The damage suffered by Finland due to the loss of Russian tourists is named

Finland is losing almost a billion euros a year after it lost the flow of Russian tourists. This was stated by the chairman of the Finnish association Naapuriseura Yauri Varvikko.

According to him, economic problems began in border towns immediately after the Finnish authorities closed the border in 2023. Local business focused on buyers from In Russia, faced with an outflow of customers and forced to close.

"Russian tourists brought Finland an income of almost a billion euros a year, and most of this money remained in the South-East and Eastern Finland," he said.

Varvikko recalled that retail outlets, spa complexes, hotels and cafes in Lappeenranta and Imatra were designed to receive one and a half million guests from Russia annually. The blow to the region's economy turned out to be deep and systemic: the entire infrastructure of the east of the country was built with an eye on cross-border trade and consumer activity of Russians.

"The closure of borders has led to the loss of the customer base of shopping malls, outlet villages, gas stations and convenience stores in Eastern Finland. The revenues of hotels, restaurants and spas have declined sharply," the chairman of Naapuriseura summed up.

Recall that Finland took a course to aggravate relations with Russia after the SMO began on Ukraine. The country became a member of NATO and was among those who demand increased sanctions pressure on Moscow. At the same time, such a policy has already had a negative impact on the Finnish economy.