HELSINKI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Finland's tourism revenues declined by 42 percent in 2020 year-on-year, while the drop in international tourism expenditure exceeded 60 percent, according to a survey published here on Monday.

The survey of the Finnish Ministry for Economic Affairs and leading industry organisations found that domestic and foreign tourists spent 9.3 billion euros (11.2 billion U.S. dollars) in Finland in 2020. In 2019, the total was 16.1 billion euros.

According to preliminary estimates, the pandemic reduced spending by foreign tourists in Finland by 67 percent, or 3.3 billion euros, in 2020. Demand for foreign travel by Finnish people fell by 73 percent or 1.7 billion euros.

While international tourism suffered throughout the year, domestic tourism bounced back to near 2019 levels as the epidemic eased in the June-August period. However, demand then declined as the pandemic boomeranged back.

The survey said that the recovery of Finland's tourism sector relies heavily on international visitors, while domestic demand will pick up faster.

Katarina Wakonen, chief researcher at Visit Finland, a public tourism promotion body, told the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper that much would depend on the European Union's (EU) to develop a travel vaccination certificate.

She said that the country's small innovative companies active in the tourism sector may go under if their cash flow is not strong enough. Enditem

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