Crimea Saw Tourist Flow Up 30% Since Opening Of Crimean Bridge Year Ago - Minister

The opening of the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait last May resulted in the increase of the tourist flow to the peninsula by 30 percent year-on-year, the region's tourism minister, Vadim Volchenko, told Sputnik on Wednesday, adding that the bridge was a major tourist attractio

SIMFEROPOL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2019) The opening of the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait last May resulted in the increase of the tourist flow to the peninsula by 30 percent year-on-year, the region's tourism minister, Vadim Volchenko, told Sputnik on Wednesday, adding that the bridge was a major tourist attraction.

The road section of the Crimean Bridge was inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin exactly a year ago, on May 15, 2018, becoming the first direct road connecting the region with mainland Russia. The railroad section of the bridge is expected to be opened for traffic in December.

"The Crimean Bridge itself is a tourist attraction. People are coming both from Crimea and from the mainland to see it. Russian tourists constitute the majority in the entire flow. Russians like traveling by car and it is very important for them to have a motor transport communication ... The year of the bridge's operation resulted in the increase of the tourist flow to Crimea by 30 percent in 2018.

Moreover, the bridge affects the cost of air tickets. Since last year, it has been easier to buy affordable tickets to Crimea. The economy and competition are working," Volchenko said.

He noted that the opening of the railroad section would be a "serious breakthrough," as it may bring additional several million tourists annually.

As many as 5 million vehicles, including 500,000 trucks and 60,000 buses, have crossed the Crimean Bridge since its opening, the Crimean Bridge information center said in a statement.

There were no problems with the traffic across the bridge throughout the year, and it has been operational without any interruptions, the center added.

According to the center, car owners and cargo carriers, who traveled across the bridge instead of using ferry services, have saved over 16 billion rubles ($246 million).