Accommodation establishments did well in the 1st half of the year

In the 1st half of 2008 more than one million tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, 59% of them were foreign tourists. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the number of tourists from Estonia’s main partner states in tourism — Finland, Russia, Latvia, Germany, Lithuania and Poland — increased. The number of tourists from Russia, using the services of accommodation establishments, increased the most — by one third. At the same time, less tourists from Sweden, Norway and United Kingdom stayed in accommodation establishments. By tourist regions, the number of foreign tourists increased the most in Northern and Southern Estonia (7% and 3% respectively) and decreased in Western Estonia (2%).

In the 1st half of the year 432,000 residents of Estonia stayed in accommodation establishments, which is 2% more than in the same period of previous year. A third of domestic tourists stayed in the accommodation establishments of Southern Estonia, but equally 26% of domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments of Northern and Western Estonia.

In June 258,000 tourists used the services of accommodation establishments of Estonia. Compared to the same period of previous year, the number of accommodated foreign tourists increased 6% and the number of accommodated domestic tourists decreased 7%. 925 accommodation establishments with 19,300 rooms and 43,200 beds were available for visitors. The room occupancy rate was 47%. Compared to June 2007, the room occupancy rate decreased by two percentage points. The average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 510 kroons. The cost of a guest night was the highest in Tallinn (653 kroons).

Accommodation by regions, June 2008