Sochi hoteliers claim outflow of tourists

In Sochi, after the requirement of the vaccination had been imposed for tourists, the hotel occupancy rate has decreased by almost 1.5 times, and about a third of the resort’s guests refuse to be vaccinated, hotel owners complain.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that starting from August 1, tourists are required a certificate of vaccination to check into hotels, sanatoria, and boarding houses of the Krasnodar Territory. People who had survived the coronavirus infection in the last six months, who have a medical rejection of vaccination, and children under 14 years old inclusive are not required a certificate of vaccination to check into hotels. Unvaccinated tourists may also check into hotels and sanatoria if they are vaccinated against COVID-19 within three days.

The information about an outflow of tourists from Sochi hotels was confirmed by Svetlana Dudukchyan, the director of the “Zdorovy Mir Sochi” tour operator. “Tourists cancel their travels for August and September-October,” Svetlana Dudukchyan informed the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

Apartment hotels have also faced an outflow of tourists after the introduction of the vaccination requirement since April 1, reports Fofi Lamzhieva, the manager of the Shanti Palace Apartment Hotel. “As soon as the new conditions of accommodation had been introduced, people started to massively cancel bookings, and more than 90 percent of bookings starting from August 1 have been cancelled. Unvaccinated people are required to sign a voluntary consent to vaccination within three days, and they just turn around at hotel reception and leave ... Where are they going? They find accommodation at apartments in private sector,” Fofi Lamzhieva told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 5, 2021 at 08:18 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.