Tourism in Tallinn 2009 In 2009, 2.15 million tourists stayed in Estonian accommodation establishments, and over half of them (53%) spent the night in Tallinn. Tourists in Tallinn: 1,135,500 (-4%) 1 Bednights in Tallinn: 1,929,000 (-8%) Total foreign tourists: 999,500 (-2%) Bednights of foreign tourists: 1,716,000 (-5%) Total domestic tourists: 136,000 (-18%) Bednights of domestic tourists: 213,000 (-25%)
Among primary markets, numbers of bednights by Finnish and Russian tourists grew. Finland: 762,100 nights (+5%) Russia: 146,900 nights (+11%) Germany: 102,700 nights (-21%) Sweden: 95,700 nights (-13%) Norway: 87,300 nights (-10%) Great Britain: 69,700 nights (-32%) Latvia: 51,400 nights (-9%) Italy: 40,100 nights (-23%) USA: 32,400 nights (-12%) France: 29,600 nights (-4%) Spain: 27,500 nights (-20%) Belgium: 12,100 nights (+5%) Japan: 11,800 nights (+13%) China: 3,700 nights (-3%)
Decrease in length of stay The average length of stay of tourists in Tallinn in 2008 was 1.7 nights (-4%). Stays by foreign tourists: 1.72 nights (-3%) Domestic tourists: 1.57 nights (-8%) Among primary markets, Norwegians averaged the longest lengths of stay (2.5 nights), and Finns spent the shortest time in Tallinn (average 1.43 nights).
The majority of tourists came to Tallinn for vacation and leisure. 1
Comparison with 2008 data
Of all foreign tourists’ bednights in Tallinn, 75% were for leisure purposes, 19% business, 4% conference attendance and 2% other purposes. Domestic tourists spent 58% of their bednights for leisure purposes, nearly a third (30%) for business, 9% conference attendance and 3% other purposes.
Both room occupancy rates in accommodation establishments and the price of guest nights decreased. 342 accommodation establishments were registered in Tallinn at the end of 2009, with 7,540 rooms and 15,250 beds. Average room occupancy was 44%, amounting to 6 percentage points less than the previous year. Tallinn’s accommodation establishments earned 1.01 billion kroons from sales of accommodation services. A guest night in Tallinn’s accommodation establishments cost an average of 529 kroons, a decrease of a tenth (-12%) in comparision with 2008.
Numbers of air passengers decreased; travellers by sea remained at last year’s levels. 1.35 million passengers (-26%) came through Tallinn Airport in 2009. Passengers in Tallinn Old City Harbour totalled 7.24 million (0%), of whom 84% travelled on the Tallinn-Helsinki line.
Increase in cruise ship and cruise passenger numbers 305 cruise ships and 415,000 cruise passengers (+11%) visited Tallinn in 2009. 21% of cruise passengers were from the USA, 19% were from Great Britain, 19% from Germany, and 11% from Spain.
Increase in visits to Tallinn Tourist Information Centres Tallinn Tourist Information Centres served 189,600 visitors (+9%). Foreign visitors originated mostly from Finland (38,000), Germany (19,400) and Russia (15,800).
Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau 10.05.2010 1