Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus Infection

Pandemic on the Processes of Tourism Development in the Russian

Federation

Viktor V. Lavrov

Department of Management of Economic and Social Processes in the Film and Television Industry of the St. Petersburg

State Institute of Cinema and Television, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Keywords: Domestic Tourism, Coronavirus Pandemic, Tourism Industry, Tourist Flow, Tourism Development Indicators,

Tourist Flow, Activities to Enhance Tourist Activity.

Abstract: The article examines topical issues related to the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus infection on the

tourism industry. The deterioration of the epidemiological situation in the world has led to noticeable changes

and restrictions in the field of tourism. The author identifies the factors of adverse impact, presents a study of

the economic indicators of the tourism sector in dynamics. The author also revealed a change in consumer

preferences of most tourists associated with new travel formats, introduced restrictive measures and

development of digital technologies in the field of tourism. Serious attention is paid to the study of the

requirements for tourists traveling to foreign countries on tourist visas, and the requirements for the entry of

foreign citizens into the Russian Federation in the context of a worsening epidemiological situation due to the

spread of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19. Based on the results obtained, a number of measures and

actions were offered to reduce the adverse impact of COVID-19 both on the enterprises of the tourism industry

and on tourists.

1 INTRODUCTION

For many years, the tourism sector has been a highly

profitable and rapidly growing sector of the country's

economy. Traveling to different countries of the

world, participation in cruise and bus international

tourist trips, contributed to the development of

outbound tourism. The positions of inbound and

domestic tourism were strengthened. Starting in

2020, the tourism industry began to be influenced by

unfavorable factors in many countries of the world.

The main factors contributing to formation of an

unfavorable market situation in the tourism sector

were primarily the spread of the coronavirus

(COVID-19), which led to an intensification of the

crisis in this area, a decrease in the number of citizens

traveling to other countries for tourism, a decrease in

the purchasing power of the population, an increase

in leading foreign currencies against the ruble, which

led to a reduction in travel and tourism costs. “The

rapid spread of COVID-19 has had a significant

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2497-3985

impact on global tourism, which has suffered severe

consequences, especially in attractive tourist

destinations such as France, Italy and Spain, as well

as in countries where outbound tourism is extremely

common, such as China and the United States.

According to the CNBC report, nearly

200,000 flights from and to China were canceled in

2020 (Lukovic and Stojkovis, 2020).

One of the most important factors that became the

basis for the decrease in income from tourism

activities was the closure of the borders of many

states for tourists and the practically stop of sales of

tours to many countries of the world.

In accordance with the decision of the

Government of the Russian Federation, the country

identified the industries and areas of activity that were

most affected by the emergence and spread of

COVID-19. "These industries included: the

organization of leisure and entertainment, tourism,

hotel business, catering, cinemas, and etc." (Decree of

Lavrov, V.

Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus Infection Pandemic on the Processes of Tourism Development in the Russian Federation.

DOI: 10.5220/0011120300003439

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference "COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals" (RTCOV 2021), pages 339-344

ISBN: 978-989-758-617-0

339

the Government of the Russian Federation of

04/03/2020 No. 434).

“Tourism businesses were among the first to feel

the negative impact of the spread of the COVID-19

pandemic. Due to closure of most states of the

borders, the usual options for recreation and travel on

tourist vouchers were violated, opportunities for

travel were reduced” (Lavrova, 2020).

These factors have an impact on the change in

consumer behavior of tourists, which requires serious

research.

“The tourism industry has experienced a sharp

drop in revenues. The shock affects both the demand

side (restrictions on freedom of movement, closure of

borders, guests' fear of infection) and the supply side

(closure of hotels and catering establishments, as well

as recreation facilities used for tourism)” (Ugur and

Akbiyik, 2020).

Based on the changing tastes and preferences of

tourists, as well as considering the introduction of

new digital formats for the functioning of many

organizations and enterprises of the tourism industry,

they are forced to adapt to changing conditions in

order to increase the level of profitability during the

crisis.

