Number of foreign tourists up 5 pct in Estonia
15.10.2008, 09:55According to Statistics Estonia, during the
three summer months more than a half million foreign tourists stayed in
accommodation establishments, up 5 pct compared to the same period
last year.
During the high season of tourism or the three summer months, 572,000 foreign
tourists used the services of accommodation establishments of Estonia. The
number of foreign tourists increased every month of this period compared to the
same month of the previous year.
The share of foreign tourists was continually about two thirds of the total
number of accommodated tourists. The majority of foreign tourists (80 pct)
arrived in Estonia for a holiday trip and only 13 pct were on business
trip. As usual, the most of foreign tourists stayed in accommodation
establishments of Tallinn. 64 pct of foreign tourists used the services of
accommodation establishments of the capital city and the share of Tallinn
increased two percentage points compared to the three summer months of the
previous year.
Estonian residents used the services of accommodation establishments less
than in the summer a year ago. 339,000 Estonian residents or 16,000 tourists
less stayed in accommodation establishments of Estonia compared to the same
period of the previous year. 64 pct of accommodated domestic tourists were
on holiday trip and a fifth on business trip. Although accommodation
establishments offer different possibilities to spend interesting and healthy
holidays, the organisation of the domestic overnight trip depends on the weather
and on economic possibilities.
In August 940 accommodation establishments offered accommodation services for
tourists. 19,500 rooms and 44,300 beds were available for tourists.
Characteristically of August, the room occupancy rate was big — 51%, but it was
still three percentage points smaller than in August of the previous year.
The average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment was 473
kroons, which was by 8 kroons more expensive compared to August 2007.