The opening of the Crimean bridge will not help the tourist flow – experts
If the movement of cars on the Crimean bridge opens ahead of schedule, it is likely to seriously affect the tourist flow to the peninsula. Experts believe that travelers who fly on airplanes will not switch to cars.
The industry is confident that global change will take place next year when trucks and trains open.
The possible commissioning of the first stage of the Crimean bridge in the spring became clear after the statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Crimea, when he said: “I would like, of course, that people in the summer season could use the bridge.” I hope that everything will be done in due course, perhaps even ahead of schedule.” The Ministry of Transport later reported that the launch of road transport is scheduled for May 2018.
Against the background of this news, experts began to say that the number of tourists wishing to visit the peninsula will increase. However, tour operators do not think so.
Director of the tour operator Dolphin Sergey Romashkin believes that tour operators will not lose customers, only an unorganized tourist flow can grow, because independent tourists at the crossing will save time. The expert believes that due to the fact that the level of income of the population remains at the same level and does not grow, then there is no need to wait for the purchasing activity of tourist products.
Director of the travel agency "Ingostur" Alexander Kazin is sure that the Crimean peninsula does not spoil its tourists, because with the opening of the bridge you can get guaranteed faster, and there will be a guarantee of arrival time. The trip will not depend on a storm, for example.
A. Kazin draws attention to the fact that many accommodation facilities are more profitable to take from tour operators, therefore, companies will retain their customers.
The representative of the tour operator “Biblio Globus” in the Crimea Alexey Zalivin sees no prerequisites for a sharp increase in the popularity of the Crimea. He assumes that the eastern part of the peninsula - Kerch, Sudak, Feodosia, Koktebel - will be able to win, and suddenly something is unlikely to change quickly. The expert also refers to the fact that the road “Tavrida”, which will connect the cities of Crimea, by the upcoming summer season will not be ready, and this is guaranteed traffic jams.
A. Zalivin is sure that noticeable changes will occur only after the start of the movement of trucks and trains.
Photo: tourprom