment segments. The lack of profit here doubles the financial losses of the region,” explains Ilya Umansky, CEO of ALEAN, Vice President of ATOR.

As the Association of Tour Operators explained, the trips of hundreds of thousands of tourists in September are also in jeopardy. Already, accommodation facilities have sold tours for about 1 million people, we are talking about vouchers worth about 18-20 billion rubles. If by September the decision of the Kuban authorities on a mandatory certificate for tourists remains in force, the financial losses of the region will become greater.

Sochi hoteliers are already registering booking cancellations, Anna Netyagina, president of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Sochi, told TASS. According to her, the new requirements were unexpected for business. The period of one month, which is allotted to guests for vaccination, is extremely short, the expert believes.

According to a SuperJob survey, only 3% of Russians are ready to be vaccinated against CORONAVIRUS for the sake of recreation in the Krasnodar Territory. At the same time, in May, 20% of citizens stated that they would be vaccinated if this would be a condition for traveling abroad.

As RBC Krasnodar reported, the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) expressed concerns about a possible disruption of the tourist season in the Kuban. According to Irina Tyurina, press secretary of the PCT, the operators expected that this season would be the best in recent years, but now they are afraid “that it might not become the worst”. According to the organization's estimates, by August 1, only 15-17% of those who have planned a vacation in the Krasnodar Territory will have time to get vaccinated.

President of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Sochi Anna Netyagina noted that the new conditions for settling in hotels are too tough, vacationers will not have time to take root in time.

The heads of Rostourism and Rospotrebnadzor asked the authorities of the Krasnodar Territory to soften the conditions for settling in hotels. In particular, Anna Popova suggested letting in those tourists who had previously had covid-19 .

“I turned to the governor of the Krasnodar Territory with a request to consider the possibility of accepting tourists, including those with a negative PCR test. We believe that this, along with the strict implementation of all necessary precautions, will ensure a safe holiday in the current summer season,” said Zarina Doguzova, HEAD of Rostourism.