According to Statistics Estonia, in the 1st quarter of 2013, over half a million foreign and domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, which was 5% more than in the same period of the previous year. The number of both foreign and domestic tourists increased.
During the first three months of the year, 303,000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments, which was 5% more than in the same period a year ago. Three quarters of foreign tourists arrived from the neighbouring countries Finland, Russia and Latvia. 133,000 tourists from Finland or 44% of the total number of foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments.
As in January the number of tourists from Finland was on the level of the same month of the previous year, then in February and March it increased by 20% and 19%, respectively. 79,000 tourists from Russia or more than a quarter of the total number of foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments. The number of tourists from Russia increased by 12% compared to the same period of the previous year.
Among Russian tourists, New Year's tours were continuously popular – in January 40,000 tourists from Russia visited the accommodation establishments of Estonia or more than a half of tourists arriving from Russia in the 1st quarter. 18,000 tourists from Latvia used the services of accommodation establishments, which was slightly less than in total of three months of the previous year. Also, fewer tourists from Germany, Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom arrived in Estonia.
In the 1st quarter, 41% of the clients of accommodation establishments were domestic tourists. 212,000 domestic tourists used the services of accommodation establishments, which was 6% more than in the 1st quarter of the previous year. 28% of domestic tourists stayed in accommodation establishments in Harju county, 15% in Pärnu county, 11% in Tartu county and 9% in Ida-Viru county. More than a half of the domestic tourists were on holiday and almost a third were on business trips.
In March 2013, 841 accommodation establishments offered services for tourists. 193,000 domestic and foreign tourists stayed in the accommodation establishments or 6% more than in March of the previous year. 18,000 rooms and 39,000 beds were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 38% and the bed occupancy rate 31%. The average cost of a guest night was 30 euros and it stayed on the level of March of the previous year.
Tourists accommodated in accommodation establishments, 1st quarter 2013