2 STUDY METHODS

In this article, the author used empirical research

methods, studying the sources of information on this

topic. The statistical method of the study was actively

used, namely, the study of indicators of tourism

development in dynamics was carried out, as well as

the method of comparative analysis and the method

of a systematic approach associated with the

consideration of the tourism industry as a holistic,

interconnected in all elements of the system.

3 STUDY RESULTS

As a result of the study, the author identified certain

patterns of the influence of the new COVID-19

coronavirus infection on the tourism development.

There is a sharp decline in tourist flows, especially

tourist trips associated with visiting other countries,

the borders of which were closed to tourists. The most

difficult situation arose in the second quarter of 2020.

Table 1 presents the main economic indicators of

tourism development in Russia during the pandemic.

Table 1: Indicators of tourism development in Russia - Q2

2020 vs. Q2 2019.

Ser.

No.

Name of indicator Q2 2019 Q2 2020

Growth Q2

2020 toQ2

2019, in %

1 The number of

persons placed in

the DAC,

thousand people

17,313.2 2,094.9 - 87.9

including:

- citizens of

Russia

14,706.0 1,955.9 -86.7

- foreign citizens

2,622.6 139.0 -94.7

2 DAC income

from services

provided,

RUB mln.

135,393.4 16,382.6 -87.9

3 Number of

inbound tourist

trips, thousan

6,650.0 66.5 -99.0

4 Number of

outbound tourist

trips, thousan

11,610.0 116.1 -99.0

5 The scope of

services provided

by health resort

organizations,

illion rubles

34.9 2.3 -93.4

Done by the author on the basis of data (Rosstat

Statistical Bulletin for World Tourism Day, 2020).

In accordance with the presented data, it can be

concluded that the main indicators of tourism

development have been catastrophically reduced and

the work of many tour operator companies that sell

tours to international destinations has been

suspended. Tourism development indicators fell by

80 % to 99 %. At the end of 2020, the situation in the

field of tourism has improved somewhat, but we

cannot talk about achievement of the results of

tourism activities, which were recorded before the

outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Table 2

presents data on the dynamics of tourist flows for the

period of 2019 - 2020.

Done by the author on the basis of data (Federal

Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation.

Statistics).

At the end of 2020, there is a steady trend towards

the recovery of indicators for the development of

domestic tourism, for example, the number of

Russian citizens accommodated in hotels and other

collective accommodation facilities decreased by

only 31.4 %, which indicates a gradual reorientation

of the tourist flow, and most Russian citizens were on

vacation during this period and traveled through the

territory of Russia, which was the most important

factor in the intensification of tourist activity in

various regions of the country.

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Table 2: Data on the dynamics of tourist flows for the period

of 2019 – 2020.

Ser.

No.

Name of

indicator

2019 2020 Growth

2020 to

2019, in %

1 The number of

inbound tourist

trips of foreign

citizens to the

Russian

Federation (units)

24,418,749 6,358,959 -73.9

2 Number of

outbound tourist

trips of citizens of

the Russian

Federation abroad

(units)

45,330,433 12,360,742 -72.7

3 Number of

citizens of the

Russian

Federation

accommodated in

collective

accommodation

facilities (people)

65,921,280 45,223,224 -31.4

4 The number of

foreign citizens

accommodated in

collective

accommodation

facilities (people)

10,855,969 2,159,235 -80.1

“Using data from a sample of over 90 countries,

we find a positive and meaningful relationship

between past international tourism records and the

current cumulative number of confirmed cases and

deaths from COVID-19. More effective coordination

between health and immigration authorities,

monitoring of international borders is required”

(Farzanegan, 2020).

It is important to compare the total tourist flows

of outbound and domestic tourism before the

pandemic and during the pandemic in order to feel the

negative impact of the adverse situation for tourism.

Figure 1 shows data on movement of tourist flows

in Russia before the pandemic of COVID-19

coronavirus infection.

Figure 1: Characteristics of outbound and domestic tourism

in Russia before the pandemic in 2019 (COVID-19 as an

opportunity for domestic tourism. Domestic tourism.

National Research University Higher School of

Economics).

