Record number of tourists stayed in accommodation establishments in the 1st half-year

In the 1st half-year of 2012, 817,000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments, which was 6% more than in the same period of the previous year. Compared to the previous year, more tourists came from neighbouring countries Russia and Latvia, as well as from Germany, Norway, Italy and France. The number of tourists from Finland, which decreased 2%, has been smaller in most months of the year than a year earlier. The neighbouring countries are continuously the largest tourism partner countries of Estonia, about 70% of foreign tourists who arrived from these countries used the services of accommodation establishments.

In the 1st half-year, 427,000 domestic tourists used the services of accommodation establishments or 5% more than in the 1st half-year of the previous year. Different from the foreign tourists, the number of domestic tourists using the services of accommodation establishments did not exceed the record of the 1st half-year of the last decade. The most popular destinations were continually Harju, Pärnu and Tartu counties, where respectively 27%, 13% and 12% of accommodated domestic tourists stayed.

In June 2012, 303,000 tourists used the services of accommodation establishments. The number of accommodated foreign tourists increased by 1% and the number of accommodated domestic tourists by 6% compared to June of the previous year. In June, over 6,000 tourists more arrived from Russia than in June a year ago. 1,084 accommodation establishments with 21,000 rooms and 47,000 bed-places were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 50% and the bed occupancy rate 41%. In June the average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 32 euros and was 3 euros more expensive than in the same period of the previous year. The average cost of a guest night in Tallinn was higher than the national average – 39 euros, elsewhere in Estonia accommodation was cheaper.