The occupying administration of Crimea has acknowledged that the resort season on the peninsula is proving to be “difficult.” The tourism industry has been hit by canceled reservations and a decline in the number of customers.
This was reported by Krym.Realii.
Mykhailo Razvozhayev, the occupation head of annexed Sevastopol, acknowledged the problem.
“There are people who traditionally come here, but let’s be honest—things are much more complicated. Of course, the tourism industry is facing challenges. Canceled reservations—all of this is happening; there’s no point in beating around the bush,” he said.
The Travelline service reports that 71% of reservations in Sevastopol were canceled between May 24 and June 6. The volume of reservations for July and August fell by 43.1%, which is the highest rate of decline.
Local business owners have already appealed to the occupying authorities in Sevastopol to reduce fees for temporary retail outlets. With business at a standstill, they were struggling to pay their rent. This time, the occupying authorities agreed to their request.
Prices for food and fuel have also risen in occupied Crimea. Annual inflation accelerated to 15.79 percent in July, which is nearly three times higher than the rate for Russia as a whole.
Motor fuel saw the sharpest price increase. In July, its price rose by 139.86%, and over 12 months—by 204.48%. In Russia, this was attributed to refinery repairs and “delivery difficulties” to the peninsula.
Eggs set another price record. Their price in Crimea rose by 44.22% over the month and by 68.43% over the year. The price increase for this product is due to a decline in local production and higher delivery costs caused by fuel prices.
Юлія Калабайда