Figure 2 presents data on the movement of tourist

flows in Russia during the pandemic of COVID-19

coronavirus infection.

Figure 2: Characteristics of outbound and domestic tourism

in Russia during the pandemic in 2020 (COVID-19 as an

opportunity for domestic tourism. Domestic tourism.

National Research University Higher School of

Economics).

As a result of restrictions on visiting most

countries of the world due to the epidemiological

situation and the restrictions imposed by countries,

the number of tourists going on vacation to other

countries has sharply decreased. However, there has

been a sharp increase in the number of tourists who

have reoriented themselves to travel within Russia, or

are planning to carry out a tourist trip through the

territory of Russia in the near future.

4 RESULT DISCUSSION

Having studied the results obtained on the impact of

the new coronavirus infection on the tourism sector,

the author developed and offered measures related to

the adaptation of tourism to new economic conditions

and contributing to the improvement of the position

of tourism in the near future.

Measures to adapt the tourism sector to new

conditions include the following:

 an increase in the scope of tourism financing

from state and regional budgets for

implementation of additional support measures

for enterprises of the tourism industry;

 development of international booking systems

and formation of digital platforms reflecting

the possibilities of the tourist and recreational

potential of the regions to attract more tourists;

 development of virtual tours to the most

interesting destinations in Russia and the world

to enhance the purchasing activity of potential

tourists;

 development and implementation of new tours

and tourist routes across the territory of the

Russian Federation;

Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus Infection Pandemic on the Processes of Tourism Development in the Russian

Federation

341

 monitoring the transport system of the country.

In addition to the offered activities, the following

areas of activity are topical issues of improving the

tourism sector in the context of the spread of COVID-

19:

“Advanced training of specialists in the field of

tourism; expansion of additional services; attraction

of investments for reconstruction and construction of

tourist facilities” (Lavrov, 2021).

It is necessary to pay attention to the change in the

structure of decision-making on tourist trips and the

implementation of any excursions and travel. The

requirements of Rospotrebnadzor to toughen

measures in relation to citizens, including in relation

to tourists, have led to a noticeable change in the logic

of the decision-making process about travel. These

processes were influenced by the following factors:

mandatory confirmation of the process of passing a

medical check, a different protocol of actions in the

regions, the danger of being in the quarantine zone

upon arrival on vacation, the obligatory provision of

a QR code, information about a past illness or a

temporary medical withdrawal from vaccination due

to medical indications. Consequently, the situation

has arisen that many countries have different

requirements for visiting tourists. For example, if in

the Russian Federation it is required to provide

information on vaccination with Russian vaccines

(for example, Sputnik V, Sputnik Light, Covi Vac,

Epi Vac Corona), then to visit many countries, when

leaving the airport, it is required to present a

certificate of vaccination with drugs such as Pfizer,

Moderna, AstraZeneca and etc. Currently, a

certificate of vaccination with Sputnik V is accepted

when entering 47 countries of the world. The

website of the Federal Agency for Tourism of the

Russian Federation provides detailed information on

the current restrictions on entry to foreign countries,

taking into account the epidemiological situation and

the fight against COVID-19. Table 3 provides some

examples of restrictive requirements for entering

foreign countries.

Table 3: Examples of current restrictions on entry to foreign

countries as of November 30, 2021.

Ser.

No.

Name Mandatory requirements when entering

foreign countries

1 Austria Quarantine for 10 days. At option: a

certificate of vaccination (Pfizer,

AstraZeneca, etc.), a certificate of a previous

COVID-19 disease (no more than 180 days

from the moment of recovery), a negative

PCR test done not earlier than 72 hours

before entry, an antigen test done not earlier

than 48 hours before entry.

2 Maldives Negative PCR test in English, done no

earlier than 72 hours before departure,

health declaration (to be completed 24 hours

before departure) – the tourist receives a QR

code, which he presents at the airport upon

arrival, Vaccination certificate (recognized

AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Beijing).

