More tourists staying in accommodation establishments
According to Statistics Estonia, 3.8 million tourists stayed in Estonian accommodation establishments in 2019. The total number of nights spent was 7 million. 59% were foreign tourists and 41% were domestic tourists.
Last year, 2.3 million foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments. More than half of them came from neighbouring countries Finland (36%), Russia (12%) and Latvia (8%). The majority of foreign tourists came to Estonia on holiday (71%), almost a quarter came on business (23%) and the rest had some other reason for visiting. Foreign tourists spent 4.4 million nights in Estonia. 70% stayed in the accommodation establishments of Harju county, 10% in Pärnu county and 7% in Tartu county. Compared to 2018, both the number of foreign tourists as well as their nights spent increased by 5%.
The number of domestic tourists in accommodation establishments amounted to 1.5 million, which is 6% more than in 2018. Their nights spent totalled 2.6 million, which is also a 6% increase. 65% of domestic tourists were on holiday and 22% on a business trip. They mainly stayed in Harju county (25%), Pärnu county (15%), Tartu county (13%) and Ida‑Viru county (11%).
In December 2019, there were 280,000 visitors (159,000 foreign and 121,000 domestic tourists) in accommodation establishments, where they spent 193,000 and 312,000 nights, respectively. Compared to December 2018, more tourists came from Latvia (7%) and Russia (9%), while the number of tourists from Finland decreased by 4%.
In December, 998 accommodation establishments were available for tourists. 42% of the rooms and 35% of the bed places were occupied. The average cost of a guest night at an accommodation establishment was 38 euros, which is two euros less than in December 2018.
Statistical Classification of Regional Units of Estonia (EPS) based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). NUTS 3 level regions in Estonia are as follows: Northern Estonia: Harju county; Western Estonia: Hiiu, Lääne, Pärnu and Saare counties; Central Estonia: Järva, Lääne-Viru and Rapla counties; Northeastern Estonia: Ida-Viru county; Southern Estonia: Jõgeva, Põlva, Tartu, Valga, Viljandi and Võru counties.
The statistics are based on the questionnaire “Accommodation”, the submission deadline of which was 10 January 2020. Statistics Estonia published the monthly summary in 20 working days. For the statistical activity “Accommodation”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.
Today, on 10 February 2020, at 11:00 am, Enterprise Estonia holds a press conference on 2019 tourism results on the 3rd floor of Terminal D at Port of Tallinn. Helga Laurmaa, analyst at the Enterprise and Agricultural Statistics Department of Statistics Estonia, will also give a presentation on last year’s data. For further information: martin.altraja [at] eas.ee.