Beach problems have forced Anapa hoteliers to curb prices.

Anapa hotel owners have decided not to raise prices this season due to problems with the beaches. To attract tourists, hotels and resorts are offering promotions and discounts.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the resort season in Anapa opened amid a sharp contrast in coastal conditions. Some beaches are open and deemed safe, while others are closed due to erosion, unstable soil, and environmental risks. On June 16, online users questioned the quality of the sand on Anapa's beaches. New sand on Anapa's beaches, already eroded by waves, is unlikely to survive winter storms, they noted.

Following the announcement of the beaches' opening in Anapa, there has been no significant increase in hotel prices. Their owners are keeping prices down to attract tourists, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported.

"Accommodation costs have increased by only 5-10% compared to May – within the normal seasonal dynamics. Hoteliers are still maintaining a cautious pricing policy. Many properties are maintaining discounts of 10-15%, while some hotels and resorts are offering promotions of up to 30%," Interfax reported on June 16, citing the association's statement.

Hotel owners don't want to scare off tourists with sharp rate increases after the difficult last season. The association believes that a massive increase in Anapa hotel prices is not expected this year, and occupancy rates at popular hotels during peak season could reach 80-90%.

"Demand for vacations in Anapa this summer has already increased by 30-40% compared to last year. Analysts cite the shift of some tourists from other Black Sea destinations as one of the reasons," explained the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.

This year, tourist flow to Anapa is expected to reach 3.8-4 million tourists. In 2024, considered a successful year, the resort welcomed 5.5 million tourists, while in 2025, only 3 million.

As a reminder, the swimming season in Anapa started on June 1 and will last until September 30, with 49 beaches open.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that three officials assured the safety of Anapa's beaches on June 6, comparing them to the French Riviera and the sand to Thailand. The officials' claims are unsubstantiated, and the prolonged sand-filling process is discouraging tourists, Telegram users noted. Scientists from the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered layers of fuel oil near Dzhemete, as well as shellfish and crustaceans contaminated with it.

As a reminder, on December 15, 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, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fuel Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait".

Materials on 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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