The losses of the tourism industry from the accident at the Gorodetsky junction may exceed 1 billion

Due to damage to the locks at the Gorodetsky hydroelectric complex, cruise operators may suffer enormous losses, Alexander Mkrtchyan, Vice President of the Alliance of Travel Agencies (ATA) Association, told Izvestia.

"Depending on how much the accident will be repaired, the damage to cruise operators may amount to 1 billion rubles. But after determining the culprit of the incident, they will be able to demand the costs incurred from him," he added.

Due to the closure of the Gorodetsky hydroelectric complex, tour operators began to actively adjust the programs of cruises that had already begun and change the routes of the next flights, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT), told Izvestia.

From 10 to 20 cruise ships pass through the hydroelectric complex per day, the expert said. In total, about 500 thousand people travel along various river routes, including this one.

At the time of the accident, ten passenger ships were planning to pass through the gateway, with about 1.5 thousand passengers traveling on them. Five ships were sent on other routes. Another 14 passenger ships planned to pass through the hub from July 23 to July 25. Their routes have been adjusted, the PCT clarified.

Cargo carriers are also calculating losses from the suspension of shipping through the Gorodetsky hydroelectric complex. Ships are already piling up near Nizhny Novgorod.

"The cost of chartering a cargo ship with a crew reaches 300 thousand rubles per day. The longer it costs, the greater the losses," an industry source told Izvestia.

The economics of transportation are such that it is unprofitable to turn ships around and take them back to ports for unloading, says the source. The operation of river ports at the peak of navigation has a tight schedule and it is unlikely to be possible to find a free window for unloading. The authorities have not yet announced the time frame for restoring navigation.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

Did not arrive: the losses of the tourism industry from the accident at the Gorodetsky junction may exceed 1 billion