Nine month record was set in accommodation establishments

1.5 million foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments from January to September 2012, which was about 56,000 foreign tourists more than at the same period of the previous year. Most of accommodated foreign tourists continually arrived from Finland (43%). At the same time the number of tourists from Finland decreased by 2% compared to the previous year. On the other hand, 47,000 more tourists from Russia stayed in accommodation establishments of Estonia. Since 2008, tourists from Russia are the biggest customer group after tourists from Finland in accommodation establishments – 13% of the total number of foreign tourists arrived from Russia during the nine months of this year. One fifth more tourists came from both Latvia and Ukraine, 9% more from Germany and 8% more from France. Compared to the nine months of the previous year, the number of foreign tourists increased 4%.

During the three quarters of the year, 740,000 domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, which were 31,000 domestic tourists more than in the previous year. Despite the recovery of domestic tourism in the last few years, the nine-month level of 2007 and 2008 is still beyond reach.

In September, 224,000 tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, of which 30% were domestic tourists. A tenth more domestic tourists and 3% more foreign tourists than in September of the previous year stayed in accommodation establishments. 918 accommodation establishments with 18,600 rooms and 42,500 bed-places were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 45% and the bed occupancy rate was 34%. Both, room and bed occupancy rates were one percentage points bigger than in September in the previous year. In September 2012, the average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 32 euros and it was two euros more expensive than at the same period of the previous year.