Kuban hoteliers suffer losses due to demand of tourist vaccination

When accommodating into a hotel in the Kuban (the Krasnodar Territory, called like that by the name of the main river, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), tourists must present vaccination certificates or a promise to get the first vaccination within three days. The accommodation demands have reduced, as these demands scare tourists away, tourism professionals report.

From August 1, to get a hotel, sanatorium or boarding house room in the Kuban, a visitor must present a vaccination certificate in paper or electronic form, or a medical certificate of the established form stating that the person has had COVID-19 over the past six months, in this case he/she must have a PCR test, said Elena Kuzmina, director of a mini-hotel in the city of Anapa.

"Those unvaccinated can also move in, but they must sign an obligation to get vaccinated within three days. Honestly, so far, we had no such applicants. People learn about the novelties that took effect on August 1, and cancel their reservation," Ms Kuzmina has explained, adding that almost 50% of her potential guests have cancelled their reservations.

Tourists began leaving the resort territory en masse on July 30 and 31 because of the new restrictions, said Alexander, the owner of a small hotel in Gelendjik.

"It's August now; and I have 60% of rooms vacant. Even those, who had checked in earlier than August 1 and stayed in the hotel for more than two weeks, have left. We were told that they too must have vaccination certificates or sign a commitment to get vaccinated within three days. Otherwise, the fine imposed is 30,000 roubles," Alexander has explained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 3, 2021 at 06:30 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.