Travel
From Latvia to Spain: How the lack of Russian tourists has impacted countries across Europe
By Joshua Askew & David Mac Dougall & Laura Llach with AFP
Flush Russian tourists are now a thing of the past in Europe, forcing countries to adapt.
If you’re looking for Russian tourists in Europe this summer, they’ll be hard to spot.
There were 84 per cent fewer Russian visitors to Europe in 2022, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
That figure is not likely to change much at all this year, as the summer season hots up.
While the very wealthiest continue to visit the region, middle-class Russians have almost entirely disappeared, citing mounting logistical difficulties and costs.
The reason is of course Russia’s deadly invasion of Ukraine, which has prompted the West to erect barriers not seen since the dark days of the Cold War in support of its embattled ally.
But what effect is this loss of Russian tourists having on Europe? We look at two destinations bordering Russia and two which used to welcome droves of Russian visitors to find out more.
Latvia: Untapped markets to fill the void
Latvia has long been a magnet for Russian travellers, owing to its location and historical ties as part of the Soviet Union.
The tiny Baltic state’s vibrant tourism industry was battered by the COVID pandemic, like many others, but losing visitors from Russia really put the boot in.
In solidarity with Ukraine, Russian tourists were banned in September 2022, with the country’s Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevics tweeting “You’re not welcome here – you need to end the war against Ukraine and be gone from that beautiful country!”
“Russia was an important market,” Vladislavs Korjagins, CEO of the Baltic Travel Group tells Euronews Travel. “Of course, we are missing it.”
“From an economic perspective, this decision may not have helped local businesses. But, on the political level, we support Ukraine.”
“It’s the right decision,” he adds. “People understand we cannot welcome Russian tourists, while their soldiers are attacking Ukrainians.”
The “biggest blow” from the Ukraine war was many Westerners now felt the Baltics were unsafe, possibly the “next target” for Russian troops, though this misperception is now improving, explains Korjagins.
Some 70 per cent of group bookings were cancelled in the aftermath of the February 2022 invasion, according to estimates from the Latvian tourism sector.
Yet, the industry is not accepting these losses idly.
It has diversified into new, untapped markets, such as the Gulf, and become more efficient through scaling down labour costs, according to Korjagins.
“Truth is: We adapted,” he adds.
Finland: Domestic tourism
Around 1.2 million Russian day-trippers travelled by bus or car over the border into eastern Finland every single year, before the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion, official figures show.
While some were checking into hotels, most spent money in local supermarkets – on average €170 per day in the city of Lappeenranta.
But much of the tourist infrastructure in Finland‘s Lakeland District did not necessarily rely on Russian tourists, despite their large volume.
“People who were really catering to cross-border traffic are no longer in business,” explains Mirka Rahman, Lappeenranta’s Director of Tourism. “There were a lot of mini-buses and bigger buses bringing the daily visitors but they were all Russian and not Finnish companies.”
“They bought clothes, detergent, chocolate, fish, the majority of it was food items from the supermarket as Finnish brands are known for high quality. Some of it was to take home for themselves, and some of it was to take home and sell,” she tells Euronews Travel.
That pre-war flood of visitors across the EU’s longest border with Russia has now slowed to a trickle – restricted to dual nationals or those with a visa allowing them to come and go.
The South Karelia region, with Lappeenranta its biggest city, has lost around 100,000 Russian overnight stays since the start of the war.
But it has pivoted towards marketing more to Finns as a domestic holiday destination, while looking for customers in Germany, Italy and the Benelux countries – tourists who spend far more per day, Rahman notes, than their Russian counterparts.
“The trends have changed,” says Rahman. “Nobody here is calculating on the return of the Russians.”
Spain: High-spending Russian tourists no longer welcome
Not only those on Russia’s borders are affected.
Although the country was never a major source of visitors to Spain – dwarfed by the English, German and French – Russians were one of the fastest-growing groups in recent years, data from the Salou Cambrils La Pineda Hotel Association shows.
