Sochi residents say weak tourism and closures are hurting the resort city

Residents say Sochi is losing its feel as a resort city as shops and restaurants close and fewer tourists arrive.

The city on Russia’s Black Sea coast usually sees a quieter offseason, but residents describe a wider slump.

Some small businesses have shut down, and a Sochi-born business owner said she moved to Yerevan after her family’s ventures failed.

She and others point to high rents, customers spending less and fewer jobs, including in Adler.

Residents also blame pollution and overbuilding, saying garbage, apartment construction and the loss of green spaces have damaged the city.

The decline matters to people whose jobs and businesses depend on visitors, and some residents say they are leaving Sochi.

The accounts describe no specific recovery plan or next step.