The growth in numbers of tourists and bed nights continued in May. Increases were in both domestic and foreign travel.

119,500 tourists stayed in Tallinn's accommodation establishments, of whom 90% were foreign tourists. Tallinn received 14,200 or 14% more tourists compared to the May in 2009. The number of foreign tourists as well as domestic tourists increased.

107,000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments. Year-on-year the number of foreign tourists increased 13% or 12 000 tourists. The number of accommodated domestic tourists rose even more by 21% or 2,200 tourists, for a total of 12,500.

Visitors bed nights were also up (+18% or +31 500 nights). Altogether in May there were 204,300 bed nights, with foreign tourists taking up 185,200 and Estonian citizens 19,000. Compared with the same time in last year, foreign tourists' bed nights have increased by 18% and domestic tourists' bed nights increased by 23%.

Most tourists arrived from: Finland (57,400), Russia (8,900) and Germany (6,700). The number of tourists from Finland (+15%), Russia (+40%) and Germany (+41%) increased. There was also increase in trips from Latvia (+6%). Tallinn received fewer tourists from Great Britain (-11%), Norway (-14%) and Sweden (-16%).

Seventy three per cent of accommodated tourists came to Tallinn for holidays, 26% were on a business trip (3% of which attended conferences) and the rest (1%) had some other reason for visiting Tallinn. The average length of stay for tourists was 1.71 nights and the figure showing an increasing trend among both foreigners and domestic visitors.

In May 358 accommodation establishments offered accommodation services for guests, 7,608 rooms and 15,415 beds were available. Room occupancy rate was 56% and the average cost of a guest per night in an accommodation establishment was 503 kroons.

Tallinn Airport received a total of 124,714 passengers, which was 8% more than in May the previous year. The number of passengers passing through Tallinn Old Harbour totalled 690,100 increasing by 6% compared to May 2009.

More information from Karen Alamets, karen.alamets@tallinnlv.ee