Azov Sea summer tourism is a far cry from the glory days when Soviet holidaymakers flew directly from Leningrad to Berdyansk

. With half of Ukrainians saying they plan domestic vacations this year, an estimated 3 million tourists are expected to travel by car, bus and train to vacation in the warm waters of the Azov. Investment in promotion and in upgrading the region’s 12 health resort villages, would cause the tourism flow to nearly double, to 5.4 million, according to Oleksandr Liev, chairman of Ukraine’s Hospitality Industry Association. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv yesterday, he said: “We see in the Azov region a great sanatorium-resort potential, health-improving potential.”