Shine and poverty of the black sea. In Crimea and Sochi at the different evaluations of the tourist season-2017

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Блеск и нищета Черноморья. В Крыму и в Сочи по-разному оценивают туристический сезон-2017

The authorities of the Crimea for the first time during his stay in Russia admitted that the tourism industry of the Peninsula has serious problems. “Unfortunately, in the tourism industry we have everything goes so smoothly as we would like.
Show completely… There are many problems that are due to external factors such as changes in the us dollar, the opening of Turkey, transport logistics and domestic” — said on 9 September, the head of the Council of Ministers of Crimea Larisa opanasyuk. Words opanasyuk sounded all the more surprising that until recently, Crimean officials said that in 2017, the season will be “not worse than the last” (the last, according to official data, was successful).
In neighboring Crimea Krasnodar region were also optimistic — Kuban is targeting 16 million tourists. And 12.6 million already received. Local authorities estimate the tourist season is very positive.
What do you think the people working in the tourism sector? Whether in the Crimea, the season failed, and the Kuban were successful? The correspondent of the “New” visited “pearls” are the main resorts of the country — Yalta and Sochi to find out the answers to these questions.

Interview for the hash

The main gate of the city, with its bus station. Arriving buses meet women of different ages with signs “apartment”. Carefully ask: “Housing need? Inexpensive”. Their taxi drivers shouting: “AI-Petri! Miskhor! Alushta!” Under 30-degree sun, these people are “working” all day. Rentiers and taxi drivers-barkers in the Crimea — a separate caste, they always gets the first impression of tourists from the Peninsula. The main “weapon” of their work — assertiveness and cunning: “you will not find Cheaper, man. 60 rubles per kilometer, well fuck it — 45”. Normal price taxi at the same time — 20 rubles per kilometer.
— Rent an apartment? are you interested in Granny 60 years.
— Yes, its. 10 minutes to the sea. Hot water, Internet,… all have shops nearby, cafes, thrown to list it, and I can barely ask “How much?” “Actually two, but for fifteen you give” — grandma with a smile, takes my hand.

Galina Stepanovna difficult season. But even from him, she squeezes the most. I know that the apartment without a receipt I don’t care but to talk about tourists, it would be by the way, the grandmother asks:
“And what do I benefit from this?” And in five seconds it finds this benefit: “Well, come on seagulls we will drink, talk. But you’re gonna pay”.
Gulls is not exactly a Cup of tea. Three minutes that we go down to the station cafe, Galina Stepanovna complaining about the hard life: “at seven in the morning to the bus station come. Sometimes sit the whole day, and no one will take [the apartment]. Especially now, when the season ends. Early and hour to sit was not necessary: the Ukrainian family will come, four people, and you check. For 300-400 hryvnia. Family inexpensively obtained, and the Ukrainians just right. Well it’s not Russian. Russian claims”. He ends his speech Galina Stepanovna already at the table: “What acrocheck wanted”. Here’s gulls.
However, the hash plate with two slices of bread in the station cafe is inexpensive — 130 rubles.
— This season the worst in 2014 — says Galina Stepanovna, helping himself to the food. — Come mainly cells still lack: a day or two. They are in Alushta yesterday was, today in Yalta, Sevastopol tomorrow to go. Only twice during the summer for two weeks, people stopped. And a quarter of the season, the apartment stood empty.
Why?
— Don’t you see? It’s September and the temperature is 31 degrees. All summer 35-40. Who should be in a steam room?
Other reasons for an unsuccessful season, in addition to climatic, Galina Stepanovna sees.

Ransomware

On the promenade of the sunset season is visible especially clearly. Sunbathing becomes less. On the shingle stacks are made by storm algae is not removed, it seems to a week. The sea also ceased to clean the shores of the packages floating box of vegetables.
— Hey, man, don’t want to be photographed? to me a hug is an animator dressed as a Zebra from “Madagascar”. With him the man in the brown shirt. The first reaction is to refuse, but curiosity prevails: it is said that for the image when it has been done, the animators begin to extort money.
Accompanying “Zebra” male snaps of us on my camera and then shows: “Beautiful? You 200 rubles.” The camera down it does not release.
— What?
— Oh, okay. Take a hike, kid — throws the man, immediately deleting the photo.
“Zebra” before the end of the “negotiations”, continues to look for customers. Among other entertainers for a half hour at the Yalta embankment I met a lion from “Madagascar”, the hare from “Nu, pogodi!” and the huge size of the Panda.
Not to say that in Yalta is do nothing to restore order on the waterfront. For example, in August removed from all points of the bikes and electrical engineering (gyrometer, children’s cars), which the campers walked along the main street of the city, and then jumping over the young drivers. And even at the place of overlapping views of the sea and demolished in the past year the trading complex “Food”, despite the wishes of former mayor Andrew Rostenko, nothing is built.

