REZEKNE, Latvia: Guesthouses that are usually full at this time of year in this part of the country are struggling to fill rooms because of the fear of Ukrainian drones.

At Birdwhistles Guesthouse, a simple two-storey wooden barn in a forest in Latvia about 50 km from the Russian border, all eight rooms are empty, something the owner, Martins Kiscenko, says never happens at this time of year.

Two wedding groups had booked to stay, but both canceled at the last moment because they didn't want guests to worry about taking shelter during a drone alert.

Eastern Latvia is usually a peaceful and scenic area known as the Land of Blue Lakes. There is not much activity there, which is exactly why tourists visit every summer.

Visitors usually come to fish in clear, cold lakes, birdwatch, walk through tall birch forests, and relax in cozy cabins, sometimes singing folk songs in the evening.

But now, with the risk of sudden warnings about stray Ukrainian drones, tourists are staying away. Around 500 small businesses that depend on tourism are now facing financial trouble, said Jelena Kijasko from the regional tourism association.

There were no drone incidents for two weeks after late May, raising hopes that things were improving. But early this week, a French NATO jet had to shoot down another drone.

Kijasko said this showed that the situation is not easy and may not improve quickly.

Since March, stray Ukrainian military drones have entered the airspace of Latvia and nearby Baltic countries. Ukraine and NATO say these drones were pushed off course from targets in Russia due to Russian signal jamming.

No one has been injured, but authorities have often told people to take shelter. This is difficult at Kiscenko's guesthouse, which has no basement or strong protective walls, as such safety features were not required when it was built.

Last month, two drones exploded in the town of Rezekne, a place where tourists usually visit a ruined hilltop castle. Two more drones hit a nearby oil storage site, causing a fire.

Officials are trying to reassure people that the area is still safe for holidays. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs even plans to spend his summer vacation there, according to his spokesperson.

However, it may already be too late. A survey by the tourism association found that 85% of businesses have experienced cancellations due to fears of drones, with some losing more than half of their future bookings.

Kijasko said tourists are overreacting. She pointed out that locals do not feel especially unsafe and said the chance of being in a road accident in the capital, Riga, is much higher than the chance of being hit by a drone in the forest.