"Abkhazian Union of Tourism" reports tourists' massive refusal to travel to Abkhazia

Explosions at an ammunition depot in the village of Primorskoe have provoked a "powerful wave of tourists' refusals." Anna Kalyagina, the president of the “Abkhazian Union of Tourism”, has reported this.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in the afternoon on August 2, an explosion occurred at the ammunition depot near the village of Primorskoe in the Gudauta District of Abkhazia. The fire that followed the explosion resulted in detonation of shells. According to the Abkhazian Ministry for Public Health, 64 people were injured during the explosions. Two female residents of Saint Petersburg died from shrapnel wounds.

According to Anna Kalyagina, the president of the "Abkhazian Union of Tourism", many of the potential tourists called already during the explosions in the Gudauta District. However, when they found out what was happening, they refused to come to Abkhazia. Meanwhile, Anna Kalyagina notes that the people who have not yet arrived to the country refuse to come, whereas those people who are already in Abkhazia prefer not to leave, the RIA "Novosti" reported on August 5.

Russian tour operators also report the decline in demand for tours to Abkhazia. Thus, according to Taras Demura, the general director of the "Tui" agency, the demand for tours to Abkhazia fell by about 30 percent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.