12.4.2023 | Estonia

The number of tourists continues to rise

Text Mark Taylor
Photo Andrei Chertkov

According to data released by Statistics Estonia, nearly 222,000 tourists stayed in accommodation establishments in the country in February 2023, which was 31 per cent more than in February last year. The number of both domestic and foreign tourists increased.

“About 103,000 foreign and 119,000 domestic tourists were accommodated in Estonia in February. Compared with February 2022, there were 71 per cent more foreign tourists, but their number was still 15 per cent smaller than in February 2020, just before the pandemic. The number of domestic tourists rose by 8 per cent year on year, with more domestic tourists accommodated than ever before in February,” explained Helga Laurmaa, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia.

Compared with February 2022, there were more tourists from many European countries as well as from countries outside of Europe. There were over 48,000 tourists from Finland and almost 14,000 from Latvia. The number of arrivals from both of these two countries being higher than in February last year. Compared with February 2022, there were also more tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden, Poland, the USA, and Asian countries.

80 per cent of the foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments in Harjumaa, followed by Pärnumaa (8 per cent), Tartumaa(6 per cent), Ida-Virumaa (1 per cent), and Valgamaa (1 per cent).

The largest share of domestic tourists (32 per cent) was accommodated in Harjumaa, Pärnumaa (13 per cent), Tartumaa (12 per cent), and Ida-Virumaa (10 per cent).

The average cost of a guest night was 42 euros per person, which is 6 euros more than in February 2022 and 8 euros more than in February 2020. The average cost of an overnight stay per person was 51 euros in Lääne-Virumaa, 49 euros in Tartumaa, 45 euros in Harjumaa, 42 euros in Ida-Virumaa, and 35 euros in Pärnumaa.