Estonia experienced a slight increase in the number of tourists staying in its accommodation establishments last year, as revealed by Statistics Estonia, the country’s official statistics.
In 2023, the Estonian accommodation establishments accommodated 3.43 million visitors, five per cent more than in 2022.
According to Helga Laurmaa, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, of the total number of accommodated visitors, 1.67 million were international tourists, and 1.76 million were domestic tourists.
Compared with 2022, there were 14 per cent more foreign tourists, but their number did not yet reach the pre-pandemic level and was similar to the number of tourist arrivals in 2010.
Despite the increase in foreign tourists, Estonia recorded two per cent fewer domestic tourists compared to 2022.
The majority of international tourists visiting Estonia last year were from Finland (697,000) and Latvia (229,000). Statistics Estonia noted while Estonia’s overall tourist numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels, the number of tourists from Latvia has increased by a quarter compared to 2019.
The number of visitors coming from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States increased in 2023; however, it remains lower than in 2019.
Meanwhile, in December alone last year, Estonia welcomed 271,000 tourists, five per cent more than in the same month in 2022. Of those, 141,000 were foreign tourists, and 131,000 were domestic tourists.
International tourists spent 279,000 nights in Estonia, with the majority (83 per cent) choosing accommodations in Harju County. Meanwhile, eight per cent of them stayed in Pärnu, and four per cent in Tartu counties.
On the other hand, domestic tourists spent 210,000 nights in accommodations. The majority (33 per cent) chose to stay in Harju County, followed by 14 per cent in Pärnu, 11 per cent in Tartu County, 11 per cent in Ida-Viru, and 7 per cent in Valga County.
According to Statistics Estonia, the average cost of a guest night was 49 euros per person, representing an increase of three euros compared to November.
In addition to the increase in tourist numbers, Estonia experienced a surge in air passenger arrivals throughout 2023. Estonian Airports (Kärdla, Kuressaare, Tartu, Pärnu, and Tallinn) welcomed over three million passengers during that period.
Tallinn Airport handled the majority of arrivals, reaching 2.96 million passengers, or 7.8 per cent more than in 2022. With such a figure, Tallinn Airport also returned to pre-pandemic levels at 91 per cent.
Meanwhile, Kärdla, Kuressaare, Tartu, and Pärnu airports welcomed the remaining 63,000 passengers.
