In July the record number of foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments

Compared to July of the previous year, more tourists arrived from neighbouring countries Russia and Latvia – 14% and 22%, respectively, as well as from several European countries and from farther countries – from Asia, America and Australia. The number of tourists from Finland decreased by 1% and in most months of the year it has been less than a year earlier. However, Finland was the largest tourism partner country of Estonia: 48% of foreign tourists using the services of accommodation establishments arrived from Finland. 65% of the total number of accommodated foreign tourists stayed in Tallinn and the number of accommodated foreign tourists in the capital city increased more than the national average. A fifth more foreign tourists than in July last year stayed in accommodation establishments of Northeastern Estonia and 8% more in the accommodation establishments of Southern Estonia. The number of foreign tourists in accommodation establishments of Central and Western Estonia decreased.

In July, 126,000 domestic tourists used the services of accommodation establishments or 1% less than in July last year. Domestic tourists preferred the services of accommodation establishments in the Western and Southern Estonia – more than 60% of accommodated domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments of these areas. In Northeastern Estonia, where 11% of domestic tourists using the services of accommodation establishments stayed, the number of domestic tourists increased by 18%. The number of domestic tourists staying in accommodation establishments of Central and Western Estonia was smaller than in July of the previous year.

In July 2012, 1,100 accommodation establishments with 21,000 rooms and 49,000 bed-places were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 61% and it was two percentage points smaller than in July last year. In July the average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 31 euros and it was 3 euros more expensive than in the same period of the previous year. The average cost of a guest night in accommodation establishments of Tallinn and Pärnu was higher than the national average (in both cities the average cost per night was 36 euros) and in accommodation establishments of Saare county (32 euros). Accommodation elsewhere in Estonia was cheaper.