TRAVEL INDUSTRY OF LAPLAND IS ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY

The COVID-19 pandemic could devastate the travel industry, which has held business in Finnish Lapland until recently. Businessmen are concerned about a wave of bankruptcies, and the reason for this situation was the closure of borders and the lack of an influx of foreign tourists, who traditionally visit the homeland of the fabulous Santa Claus.

The Tourism Association and the Lapland Chamber of Commerce decided to conduct a survey of entrepreneurs in the region. It turned out that every second person is concerned about becoming insolvent in case the tourists from abroad do not visit the region during the winter season.

The maximum period that the Lapland companies are ready to withstand the crisis and stay afloat is 10 months.

According to the local experts, the situation might change if the flights with other countries are resumed. This could be done smoothly by observing the necessary preventive measures. Otherwise, the industry can go to the bottom due to the huge losses that it is already incurring. Previously, Lapland received about € 1 billion in revenue from the tourism every year.

It is known that the Finnish government is looking for options on the protection of the tourism sector in the region. One of the solutions could be the adoption of rules that are obligatory for all the visitors arriving in Lapland. However, the disagreements between individual ministries and political parties have not allowed come to a common denominator in solving the problem yet.

The government of the country plans to organize special tourist corridors for a winter period.

The model, actively discussed by the members of the cabinet of ministers, suggests that the international tourism will start to make profit again. The programs of the industry protection are guided by the fact that tourists will visit Lapland with their families, and all their movements will be under the full control of the host country.

It is also assumed that in the event of a diagnosis of COVID-19 among the tourists, the special rules allowing the prompt termination of the flights will be introduced. In particular, such rules will introduced at the airports. What is more, the authorities plan to create special medical centers equipped with the devices for examination of the arriving passengers. However, the idea is criticized due to the fact that the tests will be paid by the tourists themselves, which can seriously increase the financial burden and lead to the higher costs of tours and, as a result, a refusal to travel.