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  • Empty beaches at Crimean resorts

    Tourist Season A Washout In Annexed Crimea
    July 05, 2014



    If some Crimeans are still enthusiastic about their region's annexation by Russia, tourism workers are not among them. With Crimea now under Russian control, Ukrainians, who traditionally account for two-thirds of tourists to the region, are snubbing it in favor of other destinations. European vacationers, deterred by Russia's controversial takeover and the current bloodshed between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, are also steering away from Crimean shores. Moscow has pulled out all the stops in an effort to boost the number of Russians spending their summer break on the peninsula. But as the promised stream of Russian visitors fails to materialize, the many Crimeans relying on tourism for their livelihoods are reporting catastrophic losses.

    "This season has simply fallen through," says Lyudmila Zaitseva, who runs a small tourist agency in the seaside resort of Yevpatoria. "For me, joining Russia has brought many troubles." Zaitseva says business is so slow this year that she has had to fire her three employees. "I still go to the office, but there's almost nothing for me to do there," she tells RFE/RL. "Never before have I had spare time to go to the beach in the summer." If Zaitseva is hoping for company down by the seaside, she's not getting it. Yevpatoria's beaches, usually jam-packed with tourists at this time of the year, are now eerily empty. "There's no one there," laments Zaitseva. "The last time this happened was in 1970, when we had a cholera epidemic."

    According to Crimea's Resort and Tourism Ministry, the flow of vacationers dropped 35 percent in the first half of this year. Last month, the peninsula celebrated its one-million-and-first tourist this year -- a Russian woman who was eventually awarded a free hotel stay by the ministry. The figure, however, is a sharp drop from the 1.7 million vacationers who traveled to Crimea over the same period of 2013. This is ominous news for Crimea, where tourism has long been a cornerstone of the economy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the price of round-trip air tickets from Moscow to be reduced to $214, compared to a normal fare of $385. Russian authorities are also offering subsidized train tickets to Crimea. A round-the-clock call center has been set up to assist potential vacationers, state-run television channels relentlessly advertise the peninsula as a tourist haven, and several state-owned corporations have answered government calls to buy package tours to Crimea for their employees.

    So far, these measures have failed to offset the loss of tourists from Ukraine. Compounding the problem is a relentless campaign by state-controlled Russian television to portray Ukraine as a strife-torn country teeming with Russian-hating skinheads. To reach Crimea by land, most Russians have to travel through Ukraine. In addition to tainting Crimea's image as a beach paradise, the annexation has also caused significant discomfort for vacationers. Local prices have shot up by about 30 percent since the region switched to the ruble. And with most banks pulling out of Crimea in recent months, withdrawing money has also become an issue. The Russian Federal Tourism Agency has warned of "possible difficulties with the use of credit cards" in Crimea, saying as few as 56 cash machines accepting Visa and Mastercard were operating across the entire peninsula. A Russian run on food products in Crimea, significantly cheaper than in Russia, has also created shortages. Crimean authorities have had to impose limits on the amount of flour, milk, eggs and other staples that can be taken out of the peninsula.

    Transportation, however, remain the biggest hurdle. International flights have been suspended, Western-operated cruise ships no longer dock in Crimea, and ferries carrying Russian tourists are already overcrowded. "Airline flights cannot provide us with the necessary quantity of tourists, they have a limited capacity," says Dilyara Yakubova, a hotel and restaurant owner in Yevpatoria. "Ferries can't cope, either. When a person stands for 14-15 hours on a ferry and just as much time -- if not more -- on the way back, the holiday is a little spoiled. This is obviously not very encouraging for people who come here to relax."
    Yakubova's facility caters for well-heeled tourists interested in ethnography and Crimean Tatar culture. Despite dramatically slashing prices in a bid to attract tourists, more than half of her hotel's 24 rooms remain empty. As a result, her business is generating only a quarter of her previous revenue. "The flow of tourists has been very, very modest," she says.

    Those Russians who opted for a summer vacation in Crimea have mixed feelings about the experience. While newcomers seem happy enough to lounge on the beach, regular tourists are not impressed by the deserted restaurants, shuttered shops, and somewhat glum atmosphere. "It was livelier last year, it was a lot more fun," says this young Russian man vacationing in Sudak. "Now it's dead and expensive."
    Source

    I own a residence in Alushta on the southern coast of Crimea. The beaches there are virtually empty as I forecast back in February.
    sigpic

  • #2
    Maybe Putin can create an exclusive "workers paradise" to offset this sad but predictable turn of events?