“Return the dollar to 30”

The hotel “Mariino” is one of the oldest in Yalta: its construction began in 1840. And one of the most remarkable: there lived Chekhov, Bulgakov, Mayakovsky, Gorky… the First line from the sea, gorgeous views of the waterfront and the port of Yalta lighthouse.
— As the season? Yes, there was him, hopelessly waving his hand, the administrator Andrew. — In the Ukraine hotel was considered upscale, but now we have lowered the price to medium. For example, the Suite cost $500 and was always busy, and now costs $300 and is empty. Yes suites! A regular room with sea view — 3100 rubles, and no takers! The cheapest room in the attic — 1050 rubles. But people say, “Expensive.”
As Galina Stepanovna from the private sector, Andrew believes the season-2017 the failure in the last four years.
In 2014-2015-ies was such specificity: Muscovites and Petersburgers came to Yalta to buy here apartment. And stayed with us for a day or two. That is, stayed a short time, but regularly. Some left, others came.

Last year banned the Turkey, and season also turned out good — 90% of workload we had. This year the workload is about half. And it’s on the waterfront, and even at bargain prices.
According to Andrew, the reason for the poor season that the Russians have become poorer.
— Rich got here your own home; poor to Yalta and did not go; and those who had an average income, now the Crimea is not pulled. Look here: tickets from Moscow — 9,000 rubles per person, accommodation — well, let 2000 a day for food, 1000 rubles per person per day. For a family of 4 people get 93 000. It’s no fun.
— Is there a way to change something?
— Return the dollar to 30! — cuts off Andrew. And adds. — Understand that this is unrealistic.
To save on food and accommodation in Yalta unlikely. A kilogram of potatoes at the local market costs 45 rubles, cabbage — 35, a kilo of pork — from 350 rubles, bread — 18 rubles. From this we can make soup. The same lunch in a cafe on the waterfront will cost 600 rubles. That is, the savings on food — 148 rubles, provided that instead of relaxing I have to stand over the stove. Housing within 1500 rubles is usually a kilometer or more from the waterfront.

To carry out of the Crimea

Traditional beach activities — banana boats and jet skis — on the seafront of Yalta’t find. For them, the season apparently ended.
As one, refuse to communicate, people shilling on “sea walks”. Small business on the waterfront actually looks closed from prying eyes. The conversation is not agreed without hesitation, a woman of forty, selling excursions.
Tourists now have become independent, she says. They offer, for example, to go to the Vorontsovsky Palace, swallow’s nest. 1000 rubles per person, bus tour. No. Go to the bus station, go to the Palace on the bus, standing; ‘re just going round the Park. Well, save, of course. Four hundred rubles.
The seller of the city holds a booklet with excursions to the Crimea in other regions of Russia. In Adygea — 12 000 rubles for 5 nights tour “Volga Venice” (Elista—Astrakhan—Rostov-on-don) — 21 300 rubles for 9 nights. You can even for 10 nights to go to Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod 30 of 500 rubles per person.
Is not we offer it in Sevastopol. But we will probably be too soon priorieties on domestic tourists. I mean, Crimean Peninsula with drive, and not our guests in the Crimea.

Sochi. Indignant “Grantee”

My first acquaintance in Sochi turns out to be a taxi driver. Murat catches me at the exit of the airport.
— Olympic Park? — asks again. — 400 roubles will cost.
First, decide to wait for the bus. Along the way surprised that there were grandmothers with signs “Housing”. The bus doesn’t come for 10 minutes, 15, 20. Call a cab, but the dispatcher called the same amount: 400 rubles. In the end, come to Murat.
— It was better to go. Now the city in traffic jams will rise, he says, and checks the Navigator. — Yeah, rose.
Murat is semi-official taxi driver: works and “the office” — that is, for a taxi service, and themselves. “At the airport usually try to catch the man himself, so the Commission to pay 50 rubles is not superfluous,” he says.
We make our way through the thick of the Sochi traffic.
Is it for tourists? — ask.
— Yes, tourists are complete. Vaughn Dagestan is (pointing to the car in front), there’s growth. Where are you from?
Learning that I am from Crimea and that the Peninsula with a tourist problem, Murat instantly turns into an expert.
And I’ll explain why in the Crimea. I myself last year was there. Those same taxi drivers. You are shameless. Where have you seen that people from the airport to the “Lada Grant” met? You’re in Sochi now at least one domestic saw? Kia, Toyota… what is the “Grant” might be? And the rates are the same.
Claims to the Crimean hotels have Murata no, but from the prices on the Peninsula, he is not happy. “Well, how can it be that the grapes were worth 140-150 rubles? You grow, we grow. But we have 100 rubles worth, and you have more.”
However, to go to the Crimea again Murat still plans. When finish building the Kerch bridge. “See what you have there will change,” he says.

