The coronavirus epidemic is gaining momentum. Most Russian cities already have the first infected. People worry about their health, and this is natural. However, not only citizens of the Russian Federation, but also the Russian economy are at risk. The joke is already spreading on the net that you can’t put on a mask.
However, this trend is observed not only in Russia, but throughout the world. The forecasts are disappointing: global GDP growth is 1.5%, instead of 2.9% (this figure was announced before the epidemic). Although there is no need to look far, some companies are already suffering great losses. Below are the top 5 industries that have been hit hard by the coronavirus.
Production
It is difficult to talk about specific figures, but most of the enterprises still encountered difficulties. The work is due to lack of parts and accessories. They are ordered in China, but deliveries are delayed indefinitely. Some of them can be purchased in Russia, but this leads to higher prices for products. We have to work at a loss, just not to let the customers down. Company owners cannot make claims against Chinese partners, but customers demand compliance with the terms of the contract.
Representatives of Forbes magazine talked with business owners on this topic. The Russian processor developer Baikal Electronics, the manufacturer of telecommunications equipment T8, the largest producer of radio electronics GK Mikron - none of them began to deny that there is a problem. And how many such organizations are there in Russia?
Deadlines are burning, contracts are not being implemented, but there is hope. March 16, more than 90% of manufacturers from China returned to work.
Air transportation
Over the past 1.5 months, Russian airlines have suffered significant losses. At first, flights to China, South Korea, and Iran were limited. From March 16, flights to the EU countries are prohibited. Only charter flights to European capitals will be carried out, their task is to ensure the return of Russian citizens to their homeland. Representatives of airlines say that there are almost no international flights. Turkey, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Tajikistan - the truth is there are not so many people who want to fly there. Attempts to solve the problem using domestic flights (in Russia) were also unsuccessful. People are afraid to leave, prefer to stay at home.
Experts at the Bain & Company consulting company called indicative figures. They predict that by the fall of 2020, Russian carriers will lose 360 billion rubles, in which case their direct losses will amount to 180 - 215 billion rubles.
Airlines around the world are preparing for the crisis, some of them have already declared bankruptcy. Russian air carriers are holding on.
Tourism
The outbreak of the coronavirus had a huge impact on the tourism industry. The World Travel and Tourism Council said 50 million jobs are in danger of being cut in this sector.
Closing borders, restricting movement - tour operators suffer losses. At the end of February, the Association of Russian Tour Operators assessed the risks, a figure of 27 billion rubles was named. Of course, it is increasing every day, but so far there is no exact data. About 15 thousand tourists canceled travel requests from March to May, which is more than 500 million rubles.
There is nothing surprising here. The border is closed, air travel is suspended. In 2019, 1.5 million tourists from China visited Russia. It was planned that in 2020 this figure will increase by 10%, but no. If the situation does not change by summer, then the amount of losses will be 30 billion rubles, and only Chinese tourists are taken into account. Now companies only need to calculate how much they lose.
The Russians who have already bought permits are trying to return them. Tour operators have no other choice; they do not have the right to refuse a refund. That's just the process is delayed, since all this is done through the courts. The failed tourists are worried, because they remain without money and without rest.
Hotel business
Tourism and hotel business are interconnected. There is no influx of tourists in the country, hotels and hostels are empty. Large Russian cities are already suffering from a lack of customers from Asia and Europe. This problem is sharply indicated in the Far East, where guests regularly came from nearby countries, including China. Hotels, hotels are closing, staff are sent on unpaid leave. There is hope for an influx of tourists from other Russian cities, but it is also illusive. At least at the moment, traveling, even within the borders of their own country, is the last thing people are thinking about now. Of course, there are daredevils who rely on the Russian "maybe", but there are few of them.
Hotel owners are hoping that the situation will change by the summer. For the summer period, places have already been booked, including tourists from other countries. The reservation is canceled, but so far these cases are sporadic.
Entertainment industry
It is logical to assume that entertainment is not in great demand right now. Because of the fear of getting infected, people refuse to visit public places. Museums, theaters, development and gaming centers - everywhere there has been a decrease in the number of visitors. Even the Paramount film studio and the ubiquitous Disney with their amusement parks have already learned how negatively the influence of the coronavirus is, let alone Russian companies.
Cinemas suffer the most, there are much fewer people who want to watch a movie on the big screen. Now people enjoy their favorite films at home. If you are one of them, we recommend that you pay attention to a selection of the best films of all time.
Russian stars cancel concerts abroad. Bi-2, Yuri Shatunov and Max Barsky will not go to the Czech Republic and Germany. "Splen" carries concerts in Cyprus and in Israel. Many domestic artists generally refuse concerts until the situation with the coronavirus is resolved. They do not even agree to go to a neighboring city; health is more important to them than money. However, they will not have to take risks, in most regions of Russia all mass events are canceled by the government.
Who is luckier?
It is not surprising that during the period of the epidemic of the disease, the revenue of pharmacies increased significantly. On sale for a long time there are no antiseptics, no gauze dressings. A much stranger phenomenon is an increase in grocery store sales. Sugar, flour, cereals, canned goods, household chemicals - this is what buyers are interested in. Even the most stale goods have been sold. The popularity of online stores has grown, some of them are forced to hire new employees to cope with a huge number of orders. Although everything is clear here, people are scared, so they try to protect themselves, to create the illusion of control over the situation.
