Tourist Numbers in Estonia Grow Significantly 

Text Mark Taylor

According to data released by Statistics Estonia, the number of tourists accommodated in the country in May 2024 saw a notable increase compared to the same month last year. Over 293,000 tourists were served by accommodation establishments, reflecting an 11 percent rise from May 2023. This growth covered both domestic and international tourists.

In May, Estonia accommodated 163,000 foreign tourists and 130,000 domestic tourists. This represented a 16 per cent increase in foreign tourists and a 5 per cent increase in domestic tourists compared to May 2023. Helga Laurmaa, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, highlighted that although the number of foreign tourists increased year-on-year, it was still 23 per cent lower than in May 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, domestic tourism showed a robust recovery, with an 18 per cent increase compared to May 2019.

The majority of foreign tourists came from neighbouring countries, with nearly 62,000 from Finland and 19,000 from Latvia. Other significant sources of tourists included Germany (11,000), Lithuania (7,000), and both Sweden and Poland (4,500 each). Compared to May 2023, the number of tourists from Germany increased by 50 per cent, from the United Kingdom by 20 per cent, from Poland and Lithuania by 6 per cent, and from Latvia by 5 per cent. However, there was a slight decrease in the number of tourists from Sweden, down by 2 per cent.

Most of the foreign tourists (75 per cent) visited Estonia for leisure, while 19 percent were on business trips. The preferred locations for foreign tourists were Harjumaa (72 per cent), Pärnumaa (11 per cent), Tartumaa (7 per cent), Saaremaa (3 per cent), and Ida-Virumaa (2 per cent).

Domestic tourism also showed strong numbers, with 69 per cent of domestic tourists travelling for leisure and 23 per cent for business purposes. Harjumaa was the most popular destination for domestic tourists (32 per cent), followed by Pärnumaa (14 per cent), Tartumaa (11 per cent), Ida-Virumaa  (9 per cent), and Saaremaa (7 per cent).

The average cost of a night at accommodation establishments remained consistent with May 2023 at 49 euros per person, marking a 14 per cent increase from May 2019. The cost varied by region, with Harjumaa being the most expensive at 55 euros per night, followed by Tartumaa (52 euros), Ida-Virumaa (44 euros), Pärnumaa (42 euros), and Saaremaa (37 euros).

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Domestic Tourism Estonia Estonia Tourism Statistics Estonia Travel Costs Harjumaa International Tourists in Estonia Tourism Growth Tourism Trends In Estonia