21:17, 14 December 2025

Tour operators linked demand for holidays in Anapa to the opening of beaches

Demand for bookings in Anapa increased during the New Year holidays, but the prospects for the 2026 resort season depend on the authorities' decision to reopen the beaches, according to tour operators. The scientist believes it's too early to talk about a complete cleanup of the beaches.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," Anapa will be ready to welcome tourists next year, according to Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, who announced the waiver of the tourist tax for the year. Hoteliers reported that bookings for next summer are extremely low. Blogger Yuri Ozarovsky recorded a video message before Putin's direct line requesting permission to open Anapa's beaches in 2026, assuring that there are virtually no traces of fuel oil in the sea or on the shore.

From the beginning of the year to the end of September, 1.5 million tourists visited Anapa , which is almost three million fewer than the same period last year. Some tourists went to Anapa only because hotels and other accommodations were forced to offer significant discounts due to the fuel oil spill. Only 18,000 children attended Anapa's children's camps this year; in previous years, the city hosted 120,000-130,000 children. Anapa will have several years to restore its reputation for children's recreation after the fuel oil spill. By the end of the season, tourist traffic to Anapa had fallen by approximately 60%, amounting to approximately one billion rubles. Anapa's sanatoriums and children's camps are teetering on the brink of closure due to a record drop in revenue .

According to estimates by Sergei Romashkin, Vice President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) for Domestic Tourism and CEO of the tour operator Dolphin , 4.5–5 million people could vacation in Anapa in 2026 if the resort's beaches reopen, but this is 10% less than the 2024 figures.

"The later the beaches officially reopen, the greater the losses for the resort's tourism industry. It's impossible to reach pre-fuel oil levels, as tourists are already booking tours for next summer without Anapa," he was quoted as saying in a post on the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) website.

Intourist hopes that the result may be even better.

"We expect a return to 2024 volumes and possible growth, as the current pace of early bookings is already quite optimistic," suggested Sergei Strebkov, director of Intourist's domestic tourism department .

According to statistics from the tour operator Multitour, sales could increase by 10% compared to the same period in 2024. If the beaches reopen, sales could increase two to three times, almost to last year's levels, according to a December 5 publication.

Demand for vacations in Anapa during the 2025/2026 New Year holidays has increased by 30% compared to last year. The resort accounts for over 10% of total hotel sales in the Krasnodar Krai, according to the press service of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, citing Travelline.

It is unclear what is happening to the second ship, which sank rather than ran aground.

The high demand for New Year's holidays is explained by the availability of high-quality all-inclusive hotels, spas, and developed infrastructure in Anapa, according to Oksana Bulakh, Commercial Director of the Alean company.

"Anapa's major hotels have reached their planned occupancy levels for the holiday season," Kommersant quoted her as saying.

Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) has declared 141 beaches in Anapa and nine in the Temryuk District unsuitable for recreation. Signs informing the public of the swimming ban have been installed, and notices are also being displayed on video screens throughout Anapa.

The opening of Anapa's beaches remains in doubt.

Viktor Danilov-Danilyan, scientific director of the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, expressed doubts regarding the optimistic statements by Krasnodar Krai authorities about completing the work by the end of winter.

"I, for one, wouldn't make such a forecast. It's completely unclear what fuel oil has accumulated there now. It's unclear what's happening with the second ship, which sank rather than ran aground. There's a lot that's still unclear. I wouldn't make a forecast without waiting for more reliable information from those involved, including divers. Well, basically, I hope that by March it will be clear what's going on there," the National News Service quoted him as saying on December 10.

More than 90% of the fuel oil spilled during the tanker disaster has been collected, and fuel oil was removed from the bow of the Volgoneft-239 tanker in October and November, authorities reported.

"It's quite likely that by the next anniversary (2027) everything will be clear," the scientist noted.

Oil stains on the beach in Utrish. Screenshot from the "Makovozovy" Telegram channel, December 14, 2025, https://t.me/makovozovy/50072. Meanwhile, the Telegram channel "Makovozovy" published photos from a reader today, showing fresh emissions in Utrish. "Utrish surprised me today. Fuel oil all over the beach, small drops. I'll have to clean my shoes," he wrote.

In December 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait, resulting in catastrophic environmental consequences. Details can be found in the Caucasian Knot report " Fuel Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait ." Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been compiled by Caucasian Knot on the topic page " Eco-Disaster in Kuban ."

Fuel oil pollution in the Black Sea continues ; satellite images showed leaks from sunken tankers in August. Most of the fuel oil settled to the seabed, including in the area of Taman, Anapa, and the Bugay Spit, according to scientists from the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

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Source: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419086