Spring has arrived, and for those who postponed their vacation plans for the warm months, choices have been made. According to the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), early March saw the number of tours booked to Anapa for the summer season of 2025 among Russians fall by 60-65% compared to the same period last year, largely due to the repercussions of the fuel oil spill from December 2024.
Alexandra Lyamina, head of Bon Voyage Express, shared with Pobeda26 reporter about the current trends in tour bookings. Despite the decline for Anapa, she noted the stability in demand for trips overall, with many tourists having already made reservations through to autumn 2025. "The Black Sea coast remains vast, and even though demand for Anapa is ambiguous due to unresolved questions about the upcoming season, many tourists are still considering it," she pointed out.
The fluctuated interest can mainly be attributed to the uncertainty surrounding the readiness of Anapa to welcome guests this season. "Many residents of Stavropol are now opting for alternative resorts, but interest in Anapa has not completely diminished," Lyamina remarked. The Black Sea region offers ample choices, allowing tourists to select from resorts like Gelendzhik, Tuapse district, and Greater Sochi.
Anna Safronova, director of the Apelsin travel agency, corroborated Lyamina’s observations of stable demand for Black Sea resorts. Yet, anxiety looms among tourists because of missing verified information about the cleanliness of the beaches post-spill. "Despite the incident with the fuel oil spill, the enthusiasm among Stavropol residents for the Black Sea area remains quite significant. People are being cautious and showing interest about beach conditions," she stated.
On March 6, 2025, INTERFAX reported small oil spills discovered after storms on three Anapa beaches, near the Premiera health center, boarding house Selena, and the Feya-2 holiday home. Monitoring groups continue to delicately clean up the affected beach areas, with priority on the removal of new contaminations found after the recent storms. The oil spill incident began on December 15, when the tankers Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 suffered catastrophes leading to approximately 2,400 tons of fuel oil entering the sea.
Given this backdrop, authorities now discuss the restoration of 141 Anapa beaches spanning 15 kilometers and 9 beaches within the Temryuk district covering 1.6 kilometers, as confirmed by Mikhail Zaritsky, Acting Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the Krasnodar Territory. Cleanup procedures include potentially sourcing clean sand from nearby quarries. "We understand the sand requirements; it can either come from local quarries within 50 kilometers radius, or we can extract it from the water to maintain quality standards," Zaritsky explained at the meeting focused on the tourism season's outlook.
Ecologist Georgy Kavanosyan has voiced concerns over the need for proper sand characteristics for the recovery process to succeed. "Only quartz sand with predominant citrine quartz grains is deemed suitable for Anapa’s beaches, as it lends the desired light hues when sunlit," he mentioned, highlighting the aesthetic expectations residents have.
Government officials are also exploring economic support for the tourism sector. Vice Mayor of Anapa, Vitaly Voronov, noted efforts are underway to construct 15,000 new hotel rooms within the resort. With 17 investment projects set to bolster the tourism industry, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation is dedicated to introducing tax modifications and redefining lease payment structures as means to assist businesses during challenging times.
A consideration of support measures includes offering microloans of up to 5 million rubles at 2% interest rates to hotels, enabling them to manage costs more effectively till the end of 2025. With options to alleviate fiscal burdens, the regional government hopes to revitalize the tourism industry soon.
For many residents of Stavropol dreaming of overseas excursions, favorite destinations currently include Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Maldives. Nevertheless, domestic tourism has seen resurgent interest among some travelers. Excursion tours through Russia’s historical cities such as Moscow, Kazan, and St. Petersburg remain popular. There’s increasing enthusiasm for adventure activities and eco-tourism, particularly around the Caucasus mountains, Elbrus, and regions like Altai and Karelia, attracting visitors with their captivating landscapes and active recreation opportunities.
Market players note how cultural and historical routes to smaller Russian cities, including Pskov and Veliky Novgorod, are gaining traction. “Active travel throughout the Caucasus, featuring excursions to historical sites, is on the rise,” Anna Safronova added, emphasizing the relevance of local tourism.
Despite the current turmoil, the indomitable spirit of travelers assures the Black Sea coast remains lively, with Anapa planning its restoration amid shifting preferences and new opportunities for making waves this summer.