Russians are canceling trips to Crimea en masse due to the fuel crisis
Russian tourists have begun actively canceling trips to occupied Crimea amid a major fuel crisis on the peninsula.
Over the course of two weeks, hotel bookings have plummeted, and the number of cancellations for existing reservations has reached critical levels.
As a result, the region has completely dropped off the list of the most popular tourist destinations among Russian citizens.
According to official data from the Travelline platform, between May 24 and June 6, 2026, the number of hotel bookings at Crimean resorts fell by 31% compared to the same period last year.
In Sevastopol, the situation turned out to be even worse—a 40% drop in figures was recorded there. At the same time, booking levels across Russia as a whole remained stable, and the peninsula now accounts for only 1.5% of all sales.
The decline in interest in vacations in the occupied territories is also confirmed by representatives of the tourism industry. In the first days of June, tour sales volumes fell by an additional one-fifth.
At the same time, analysts have recorded a catastrophic number of cancellations of already planned trips.
“No one wants to get caught in a trap because of fuel problems,” noted Alexan Mkrtchyan, founder of the “Pink Elephant” travel agency network.
According to Travelline, 79% of previously made reservations in Crimea were canceled in late May and early June, while in Sevastopol, this figure stood at 71%.
The main cause of the panic was the introduction of strict limits on retail fuel sales. The Russian occupation administration was forced to take this step following successful strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on logistics routes.
The free sale of the popular AI-95 and AI-92 gasoline brands on the peninsula was completely halted on June 4, with a promise to designate only select gas stations for refueling the vehicles of tourists attempting to leave the region.
Gas prices have skyrocketed in Moscow
The EU may freeze the price cap on Russian oil — Bloomberg.
As a reminder, amid the escalating situation in the Middle East, the discount on Russian Urals crude began to rise for the first time in recent months. However, experts say that expensive oil will not save the Russian economy from a slowdown.
The price of Russian Urals crude at Indian ports jumped to a record $121.65 per barrel.
