Expert opinion of the head of the host company.
Timur Rasulev, head of the Dolores Sochi company, told about the prospects of the Sochi entry market, about what other tourists the resort can get and what it lacks to increase the foreign tourist flow in the expert column of the Entry Center channel.
Sochi is a specific destination for a foreign tourist, without a vivid cultural or historical heritage. But at the same time it is very attractive due to its nature, diverse active tourism, opportunities for children, nightlife, boat trips and fishing. To this you can add hot air balloon flights, paragliding, Skypark, helicopter rides, rental of luxury convertibles and sports cars, as well as a gambling zone. Given this range of possibilities, Sochi has potential in certain target markets.
Which countries do tourists come to Sochi from?
The target countries are a 4-5 hour flight radius, a simplified regime or no visas at all, cheapness due to the weak ruble exchange rate. This range includes: the countries of the Persian Gulf (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain), the countries of the Middle East (Israel, Lebanon, Syria), the CIS countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan), Turkey, India (as the most remote point is Delhi, 5 hours flight).
Apart from Turkey and India, prices in other countries are 2-3 times higher for everything: hotels, restaurants, entertainment, etc. Gambling is prohibited in all of them.
Why do intourists go to Sochi
The portrait of the intourist will be different, depending on the country. Arab tourists like to come for a week and spend time in the mountains, with men’s company or with their family. Israelis usually came on weekends (there used to be daily flights) — people of retirement age and families with children in the summer, and young people all year round. Indian tourists combine Sochi with Moscow and St. Petersburg. Casino lovers can fly on a direct flight from Delhi just for Sochi. Short weekend trips or a combination with Moscow and St. Petersburg, with accommodation in the mountains, are also suitable for guests from the CIS. In general, the mountains are the main place to accommodate intourists in summer, for reasons of price/quality / season.
Tourists also choose the coast, but less often. They will not be particularly surprised by the sea, except for travelers from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, but they also do not like pebbles. Choosing accommodation in the mountains, they can come to the sea, admire, swim and return to Krasnaya Polyana. This year, we plan to promote packages with such placement in the Uzbek market — weekend tours, short trips for 3-4 days, and also, possibly, in combination with Georgia (this country is popular in Uzbekistan).
Sochi’s main competitors on the Black Sea are Batumi (Georgia), Varna (Bulgaria), Trabzon (Turkey). However, in these cities, the infrastructure is much weaker in terms of the quality and quantity of rooms, as well as the wealth of gastronomy and activities.
Why Sochi does not receive enough tourists
Sochi today lacks proper and active promotion in the target countries, as well as the development of aviation logistics. We need a marketing plan that will reveal Sochi as a destination so that tourists abroad understand that Sochi:
- you don’t need a visa or you have an electronic visa,
- there are direct flights,
- there are different placement and display facilities,
- There are different activities for children,
- there are various events (gastronomic, concerts, ice shows, etc.), there are different restaurants, nightlife, etc.
- there are shopping opportunities, and there is also a tax free.
Sochi can be considered as the only destination for tourists from the target countries, or in combination with our capitals. The resort also combines well with Tbilisi, Baku, and Yerevan — there are direct flights to these cities.
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