 |
|
| Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau | JANUARY 2007 |
 |
|
| Vabaduse väljak 7, 15199 Tallinn, Estonia • www.tourism.tallinn.ee | |
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Tourist Information Centre opens branch in the heart of the city Rostock-Helsinki ship route extended to Tallinn Tallink Group establishes a new hotel chain – Tallink Hotels High-tech outdoor skating rink opens in Old Town More cruise ship tourists want to visit the Baltic Cruises create jobs and revenue in the Baltic Sea Region News briefs |
|
Tourist Information Centre opens branch in the heart of the cityA new branch of the Tallinn Tourist Information Centre was opened in the atrium of the Viru Keskus shopping mall on January 16. Of course the main office, which has been located in the Old Town for years, will also continue to operate. The branch office of the Tourist Information Centre is located in the middle of the city's busy modern shopping mall, 1 km from the port, above the city's central bus terminal, and practically attached to the Sokos Hotel Viru. The reason for opening the Information Centre branch at this location is that the service personnel of the Viru Keskus information desk were no longer able to answer all the questions related to tourism and also lacked the corresponding knowledge. However, those in need of information and help last there, because many of the major hotels are located in the vicinity of Viru Keskus, including the Tallink City, Radisson SAS, and Reval Central. In the second half of 2007, the new Swissôtel and Forum will also open in the neighbourhood. The new Tourist Information Centre is open every day from 9 am to 9 pm. Two professional consultants serve the centre's visitors, although the centre also has an information stand (a touch-screen computer), which visitors can use themselves to find information on the Internet, to book hotel rooms, and other functions. Tourist information is also available by e-mail from turismiinfo@tallinnlv.ee, and by telephone on +372 645 7777, +372 610 1557, and +372 610 1558. Naturally, tourist information is available at all times on the official Tallinn tourism website, www.tourism.tallinn.ee. The first tourist information point in Tallinn started operations in 1991. Since February 2003, the Tallinn Tourist Information Centre has been located in its present location at Kullassepa 4 / Niguliste 2. In 2006, 150,177 people from almost 150 countries visited the information centre. Additional information: Rostock-Helsinki ship route extended to TallinnStarting on January 15, the Tallink Group added Tallinn as a destination on its regular Rostock-Helsinki ship route. Round trips run between Helsinki and Tallinn every day. Vessels depart Helsinki for Tallinn daily at 8.30 am and from Tallinn back to Helsinki at 4.30 pm. The trip takes two and a half hours. Vessels depart Helsinki for Rostock daily at 9.30 pm, and Rostock for Helsinki from Monday to Saturday at 5 am and on Sundays at 4.30 am. The trip between Finland and Germany takes 24 hours. Starting from January 1, vessels arriving from Rostock will dock in the port of Helsinki instead of Hanko. Tallink Group operates passenger and cargo carriage on the Rostock-Helsinki line with three Superfast vessels purchased in spring 2006. Superfast VII and Superfast VIII were built in 2001, and Superfast IX in 2002. The 1A Super ice class ships can accommodate over 700 passengers and have 1,900 lineal metres of space for vehicles. The vessels are each 25 metres wide and 203 metres long, and they cruise at speeds of more than 30 knots. Further information: Tallink Group establishes a new hotel chain – Tallink HotelsTallink Group will take a major step with its new accommodation, conference and spa services and establishes a new chain of hotels, breaking away from its former brand connection with Best Western hotels. Tallink Group already operates the Tallink City Hotel (formerly Best Western Hotel Tallink), opened in 2004 in central Tallinn, and the Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel will open near the port of Tallinn in spring 2007. Both hotels will be brought together under the new brand – Tallink Hotels. Tallink City Hotel is a business class hotel with 332 rooms, conference halls and negotiation suites. In addition, the hotel has two restaurants, a nightclub, a beauty centre and the travel agency Tallink Travel Club. In April, a new up-to-date conference centre accommodating up to 244 people will be opened on the 2nd floor of the hotel. The Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel will open in spring with 275 rooms, conference centre accommodating up to 263 people, a restaurant and a cigar bar. The spa has three pools, including one pool with a wet bar and one filled with salt water, part of which will be seasonally open as an outdoor pool. The hotel also has a Sauna World with seven different saunas and a Beauty Centre offering innovative treatments. Both hotels belonging to the Tallink Hotels chain are administered by OÜ TLG Hotell, an affiliated company of Tallink Group. In the 2005/2006 financial year, Tallink City Hotel served more than 140,000 clients, 5,000 more than in the 2004/2005 financial year. The occupancy rate at the hotel in the previous financial year was 60% (a growth of 2%). Further information: High-tech outdoor skating rink opens in Old TownJust before Christmas a new, warm-weather-proof skating rink opened on Harju Street, next to St. Nicholas’ Church in Tallinn's Old Town. The facility is a boon to winter sports lovers, who have been suffering from this year’s unseasonably high temperatures. The open-air rink uses specialised technology that can maintain a good ice surface in temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees above zero, even in rainy conditions. The 1,350 m2 rink can hold up to 125 skaters, has a music system and is fully lit at night. The price for an hour of skating depends on the day and the age of a skater. From Monday to Thursday tickets cost 30 EEK for children up to 13 years, and 50 EEK for anyone older. On Fridays and weekends the prices are 35 and 60 EEK respectively. Skate hire costs 15 EEK per hour for sizes 24–36 and 20 EEK for sizes 37–47. There are also professional skates on hire for 30 EEK per hour. Borrowers are also required to leave something as collateral for the skates (e.g. a passport), which can be reclaimed by presenting a rink ticket. This means it’s vital to keep careful track of your ticket. Next to the rink there is a café that sells coffee, tea and mulled wine as well as pastries and other snacks. A few benches are provided in one corner of the rink for those who just want to rest their feet. For 5 EEK, visitors can leave their belongings in security lockers found next to the rink. Toilet facilities are also available. The rink was established and is operated by HK Hall AS. Its cooling system was installed by a Finnish firm that has experience installing similar rinks in Russia, Italy and Finland. The rink is open daily 10 am to 10 pm through mid-March. Current plans are to have it operate during the December-March period next year as well. Further information and photos: More cruise ship tourists want to visit the BalticThe Baltic Sea Region ranks high on the lists of the world’s cruise passengers when choosing a destination for their holiday. Within just five years the Baltic has become the world’s fastest growing cruise region. There was a time when most people planning on taking a cruise dreamed of a sunny holiday beneath warm skies. These days, however, when cruise tourists plan their annual holiday more and more are putting the Baltic region at the top of their wish list. The Baltic has become a popular cruise destination within the last five years. This has emerged from an analysis compiled by COWI, which has researched the growth of the international cruise market. The consultants have looked at the destinations within the Baltic region and compared them with the destinations in other sought-after cruise areas. The trend is clear: "The Baltic region is the fastest growing cruise market in the world. While the global cruise industry has experienced a growth of less than 9% the number of visitors to the Baltic region has increased by more than 13%", says COWI economist Thomas Odgaard, offering as an example Copenhagen, which has more than doubled its number of cruise ship tourists within four years. With 399,000 passengers in 2006, Copenhagen is Baltic’s most visited destination ahead of St. Petersburg and Tallinn. Good infrastructure and professionalism in surrounding areas The editor of Seatrade Cruise Review and Seatrade Insider, Mary Bond, is in no doubt why both passengers and cruise companies choose the Baltic: "The Baltic offers passengers a unique combination of exciting harbour towns with cultural and historic attractions and beautiful scenery. The harbours’ infrastructure and the surrounding areas’ ability to handle both ships and passengers in a quick and professional manner are attractive for cruise ship operators. As well as this, the waters and the countries around the Baltic are considered safe and clean." The world’s largest cruise market is North America, where Caribbean cruises are the most popular, but Europe – including the Baltic Sea Region – now has a market share of 13%, and the share is still growing. At the same time the number of cruise ship passengers visiting the 19 Baltic destinations that make up Cruise Baltic Project is growing faster than the number of cruise passengers in the rest of Europe. Signe Adamsen, responsible for Cruise Baltic Project, is convinced that cooperation and a goal-orientated marketing effort are the reasons behind the good result: "It is heartening to have it confirmed that the last years’ work with Cruise Baltic Project has made a difference in the region. The Baltic Sea Region is receiving more and more attention and that stems from the fact that we don’t present ourselves as a single destination but as a unit. We market ourselves as one partner, which simplifies work procedures, makes for an easier overview and, not least, gives us a greater visibility." In 2006, 2.3 million visitors were registered by the turnstiles of the 19 harbour members of the Cruise Baltic Project. The total number of dockings at the 19 harbours this season was 2,079. Cruise Baltic Project is a three-year EU project which started in 2004 in order to increase the number of cruise ship passengers to the Baltic region; the proportion of cruise ships in the Baltic Sea’s share of the global cruise ship market, and the number of passengers that return after their first visit to the region. To achieve this Cruise Baltic Project works together with numerous cruise ship companies, tour operators, tourist bureaus, media and local cruise networks. For additional information, incl. the destinations and partners: www.cruisebaltic.com For receiving the COWI’s analysis, please contact: For further information on the project: Cruises create jobs and revenue in the Baltic Sea RegionThe Baltic region is the world’s fastest growing cruise market. Cruise tourism in the countries around the Baltic Sea generates an annual turnover approaching € 443 million as well as up to 11,500 jobs. Cruise tourism is growing faster than any other type of tourism and, with an average annual growth of 13%, the Baltic Sea Region is the world’s fastest growing cruise market. Ranked