“We don’t have bad seasons”

What is really striking in Sochi, so it’s not the taxi drivers, foreign cars, and a variety of housing options. The Olympic Park you can rent a room in a luxury hotel Radisson for 5500 roubles, a bed in a hostel Olimp 600. Stop at budget-friendly option.
— Do you have a reservation for one night, administrator Natalia thoughtfully looking at the computer.
Ask: is it possible to extend? Natalia shakes her head: “Alas, everything is already taken”.
To explain the popularity of the hostel is taken by its owner Ivan Lungu. At the same time said that the wrong doing of the Crimean hoteliers.
— I assume that in business you cannot wait for the sea weather. Have you rented a bed space for 600 rubles, booked in advance. But if the place hadn’t been booked, then in the evening its price would drop to 500 or even up to 400 rubles. Very often, a person decides where to stop at the last moment. And then we make him a lucrative offer. Same with private rooms — we have room for 4000, but if we see that it does not take, is lower the price. The price should be constantly floating, depending on demand. And in the Crimea? If the hotelier has decided that the room costs 3500 rubles, it is that price does not move. No customers — well, no. Maybe tomorrow someone will take over 3500. This is wrong.
According to Lungu, in the Crimea, to attract undecided with hotel tourists use Soviet methods.
— Was surprised to learn that hotels have partnered with the taxi driver, or order is at information desks at the airport. That is, there are still these albums that taxi drivers carry with them and show guests. And often what is shown, not true: that is, the person agrees to move into the room with the pictures, and there is no number or it is busy. And all this takes place in the era of the aggregators like “Booking”. For example, we have partnered with six of the largest aggregators. And we have occupancy at an average of 80% is a good indicator.
Although, it is recognized Ivan, the bad seasons in the Krasnodar region and does not happen. Even the opening of the Turkey this year didn’t hurt at Sochi. “Minus ten percent of the tourists to the maximum,” he says.
Apart from the factors that depend on the entrepreneurs themselves, Lungu sees and those which should take care of the state.
— We have clean beaches and Sewerage does not go into the sea. In Crimea, the drains often go where people bathe. In addition, Sochi has a good infrastructure after the Olympics. And people come to watch including the Olympic facilities. That is, without significant infusions from the state, without any interesting projects in the Crimea is still not able to compete.
“We do not impose”

Go to the Olympic Park. Surprisingly, it’s pretty empty. Most of the visitors — cyclists.
People really line up to the booths neighboring Olympic “Sochi Park”. It’s an amusement Park with roller coaster and 60-meter Ferris wheel. The admission fee is quite expensive — 1580 roubles from the person, but people stand to the counter for 5-10 minutes.
I’m in Saransk will not be able to reduce the child on the roller coaster. We do not, — says one of waiting. — And in America for roller coasters to fly as it is expensive.
Seizing the moment when the queue vanishes, we approach the cashier. “You always such a fuss?” — “All the time. Still the same Internet book!”
Walk down to the promenade. First impression — there are no animators. Already standing knee-deep in the water, I hear a familiar theme: “we Invite you on a sea voyage along the coast of Sochi!” Well, I guess now begins the hype, but no: the following announcement only ten minutes later. I went to the kiosk, which offers “walking”.
Something you inactive trading.
The seller is confused: “Yes, we do does not impose. Just inform”.
And as a result?
— Well for 4-5 walks a day sometimes. I can’t complain.

The Childish AI-Petri

The next day go to the mountain resort of Rosa Khutor. He has the glory of the elite, but the “Buckingham” offers here three dozen rooms to 1,500 rubles. “Swallow” to Rose also costs acceptable 233 ruble.
People in the village, it seems, no less than in Sochi. Every third busy photography: mountains in the style of the Dutch architecture — there is something to shoot.
Prices for the ski lifts to the mountain tops from 850 to 2000 rubles, depending on what height is needed and is there a desire to see the local Park of the waterfalls.
— In winter there are more people? — I asked the man at the lift.
— Three times. But many are living right in the mountain Olympic village. Still skiing here.
Sergey (the name of the man) and he loves skiing.
— I was with you in the Crimea. Riding on the AI-Petri. But there is, of course, absolutely Amateur level: lifts no limitations. Childish.

Almost all workers torchere with whom I have talked, have been in the Crimea and studied his experiences. To the Peninsula to somehow catch up in the number of tourists to the Kuban, its businessmen will have to apply in Krasnodar Krai, many reciprocal visits.

Yalta—Sochi

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