Tourists are shifting their preferences towards the open coastal areas, bypassing Anapa due to closed beaches.
In the picturesque Black Sea resort town of Anapa, a significant environmental crisis persists following an oil spill that occurred in December 2024. The spill has had a profound impact on the region, affecting beach safety, tourist activity, and local sentiment.
Traditionally, most tourists flock to the central beach in Anapa for relaxation. However, this year, the beaches have been deemed unsafe for health due to the oil spill. As a result, the tourist season, which is currently at its peak in July, has seen a noticeable decrease in visitors compared to previous years. Residents of southern regions have also cancelled their trips to the sea for the same reason, leading to many beaches on the coast of the Krasnodar Territory being empty.
The territories from the central beach towards Utrish look visually clean, but the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection (Rospotrebnadzor) still does not allow swimming due to excessive concentrations of harmful substances in the sea water and ground. Despite constant information to the contrary, no fines have been issued to those who disregard the swimming bans and venture to the beach.
In June 2025, Anapa lost 75% of its tourist flow, according to ATOUR, a tourism industry research organisation. Bloggers who once shared photos of packed Anapa beaches no longer do so, and even on a nice day, only a few dozen tourists can be found on the beach.
Local blogger Andrei Makovozov reports that there are many people on the beach in Anapa, but it's nothing compared to last year. Despite the ongoing crisis, some tourists still sunbathe on the beaches, and a few of the most daring even swim, disregarding the potential risks.
The oil spill has resulted in over 160,000 tons of oil-contaminated sand being collected from beaches near Anapa, indicating extensive pollution. Fresh oil deposits continue to appear, and in April 2025, reports emerged of new oil on beaches and dead dolphins washing ashore, pointing to ongoing environmental harm.
Russia's Investigative Committee has charged ship captains for violations of maritime safety related to the spill, and environmental regulators have filed lawsuits seeking damages from responsible companies. However, the effectiveness of these legal actions in ensuring swift remediation remains uncertain.
The wreckage of sunken oil tankers in the nearby Kerch Strait still holds thousands of tons of oil products expected to leak until salvage operations complete, possibly not until 2026. Rising sea temperatures are increasing the fluidity of the spilled oil, leading to more frequent leaks and new slicks in the Black Sea.
While Anapa's beaches are officially open, their safety is compromised by persistent oil contamination, ongoing environmental damage, and incomplete cleanup efforts. This also negatively influences tourist flow and local sentiment. The situation remains dynamic with active environmental, legal, and civic responses continuing through 2025.
However, there's hope for July and August in terms of tourist flow in Anapa. As the cleanup efforts continue, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and whether the resort town can recover from this environmental crisis.
Travel blogs have ceased sharing images of crowded beaches in Anapa, a stark contrast to previous years, due to the ongoing oil spill crisis. Consequently, the general-news headlines now report a significant decrease in tourist activity, reflecting the lifestyle change prompted by this environmental disaster. Despite the ongoing environmental harm and beach safety concerns, some visitors continue to travel to Anapa, embodying a daring disregard for the potential risks.
