Crimean hoteliers missed the mark with their prices this New Year: tourists preferred private ones.

Tourist traffic to Crimea for the New Year holidays returned to pre-Soviet levels, reaching nearly 287 visitors, a third more than last year. However, hotel occupancy remained unchanged at 50%.

In some properties, two-thirds of the rooms remained vacant, despite the long weekend, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.

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Official statistics on the demand for Crimean resorts were published by the head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov. According to them, the average occupancy rate for hotels and resorts open during holidays was over 60%, while for resort complexes with developed infrastructure, it was 80% or more. However, data from Crimean tour operators yields more modest results.

"Compared to last year, the number of people and revenue declined by 20%. The average guest stay is the same as last year, 3,5 days. This was influenced by the cost, which is significantly higher than last year. Consequently, tourists spend less time in hotels," noted Andrey Pylov, head of the Crimean Tourism Alliance.

Accommodation prices during the New Year holidays were comparable to those during the summer. All-inclusive vacations started at 1,5 rubles per room and reached up to 15 million rubles for premium villas. New Year's banquets were an additional cost and, depending on the entertainment and catering options, ranged from 10 to 55 rubles per person.

As a result, tourism shifted from hotels to the private sector: guest houses and rental housing. Renting a cottage for a group of 10-15 people on New Year's Eve cost 15-20 thousand rubles.

"For several years, we've seen an increase in average rates and occupancy rates during the New Year holidays. But 2026 didn't repeat this trend. Sales and reservations were made momentarily until December 31, and occupancy rates at the Southern Coast of Crimea hotels barely approached 2025 levels. On New Year's Eve and the first days of January, occupancy was at 50%, then dropped to 30%. Guests stayed mostly for 2-3 days," emphasized Ekaterina Milchinskaya, regional director of the hotel management company Yupro Group.

Meanwhile, the embankments of Alushta and Yalta were crowded. Even more vacationers could be seen in Sevastopol – many had traveled from far and wide to attend the New Year's program at "New Chersonesus."

"There were more tourists in the New Chersonesus area than there were hotels nearby. Demand for celebrations was very high: the complex hosted various events for all ages daily. Plus, there were festive evening illuminations both in New Chersonesus and in central Sevastopol.

"But tourists stayed for 2-3 days, and most of them were from other regions: Moscow and the Moscow region, Siberia," clarified Yulia Bedash, head of the Sevastopol association "Union of Hospitality."

Over 8 people attended the "Main Sea Christmas Tree" at the Tavrida.ART youth center near Sudak. A daily entertainment program, a performance by the Santa Claus orchestra, a Christmas train for children, and the Sea Santa's residence were all free, as was an alley of 17 Christmas trees in a variety of formats: kokoshniks, film strips, forgotten beach items, and fresh vegetables.

The seaside Christmas tree of boats and anchors, illuminated at night, undoubtedly attracted visitors and residents of Crimea, especially since there were no other large-scale festive events in the region. The "New Year in Crimea Like Home" information campaign, which emphasized celebrating the holiday with family and friends, has already exhausted its potential: tourists want a holiday experience, at least during the few days they can afford to spend on vacation.

Overall, the New Year holidays prevented Crimea from reaching the projected 7 million tourist influx by 2025. Officially, 6,9 million people vacationed in Crimea, and if the moratorium on Anapa beaches is lifted this year, the tourism sector will have to lower prices to compete. This is very difficult given the transition to a unified tax system and the increase in VAT.