Number of accommodated tourists dropped by nearly a half last year
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2020, Estonian accommodation establishments served nearly 2 million tourists, whose nights spent totalled 3.7 million. The number of visitors fell by 48% compared to 2019.
Helga Laurmaa, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that although last year started positively for tourism, it ended with a loss of nearly half the tourists compared to 2019. “The restrictions enforced due to the coronavirus hindered travelling worldwide. Estonian accommodation establishments lost the majority of foreign tourists and a large share of domestic tourists,” said Laurmaa.
1.3 million domestic tourists stayed at accommodation establishments in 2020 and spent 2.3 million nights there. Compared to 2019, the number of domestic tourists dropped by 16% and their nights spent by 12%.
The number of accommodated foreign tourists was 676,000, which is 70% less than in 2019. The most foreign tourists came from neighbouring countries: 282,000 from Finland, 97,000 from Latvia and 75,000 from Russia. Foreign tourists spent 1.4 million nights in Estonia, which is 68% less than in 2019.
Both domestic and foreign tourists preferred the accommodation establishments of Harju county, followed by Tartu, Pärnu and Ida-Viru counties. The annual average cost of a guest night was 32 euros, which is 18% less than the year before.
In December 2020, Estonian accommodation establishments served 106,000 tourists, of whom 93,000 were domestic tourists and 13,000 were foreign tourists. Year on year, the number of tourists declined by 62%. In December, there were 937 accommodation establishments open for tourists. The average cost of a guest night was 30 euros.
Statistics Estonia collects and analyses accommodation data for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications with the aim to determine the economic situation in Estonia.
See also the dedicated section on tourism, accommodation and food service and the tourism industry dashboard.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
For further information:
Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181