Around 1.3 million Russian travellers arrived in the southern European country in 2019, representing 1.3 per cent of the total, according to Spain’s National Statistics Institute.
Yet, their absence is still felt, particularly since some areas were more heavily reliant on Russian tourists than others, such as Costa Dorada, where they represented between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of all visitors.
“Last year, the effects of the lack of tourism were clear and this year it is also noticeable,” Albert Savé, President of the Costa Dorada Hotel Association, in Cataluña, tells Euronews Travel.
He says there were 1,290,000 overnight stays in the area in 2019, which has now gone to zero – bar the “one or two Russians” coming by car or through Turkey or Finland.
What set Russians apart, Savé continues, was their high level of luxury consumption, which supported specialist local businesses.
“When they were here, [Russians] did spend because they came from afar… They would go on a lot of excursions… [and] buy products from the area… because of the attraction of wine, oil, sausages… clothes,” he says.
“Their behaviour was different from [the] British, who come for the sun.”
Czech Republic: Battling inflation and a drop in tourists
Like in Spain, Czech spa towns have seen a sharp drop in wealthy Russian visitors.
Towns Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne and Frantiskovy Lazne saw a glimmer of hope when UNESCO listed them as World Heritage sites in 2021.
But their joy was short-lived.
When Russia’s tanks steamed across the Ukrainian border, the Central European country joined European sanctions slapped on the country.
The share of Russian customers – their biggest spenders, who also stay far longer than locals – fell from 61,000 in 2019 to just a few thousand last year.
“The average Czech tourist spends around 700 crowns (€30) a day. Russian-speaking guests spend more than 3,500 crowns (€150),” says Czech Tourism Director Jan Herget.
Losing Russian tourists was only part of their troubles, however.
Spa towns are also grappling with staff shortages, with Czech unemployed at 3.5 per cent over the past two years, and inflation only now just declining from a record high of 18 per cent in September.
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By Euronews Travel
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Norway is set to become the latest European destination to introduce a tourist tax to combat concerns about rising visitor numbers.
Lawmakers approved the new levy on Thursday, which allows municipalities to introduce a 3 per cent tax on overnight stays in “areas particularly affected by tourism”.
The law allows local authorities to apply the tax at their own discretion, and it will be added to accommodation charges. Authorities will also be allowed to adjust the percentage based on the season.
The funds raised by the tax will be used exclusively to improve tourism infrastructure projects that benefit both visitors and local people. Municipalities will have to demonstrate that their facilities are inadequate and have their plans approved by the government to spend the funds.
Cecilie Myrseth, Norway’s minister of trade and industry, said on social media that her government had reached a “historic agreement” to introduce a tourism tax that was “in line with what they have in the rest of Europe”.
The country is the latest in a string of European nations introducing or increasing visitor levies to tackle the growing problem of overtourism. A tax may also be applied to cruise ships that make stops in the country, particularly in areas that are most affected by overtourism.
Norway is experiencing a tourism boom
As tourists increasingly choose cooler, northern European destinations to get away from the heat, Norway has experienced a boom in visitor numbers.
Last year, a record-breaking 38.6 million people booked accommodation in the country. That includes more than 12 million overnight stays by foreign tourists – a 4.2 per cent increase from 2023.
Some previously quiet destinations have been overwhelmed, like the Lofoten islands, where eye-catching images of hiking trails posted on social media have led to an influx of visitors. With a population of 24,500 people distributed across several small towns and villages, keeping up with the cost of all these new visitors has been hard.
A recent survey by industry organisation Norwegian Tourism Partners found that 77 per cent of people in Tromsø, in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle, thought there were too many tourists there. Visitors have been drawn by the Northern Lights, wildlife excursions, Sami cultural experiences and what the city itself has to offer.
The increase in tourism has caused tension with local residents across Norway as infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the boom. Facilities like public toilets and car parks have been overwhelmed in popular destinations.
Some residents have even reported cases of people using their back gardens as toilets, and bemoaned the increased traffic clogging up Norway’s roads.
