Last year was successful for accommodation establishments
In 2011, a total of 2.7 million domestic and foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments. Compared to 2010, the number of foreign tourists increased by 16% and the number of domestic tourists by 10%. Foreign tourists still account for two thirds of the total number of accommodated tourists. 79% of the foreign tourists who used the services of accommodation establishments arrived from the European Union Member States, of whom more than a half came from Finland. 74% of foreign tourists and 18% of domestic tourists preferred the services of accommodation establishments of Tallinn.
In 2011, 918,000 domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, though more than in 2010, but less than in 2007 and 2008, the record years for domestic tourism of the past decade. A quarter of domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments of Harju county, 13% of Pärnu county, 11% of Tartu county and 10% of Ida-Viru county.
In December, 125,000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments of Estonia, or 14% more than in December 2010. Most of tourists came from neighbouring countries – Finland, Russia, Latvia and Sweden. In the last month of the year 72,000 Estonian residents stayed in accommodation establishments or 8% more than in the same month of the previous year. 53% of accommodated domestic tourists were on holiday and 30% on a business trip. 747 accommodation establishments with 16,800 rooms and 36,900 beds were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 38% and the bed occupancy rate was 32%. The average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 30 euros, being 3 euros more expensive than in December 2010.
| Indicator | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of tourists | 2 377 671 | 2 147 133 | 2 401 763 | 2 725 937 |
| residents of Estonia | 944 325 | 766 593 | 837 811 | 918 018 |
| foreign visitors | 1 433 346 | 1 380 540 | 1 563 952 | 1 807 919 |
| Number of nights spent | 4 602 212 | 4 122 526 | 4 700 680 | 5 399 392 |
| residents of Estonia | 1 669 550 | 1 381 830 | 1 496 959 | 1 650 527 |
| foreign visitors | 2 932 662 | 2 740 696 | 3 203 721 | 3 748 865 |
| Average cost of a guest night, euros | 31 | 28 | 27 | 29 |
* The data for 2011 are preliminary.
The developments of Estonian tourism sector will be discussed more thoroughly in the joint press conference of Enterprise Estonia and Statistics Estonia which will take place today, on 9 February at 10:30 in the Tallinn conference centre of von Stackelberg hotel in Tricky Ants Farm (Toompuiestee 23, Tallinn; Tricky Ants Farm is situated in the back yard of the hotel). More information on the press conference: Raimond Kaljulaid, e-mail: raimond [at] prb.ee (raimond[at]prb[dot]ee), telephone: +372 5219 359.