- Title: Sochi's beaches and ski slopes open up after easing of virus restrictions
- Date: 27th June 2020
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TOURISTS FROM YEKATERINBURG, EGOR AND ALBINA, SAYING: "Seeing as our borders will be closed for the foreseeable future and when we heard that the quarantine will be lifted on (June) 21 in Sochi, in the Krasnodar Region as a whole, we decided to travel a bit around Russia and see its beauty." MAN SITTING IN DECKCHAIR (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TOURIST FROM SYKTYVKAR, NATALIA, SAYING: "They opened up on (June) 21 and we flew on 22. I think all this coronavirus stuff been blown out of proportion." VARIOUS OF RESORT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE'S TEMPERATURES BEING CHECKED IN HOTEL ENTRANCE PEOPLE WALKING TO RECEPTION TOURIST FROM MOSCOW, MAYA, CHECKING IN (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TOURIST FROM MOSCOW, MAYA, SAYING: "It's difficult to sit at home with your children, but we sat it out and came here when they opened everything up. It's ok, my nerves are intact, everything is fine." PEOPLE STANDING BY RECEPTION TISSUES AND HAND SANITISER MAN WHEELING AWAY LUGGAGE
- Embargoed: 11th July 2020 12:02
- Keywords: COVID-19 Krasnodar Russia Sochi beaches coronavirus ski slopes
- Location: SOCHI AND KRASNAYA POLYANA, RUSSIA
- City: SOCHI AND KRASNAYA POLYANA, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA005CK5B22V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian tourists flocked to ski resort Krasnaya Polyana and the Olympic city of Sochi on the Black Sea following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on June 21.
Quarantine was imposed in the region at the end of March to curb the spread of the virus.
People could be seen playing in the sea and making the most of the remaining snow on the slopes at the Roza Khutor mountain resort this week.
"Our guests aren't afraid of the virus. They want to go to the sea to relax, they want to raise their spirits, which probably improves their immunity," beach manager Kristina Vekselberg said.
With Russia's borders remaining closed over the coronavirus pandemic, Russians have no option but to travel domestically.
"We decided to travel a bit around Russia and see its beauty," Egor, a tourist from the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, said.
Russia on Saturday (June 27) reported 6,852 new coronavirus cases, a figure that keeps the daily rise below 7,000 for a second day in a row for the first time since late April. The new cases take the cumulative nationwide tally to 627,646.
The country's coronavirus response centre said 188 people had died of the virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 8,969.
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