3 Norway Mandatory quarantine on arrival for 10 days.

All tourists over 16 years of age are required

to complete a registration form upon

entering Norway. Those vaccinated or

recovered are not required to quarantine or

pass testing. All adult tourists are required to

take a PCR test no earlier than 24 hours

before entering Norway, as well as another

test upon arrival in the country. Confirmation

of the availability of a place to comply with

the quarantine (the cost of staying in the

quarantine hotel is 500 NOK per day).

4 Turkey Issue a HES code no earlier than 72 hours

before arrival. At option: a certificate of

vaccination in English ("Sputnik V", entry

with a certificate is allowed 14 days after the

second component); certificate of illness for

over the last 6 months; negative result of an

express antigen test done within 48 hours

before entering the country, negative PCR

test done not earlier than 72 hours before

entering the country. All documents shall be

submitted in English and issued through the

portal of the State Service website.

5 Montene

-gro

At option: a certificate of vaccination with

one or two components of the vaccine

("Sputnik V"), a negative PCR test done no

earlier than 72 hours before boarding a

flight, a rapid antigen test done no earlier

than 48 hours before entry, a certificate of

the COVID-19 disease (at least 14 days

from the moment of recovery and no more

than 180 days from the date of issue).

Source: Restrictions on entry into foreign countries.

Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation.

Many countries around the world are closed for

the entry of foreign citizens for tourist purposes,

which limits travel opportunities and reduces the

options for choosing tourist trips.

As a result of the difference in the requirements

introduced in Russia and in other countries of the

world, there is a large number of refusals by Russian

citizens to carry out tourist trips, participate in

congress and exhibition activities, international

conferences and symposia. For implementation of

international activities, the remote format of

international events began to be actively used, which,

on the one hand, makes it possible to communicate

and participate in the event, and on the other hand, it

virtually replaces the format of the usual

communication of participants at various events. As

for inbound tourism, there are also difficulties with

entering the Russian Federation for tourist purposes.

To enter the territory of the Russian Federation,

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foreign tourists are required to have the following

documents with them: “A certificate with a negative

test result for COVID-19, a questionnaire arriving in

the territory of the Russian Federation, a passport, a

visa, a visa application form, an insurance policy,

confirmation of hotel reservation, return tickets)"

(Holidays in Russia in 2021: from which countries

can you come to Russia. Federal Agency for Tourism

of the Russian Federation). Restrictive measures,

mandatory testing and quarantines introduced by

some countries significantly increase the cost of the

voucher, which leads to a significant reduction in the

outbound tourist flow. Due to the restrictions imposed

on holding public events, the closure of many

museums, theaters, restaurants, and the obligatory

provision of the QR code issued in accordance with

all requirements for visiting SPA and other services

provided by hotels, many foreign citizens also refuse

to enter Russia. At the regional level, between the

constituent entities of the Russian Federation, there

are also some differences in the requirements for

entering citizens from other regions. Therefore,

before traveling both through the territory of Russia

and traveling to other countries, it is necessary to

familiarize yourself with all the requirements of an

epidemiological nature that shall be observed when

visiting various countries.

5 CONCLUSIONS

One of the consequences of introduction of

restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and

transfer of most employees of various organizations

to remote work, to a remote format, was a change in

consumer behavior, which significantly influenced

the processes of arranging the work in restaurants. “In

2020, there is a change in consumer behavior

patterns. The main reasons: fear of human contacts, a

decrease in the purchasing power of the population,

the transition to remote work” (Chernova and

Shabalin, 2021).

In the context of the redistribution of tourist flows

and an increase in the number of potential tourists

who prefer to travel within the borders of Russia, it is

necessary to intensify measures to monitor the tourist

and recreational potential, to identify new tourist

destinations and types of tourist activities that will

attract tourists to travel within the country. In the

context of increasing competition in the tourism

sector, it is necessary to actively introduce innovative

technologies, connect to international booking and

service systems. It is important to carry out activities

for rehabilitation of those who have recovered from

COVID-19 by developing sanatorium complexes and

suburban collective accommodation facilities for

recovering people after suffering a disease and

developing digital technologies in the tourism sector

to increase the profitability and competitiveness of

enterprises in the tourism industry.

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