From May 24 to June 6, 2026, the number of hotel reservations in the region's resorts decreased year-on-year by 31%, and in Sevastopol – by as much as 40%. – according to data from the Travelline platform, as reported by the business daily “Kommersant”. At the same time, throughout Russia, the number of reservations remained at the level of last year. As a result, Crimea ceased to be annexed one of the most popular tourist destinations for Russians — currently it accounts for only 1.5 percent. all sales.
Vice-president of the Association of Russian Travel Agencies, Sergei Romashkin, confirmed the decline in interest in vacationing in Crimea. As he emphasized, in the period from June 1 to June 7, compared to the previous week, the number of trips sold decreased by 20%. In turn, according to Travelline data from May 24 to June 6 in Crimea, 79 percent were canceled. reservations, and in Sevastopol – 71 percent.
“Nobody wants to get stuck because of fuel problems,” said Aleksan Mkrtchyan, founder of the Pink Elephant travel agency chain.
At the end of May 2026, restrictions on the sale of AI-95 and AI-92 gasoline were introduced in Crimea in connection with attacks by Ukrainian forces on the “Novorossiya” route, which connects Russia with the peninsula.
On June 4, the governor of Crimea, appointed by Moscow, Sergei Aksyonov, announced the suspension of the free sale of fuel. A similar solution was introduced in Sevastopol. Aksionov then announced that gas stations will be designated in Crimea where tourists will be able to refuel before leaving the region.
War and tourism
Due to the lack of regular air connections road transport is the main way to reach Crimea. According to calculations by the regional ministry of resorts and tourism, in 2025 as many as 76 percent guests used buses and passenger cars, and the remaining 24 percent it arrived by train.
The tourist season in Crimea starts after June 20. As a result of the current crisis, the peninsula may lose 3 to 4 million tourists, Mkrtczian predicts. In his opinion, the fuel situation is unlikely to improve and the Russians will rather choose Anapa. — Last year, Crimea benefited from Anapa's problems [po wycieku mazutu na wybrzeżu]this year, as you can see, the situation will be the opposite, he sums up.
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The war is increasingly affecting the lives of Russians, including tourism. Hotels in Sochi are entering the summer season with a bang falling occupancy due to the leakage of petroleum products into the Black Sea and regular drone attacks.
Despite a noticeable drop in prices, the resort is not yet able to attract tourists. According to data from the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), in May the cost of accommodation dropped by over 15 percent, but only 25-30 percent were sold for the summer. rooms. Data from Hotel Advisors show that the price decline has been going on for several months. In March it was 6.8 percent. year to year, in April – 12.9% and in May – 15.4%.
Despite this, in the period January-April, hotel occupancy on the coast decreased by 14.2%, and in the mountain cluster – by 5.9%.
Aviation breakdown
One of the main reasons are restrictions on airport operations resulting from the “Kowier” plan, which is regularly introduced in connection with drone attacks, says Daria Nemkova from Hotel Advisors. — Guests are currently choosing trips to Sochi very carefully. Stability and safety are important to them, the expert notes.
The decline in interest in relaxing in Sochi is also due to ecological problems in the region: oil spill after the tanker disaster in December 2024, new oil spills off the coast of Anapa after drone attacks on ships in the Black and Azov Seas, and oil rains in Tuapse after the refinery was hit.
From Friday, June 5 the operations of the airport in Russia's Sochi are seriously disrupted. Thousands of passengers have been unable to fly out of the resort for several days, reports the Mash propaganda channel on Telegram. As the authors note, during this time the airport was open for a total of only eight minutes. 39 arrivals and 37 departures were delayed and a further 17 flights were canceled.
Dense crowds of people gathered in the terminals. There are practically no free seats: passengers are forced to sit and lie directly on the floor, using towels and tourist mats.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