according to the number of passengers who disembark there, the five largest Baltic destinations are: Copenhagen, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Stockholm and Helsinki. In capital cities such as Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo cruise tourists make up a quarter of all tourists, while in smaller harbour towns, like Gdynia (Poland) and Klaipeda (Lithuania), cruise tourists outnumber other tourists. Cruise tourism is a crucial source of income for many harbour towns in the Baltic Sea Region. "The last three years have seen a change in attitude at City Hall. Where once politicians viewed heavy industry as the most important source of growth in our region, they now recognise that tourism is an important and growing contributor to our society. It, of course, has both a direct and indirect economic impact on the whole region", says Miglute Hollyday, chairman of Klaipedas Meja, Lithuania. Unskilled workers find jobs when cruise ships come to town When a cruise ship docks in a town it brings increased turnover and extra jobs for cruise ship companies, travel agents and the harbour. But it also means there is more to do for the town’s restaurants, hotels and shops. "It is not just the tourists who improve turnover considerably. It has been shown that those employed in the tourist and service branches spend their money locally to a greater extent than others, which means a further increase in turnover to the town. If the cruise industry is going well it has a positive effect on the local environment, particularly when the unskilled labourers find work when cruise ships dock at a port", explains economist Thomas Odgaard from COWI. Research published by consultants COWI has established that the 19 destinations that make up Cruise Baltic Project generate a yearly turnover approaching € 443 million from cruise tourism. That means that each year cruise tourism creates up to 11,500 jobs. The positive effect is also felt in the catering and hotel industry: "This year we have experienced a growth in overnights of 10%. We are convinced that this is because of the cruise industry, which has really had a positive effect on the region. The growth in overnights has also meant that we have increased our number of full time employees by 4%", says Roy Kappenberger, regional director, Denmark, and administrative director for the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark. Project director Signe Adamsen, from Cruise Baltic Project, which works to attract more cruise tourists to the Baltic Sea Region, says: "COWI’s analysis underlines the fact that the cruise industry is a driving force for the Baltic region and has an impact on the economy and employment in the towns where cruise ships dock." In 2006, 2.3 million visitors were registered by the turnstiles of the 19 harbour members of the Cruise Baltic Project. The total number of dockings at the 19 harbours this season was 2,079. For additional information, incl. the destinations and partners: www.cruisebaltic.com For receiving the COWI’s analysis please contact: For further information on the project: News briefsIn the events section of the Tallinn tourism website, one can find a list of the major cultural events of 2007. Slightly more detailed descriptions of a selection of current and upcoming events are provided on the left-hand column of the opening page. In addition, by means of the event database on the English page of the site it is possible to search for events in the city by their type (concert, exhibition, etc.) and time. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The assortment of Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau's publications has grown a little. In January a new leaflet in Italian was published for the first time, providing a general introduction to the city. A completely up-dated leaflet in Spanish has also been released, with the latest practical information, and a new city map with the newest hotels and other sites clearly marked. For a closer inspection of all TCTO&CB's marketing materials, visit the travel trade section of the Tallinn tourism webpage where PDF files of the publications can be found as well. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tallink Group will temporarily discontinue the passenger service on its Paldiski-Kapellskär ship route. From January to April, passengers will be redirected to the Tallinn-Stockholm line. The ship, Vana Tallinn, which has served the Paldiski-Kapellskär line, will operate on the Tallinn-Helsinki line from January, replacing the passenger vessel Meloodia, which has been chartered to the Mediterranean Sea. The Paldiski-Kapellskär passenger service will resume in April, when a new generation high-speed vessel, The Star, will start to run the Tallinn-Helsinki route. Further information and timetables: www.tallink.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Budget airline FlyNordic will resume Stockholm-Tallinn flights on May 4. Until September 30 the flights will take place on Fridays and Sundays, and between June 16 and August 25, on Mondays and Fridays. The price for a one-way ticket starts from 555 Estonian kroons (322 Swedish kroons). Further information and timetables: www.flynordic.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In December, The Firefox Guild, whose Raeraamat (Guestbook) won first prize in a 2005 competition to find the quintessential Tallinn souvenir, opened a boutique at Nunne 7 in Old Town. The boutique sells a wide variety of leather-bound books, photo albums, unique ceramics and the like. Visitors to the shop can also order custom designed business gifts and bookbindings. The boutique is open 10am – 6pm daily. Further information: www.gild.ee |