Russia’s Black Sea coastal resorts including popular holiday destination Sochi will no longer accept tourists who haven’t been vaccinated against the coronavirus starting later this summer, Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev announced Thursday.
The restrictions come as Moscow and St. Petersburg battle surging Covid-19 infections and deaths driven by the highly infectious Delta variant and a stubbornly slow uptake of vaccines. In a bid to drive up vaccination rates, Moscow has announced compulsory vaccination for service workers and its restaurants will soon refuse service to customers who lack vaccination, immunity or a negative Covid-19 test.
Starting next month, Krasnodar region hotels and guest houses will only accept tourists who present a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test.
From Aug. 1, the region’s sanatoriums, hotels and summer camps will only welcome vaccinated tourists.
Regional authorities have also ordered compulsory vaccination for tourism-sector workers starting Wednesday.
The Krasnodar region confirmed 123 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday.
Russians unable to travel abroad due to Covid restrictions have flocked to their country’s Black Sea coast this summer, with local hotels booked up to 90% capacity.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
