Vienna, May 28 (IANS): Austria's winter tourism industry, a vital source of income for the alpine nation, recorded a near-total loss last season due to the coronavirus pandemic, official figures revealed on Friday.

Austria's Federal Statistics Office announced that overnight stays between November 2020 and April 2021 were down almost 91 per cent, to 5.57 million, compared to the previous season, dpa news agency reported.

Most tourist accommodations had been closed during this time in light of high infection rates.

However, the number of bookings has started to increase again, with the agency registering 1 million overnight stays in April, four times more than in the same month last year.

According to the statistics office, the surge came as business trips were possible again and health resorts had reopened.

On May 19, Austria also reopened hotels to tourists who have tested negative for Covid-19, recovered from an infection or can present proof that they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.