Helga Laurmaa, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said although last year started positively for tourism, it ended with a loss of nearly half the tourists compared to 2019. "The restrictions enforced due to the coronavirus hindered traveling worldwide. Estonian accommodation establishments lost the majority of foreign tourists and a large share of domestic tourists," said Laurmaa.

1.3 million domestic tourists stayed at accommodation establishments in 2020 and spent 2.3 million nights there. Compared to 2019, the number of domestic tourists dropped by 16 percent and their nights spent by 12 percent.

The number of accommodated foreign tourists was 676,000, which is 70 percent less than in 2019. The majority of foreign tourists came from neighboring countries: 282,000 from Finland, 97,000 from Latvia and 75,000 from Russia. Foreign tourists spent 1.4 million nights in Estonia, which is 68 percent less than in 2019.

Both domestic and foreign tourists preferred the accommodation establishments of Harju county, followed by Tartu, Pärnu and Ida-Viru counties. The annual average cost of a guest night was €32, which is 18 percent less than the year before.

In December 2020, Estonian accommodation establishments served 106,000 tourists, of whom 93,000 were domestic tourists and 13,000 were foreign tourists. Year on year, the number of tourists declined by 62 percent. In December, there were 937 accommodation establishments open for tourists. The average cost of a guest night was 30 euros.

Yesterday, the Bank of Estonia said foreign tourists had spent €1 billion less in Estonia in 2020 than in 2019.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!