Anapa residents named factors influencing the restoration of tourist flow.

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The tourist flow in Anapa is affected not only by the prolonged filling of beaches with imported sand, but also by regular air raids and problems with fuel availability.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", on June 24, in Anapa, after cleaning and replacing the sand, a 3.5-kilometer-long beach from the Bimlyuk sanatorium to the Ryabinushka sanatorium was removed from the danger zone.

The ongoing filling of some of Anapa's beaches is creating inconveniences for Local public figures, hotel owners, and tourism market participants interviewed by a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on June 26 believe that the restoration of tourist flow is hampered not only by the consequences of the environmental crisis but also by regular air raids, fuel shortages, and transportation accessibility.

"Most of the beaches are already open, while work is still underway on some, and tourist flow is gradually recovering after the disastrous last year. ⁠<...> Active work is currently underway from the Ryabinushka sanatorium to the Okhta beach. The section between the Bimlyuk and Ryabinushka sanatoriums has already been restored. The section where work is underway is inaccessible for swimming, but people can relax nearby. <...> Tourists from hotels near the areas being repaired have to use other, already open beaches. This creates certain inconveniences. To attract guests, hoteliers are holding back "They're offering discounts of 10-15%, and some offer discounts of up to 30%," said Elena Leitan, chair of the Mayak TOS in Anapa.

The main reason for complaints is the quality of imported sand.

According to her, vacationers and local residents have different opinions about the quality of imported sand. "There are some negative reviews. The main reason for complaints is the quality of the imported sand. Tourists and activists note that it differs greatly from natural Anapa sand, containing clay that is difficult to remove from clothing and hardens after rain. There are complaints about marshy areas and the smell of mud, as well as individual fragments of fuel oil. But there are also positive aspects: some vacationers note that the staff are working hard to smooth out the sand, and overall, it's safe to swim," she said.

In her opinion, several factors influenced tourists' decisions to vacation in Anapa: "beach accessibility, prices (which are currently holding back), the overall environmental situation, and the publicity surrounding fuel oil." "Anapa has recovered from the fuel oil, but is still under attack from drones," Leitan believes.

The private sector is currently stagnating, with few people.

Elena Bolshakova, the owner of a mini-hotel on Pionersky Prospekt, called the booking situation difficult. "Reservations were cancelled after the fire in Tuapse, then because of the beach fill, and now because of the lack of gasoline. The private sector is currently stagnating, with few people. There are more sellers than buyers, and canteens and bars are empty," the entrepreneur said.

She confirmed that "filling work continues around the clock." "However, it's difficult to call imported sand 'sand' at all. It's construction sand from a quarry in Temryuk - one clay. Work has already been completed at Tortuga Beach, with sun loungers and canopies installed and a minibus service launched, but overall, the dirty and unmaintained beaches, sirens, explosions, and lack of gasoline and train tickets are putting people off,” Bolshakova believes.

Oleg Yantzen, a member of the Anapa city parliament and leader of the Anapa Civil movement, also confirmed that residents continue to criticize the quality of the imported sand. “The sand, to put it mildly, is not what it should be. There are chunks of clay in there. Both residents and public figures have written extensively about this on our channel,” he said.

Yantzen also believes that “a combination of factors influences tourist flow.” “The main reasons are drone flights, the residual negative effect of the fuel oil crisis, and problems with gasoline. All of this "It creates the general background," the deputy said.

At first, they really did bring in very poor-quality sand, but after the outcry, the situation seemed to have been corrected.

Civil activist Ilya Gogolinsky noted that the number of complaints about the quality of the beaches has decreased. "At first, they really did bring in very poor-quality sand, but after the outcry, the situation seemed to have been corrected. Now we don't hear many complaints. Maybe people are just tired of complaining. But there are still few vacationers on the beaches," he said.

According to the activist, the situation in Crimea is also contributing to the redistribution of tourist flow. "It probably works on the principle of communicating vessels," Gogolinsky believes.

Local Communist Party of the Russian Federation member Rostislav Shcherbakov reported that about ten days ago he observed sand being delivered to the Central Beaches while tourists were vacationing. "The sand has clay in it, river sand, not sea sand," he noted.

Olga Vlasova, an activist and owner of a guest house in the Sukko district, reported similar complaints.

"There are complaints about the quality of the sand—it contains clay. The situation with the special military operation also influences tourists' decisions to come: drone alarms are sounded and sirens are sounded almost daily in Anapa. Now there's also a problem with gasoline on the M-4 highway," she said.

Some of those surveyed are optimistic about the recovery of tourist flow, expecting a "gradual recovery," while others believe it's time to give up on the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory.

As a reminder, the resort season in Anapa opened amid a sharp contrast in the state of the coast. Some beaches are open and considered safe, while other areas are closed due to erosion, unstable soil, and environmental risks. Which beaches are ready for visitors and which are dangerous is discussed in the "Caucasian Knot" report "Anapa Beaches: Open and Dangerous Zones".

On December 5, 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. A crew member of one of the tankers died as a result. In addition, an oil spill occurred, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences. consequences, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait".

Materials about the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by the "Caucasian Knot" on the page "Eco-disaster in Kuban".

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