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As millions of holidaymakers prepare to head to the Canary Islands this summer, authorities have issued a wildfire pre-alert across the archipelago.
The warning, announced by the General Directorate of Emergencies on Sunday, applies to tourist hotspots El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
It comes as the islands enter a high-risk fire period following the wet season, as hot, dry winds known as the ‘calima’ begin blowing in from the Sahara Desert.
Fires are common, but they haven’t slowed tourism
The risk of wildfire is nothing new for the Canary Islands.
The volcanic terrain, Mediterranean climate and fire-adapted vegetation – plants that have evolved to thrive in fire-prone environments – make them susceptible to summer blazes, and scientists say wildfires are part of the archipelago’s ecological rhythm.
Some of the worst occurred in 2023, when forest fires ravaged Tenerife, destroying more than 15,000 hectares of land and forcing 12,000 people to evacuate. The blaze was later found to have been started by arsonists.
This year, officials are urging tourists and locals alike to take extreme caution, warning against launching fireworks near forests and discarding cigarettes on dry ground.
But even as the fire warnings roll in, the Canaries’ appeal shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2024, the islands welcomed nearly 18 million tourists, including a record-breaking 15.5 million international arrivals. Among them, British travellers led the way, recording 6.3 million visits – up 500,000 from 2023.
Concerns about overtourism mount amid record arrivals
While the Canary Islands continue to attract record numbers of tourists, residents are increasingly voicing concerns about overtourism.
In April 2024, tens of thousands of islanders participated in protests, holding signs that read “the Canary Islands have a limit” while rallying against rising housing costs, environmental damage and the strain on public services.
Over Easter this year, about 80,000 hospitality workers in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierrowalked out in a dispute with unions over pay.
The surge in short-term rentals has been especially contentious. Locals have reported getting priced out of their neighbourhoods as properties are converted into holiday lets, the cost of living soars and wages stagnate.
Despite these concerns, tourism remains a significant part of the Canary Islands’ economy, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of its GDP.
Tenerife still reigns supreme
After welcoming seven million tourists in 2024, Tenerife remains the most visited island.
Its year-round sunshine and wide beaches keep it a firm favourite among families, especially during the UK’s summer school break and throughout the winter months.
As the peak summer season picks up, local tourism boards have made no indication that the fire pre-alerts will disrupt travel plans.
But authorities remain focused on prevention this year.
More than 2,000 firefighters are on standby. Meanwhile, the government has distributed detailed safety advice, urging people to prepare a go-bag, stay informed and follow emergency evacuation or shelter-in-place instructions if fires erupt.
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Travel
Violent turbulence hits Ryanair flight in Germany, forcing an emergency landing and injuring 9
By Euronews Travel with AP
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Severe storms in southern Germany forced a Ryanair flight to make an emergency landing late Wednesday after violent turbulence injured nine people on board, German police said in a statement Thursday.
The flight, travelling from Berlin to Milan with 179 passengers and six crew members, encountered turbulence so intense around 8:30 pm that the pilot was forced to make an unscheduled landing at Memmingen Airport in Bavaria.
Eight passengers and one crew member were hurt.
Three people were taken to the hospital in Memmingen for treatment; the other injured people were released after receiving outpatient treatment. As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services.
Authorities did not permit the plane to continue flying, and the airline arranged bus transport for passengers. Milan is about 380 kilometres south of Memmingen.
More bad weather expected in Germany
Elsewhere in the region, storms damaged several homes in Ulm, Baden-Württmberg, according to the German news agency dpa.
In the Donaustetten district, strong winds tore roofs off multiple row houses, rendering them uninhabitable, though no injuries were reported. Fire officials suspect a small tornado or waterspout caused the damage. The German Weather Service (DWD) is investigating, according to dpa.
Storm-related emergency calls also came from other areas in southern Germany, where damage was mostly limited to fallen trees and flooded basements.
The DWD warned of further storms on Thursday, 5 June, with hail, strong winds, and localised heavy rain expected.
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