    Naaah.

    The Crimea will one day recover. Even without Putin's meddling hands. Faster were it returned to its rightful owners but the turf is a unique gem long coveted by Russians with a healthy range of hills to shield it from the worst of Russian winters. Really can't find that anywhere of note within Russia so they've got that goin' for them.

    Which is nice.
    "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
    "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by S2 View Post
      Maybe Putin can create an exclusive "workers paradise" to offset this sad but predictable turn of events?
      Crimea is in shambles. The peninsula economy is dependent upon three pillars... subsidies from Ukraine, tourism, and agriculture. Ukrainian subsidies have ended. The tourism industry is in the toilet. Inflation and unemployment are rapidly rising. Banking is a nightmare. Food staples and motor fuel are rationed. The agriculture industry is about to experience a devastating blow. Russia has turned off the supply of natural gas to Ukraine. In return, Ukraine has restricted the flow of fresh water to Crimea. The North Water Canal is the main source for drinking/irrigation water in Crimea.

      In normal times...



      Today...

      sigpic

      Comment


      • #4
        And can't wait to see how full the skiers paradise of Sochi gets!
        “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
        Mark Twain

        Comment


        • #5
          Well, those memes about Putin being some sort of Russian Bismarck really look harsher in hindsight now.

          Wonder where all that money from Murmansk went? (Yes, it'd take a while to have significant effects, to be fair).

          Comment


          • #6
            You mean Putin is one these?

            Attached Files
            “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
            Mark Twain

            Comment


            • #7
              Buck,

              Niiiice...
              "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
              "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

              Comment


              • #8
                ?

                Attached Files

                Comment


                • #9
                  I watched a lot of such BS about Sochi during Olymics. Seems to the westerners feel special joy slinging mud on Russia. :)

                  Crimean webcams, including beaches:

                  Web ?????? ?????
                  Âĺá-ęŕěĺđű Ęđűěŕ / Ęđűě.net
                  Âĺá ęŕěĺđű Ęđűěŕ - Web ęŕěĺđű - Âĺá-ęŕěĺđű Ęđűěŕ îíëŕéí. Âĺá ęŕěĺđű Ôĺîäîńčč. Ńóäŕę âĺá ęŕěĺđŕ - Ęđűě

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Minskaya View Post
                    Russia has turned off the supply of natural gas to Ukraine. In return, Ukraine has restricted the flow of fresh water to Crimea.
                    What is it?
                    Lack of information or...

                    Ukraine has stopped supplying water to Crimea through the North Crimean water channel, deputy Prime Minister for Regional Policy Volodymyr Groysman told the Kyiv Post on April 25.
                    Groysman: Ukraine shuts off Crimea's water tap
                    Gazprom Cuts Russia’s Natural Gas Supply to Ukraine
                    JUNE 16, 2014
                    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/wo...s-dispute.html
                    As we can easily see, no way it can be "in return". Ukraine blocked water supply more than one and half a month before Gazprom stoped deliveries of gas for Ukraine due to non-payments. By the way, all this time Ukraine got gas for free. It's still not paid.

                    Cimea offered to pay for water a higher price but Ukraine refused. Ukrainians hoped to exhaust Crimeans through thirst. But they failed. As usual.
                    Last edited by MrSecond; 07 Jul 14,, 22:53.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by MrSecond View Post
                      I watched a lot of such BS about Sochi during Olymics. Seems to the westerners feel special joy slinging mud on Russia. :)
                      And then there are lemmings that have to spring to the defense of Mother Russia on Internet forums. :whome:

                      The only mystery is, how much are they being paid?
                      “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
                        And then there are lemmings that have to spring to the defense of Mother Russia on Internet forums. :whome:
                        I am sorry there are not more Russians and Ukrainians spreading their views. Reminder of the chronology of the events comes handy.

                        The only mystery is, how much are they being paid?
                        Feelgood.
                        No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                        To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                          I am sorry there are not more Russians and Ukrainians spreading their views. Reminder of the chronology of the events comes handy. Feelgood.
                          Dok, I was referring to the Russian "50 Centers" rather than ordinary people expressing their genuine views.
                          “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
                            Dok, I was referring to the Russian "50 Centers" rather than ordinary people expressing their genuine views.
                            Sure, but even one-sided propaganda has some truth in it. It's better to have more sources.
                            No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                            To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              People would be back again sooner or later.

                              It's a nice place.

                              Comment

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