Anapa Expects a Strong Comeback: Up to 4 Million Tourists Forecast for 2026

Russia’s leading travel industry body, the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), has released early estimates suggesting a significant rebound for the Black Sea resort of Anapa. According to their projections, the city could welcome between 3.8 and 4 million visitors by the end of 2026, a notable jump from the 3 million recorded in 2025. For context, the resort saw a record 5.5 million tourists in 2024 before last year’s slump. ATOR anticipates a full recovery by 2027.

The good news comes as the city officially announced that its swimming season will run from June 1 to September 30, 2026. Mayor Svetlana Maslova confirmed that cleanup and preparation work is already underway on beaches previously affected by an environmental emergency.

Sergey Romashkin, ATOR’s vice president for domestic tourism and head of the tour operator Delphin, said the official beach opening has already sparked a surge in bookings. “We expect a 40% increase in tour sales to Anapa this week alone,” he noted. “More than half of our planned capacity for the season is already sold.” Romashkin added that demand for organized summer trips to Anapa had already climbed 30–35% year-on-year, with some companies reporting even sharper growth.

The 2024 oil spill from two tanker wrecks near the Kerch Strait had cast a shadow over the region, requiring the cleanup of over 3,000 kilometers of coastline. But with the beaches set to reopen and bookings climbing, Anapa appears ready to welcome back travelers.