In May fewer tourists stayed in accommodation establishments than in the same month of previous year

In recent years, the number of domestic tourists grew rapidly in May, i.e. the first month of tourism season, compared to the same month of previous year. This year 58,000 domestic tourists used the services of accommodation establishments which was a fifth less than in May of previous year. 2% more domestic tourists than in the same period of previous year stayed in accommodation establishments of Ida-Viru county, in other counties of Estonia the number of domestic tourists decreased.

In May 132,000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments which was 13% less than in the same month of previous year. The number of foreign tourists decreased from all main tourism partner countries, except Russia. The number of Finnish tourists who used the services of accommodation establishments decreased by about 6,000 tourists, and more than 3,000 fewer tourists arrived from both Latvia and Germany. Compared to the same period a year ago, 14% fewer foreign tourists visited the accommodation establishments of Tallinn where 70% of the foreign tourists using the services of accommodation establishments stayed. At the same time, more foreign tourists stayed in the accommodation establishments of Lääne-Viru, Lääne, Viljandi, Pärnu and Ida-Viru counties compared to May of the previous year.

In May 839 accommodation establishments with 18,000 rooms and 39,400 beds were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 37%. The room occupancy rate stayed nine percentage points lower than in May 2008. The room occupancy rate was higher than the average in the accommodation establishments of Harju, Pärnu, Tartu and Lääne counties.

In May the average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 482 kroons, which was 13% cheaper compared to May of the previous year and five kroons cheaper than in May 2003.

Accommodation by regions, May 2009