Pärnu has been grappling with its slow off-season for decades, yet so far, no effective solution has emerged to attract more tourists to the coastal city outside the summer months.

"There are over 4,000 beds in Pärnu's hotels, so we'd need nearly a million overnight stays year round to keep all accommodation businesses thriving," said Andrus Aljas, board member of the nonprofit Destination Pärnu. "To achieve that, we need to create something truly significant here."

Pärnu Rannahotell manager Oliver Paasik also noted that the city lacks an attraction capable of drawing large numbers of visitors year-round.

"If you look at the Seaplane Harbor in Tallinn or Tartu's AHHAA Science Center, their visitor numbers are remarkable," Paasik acknowledged. "Pärnu simply lacks a comparable tourism magnet."

At a visionary conference organized this fall, tourism business owners pitched the idea of building an indoor beach in Pärnu. It may seem like a far-fetched plan, but according to Aljas, there is a genuine intent in bringing it to life.

"We want to create a truly multifunctional venue where it would be possible to do everything year-round: sunbathe, host conferences if needed, host parties and concerts," he explained.

The Destination Pärnu board member noted that no such facility currently exists anywhere in the Nordics. The closest comparable facility, which has also served as an inspiration, is the world's largest indoor waterpark, located in Brandenburg, Germany.

The plan also aligns with Pärnu's tourism development goals, since according to Pärnu's tourism development manager, the city has envisioned establishing a year-round tourism hub.

"We're facing a standstill, because the last new attraction in Pärnu was Lottemaa, which opened ten years ago," Raadik admitted. "Even Lottemaa is putting in a lot of effort to stay open during the off-season."

Lottemaa theme park manager Margit Toodu highlighted that a year-round tourism magnet would enable businesses throughout the county to offer better services.

"We'd give the economy a significant boost, specifically in terms of added value," Toodu said. "We've often all seen how restaurants in Pärnu are closed in the evenings, Rüütli tänav is dark and there are no people. As business owners, we struggle to find and train seasonal workers."

According to Aljas, a feasibility study is expected to be completed by mid-next year that will determine whether the proposed indoor beach attraction would be worthwhile in Pärnu.

"The next step will be finding an investor interested in making this project a reality," he added.

It is still too early to estimate the cost of building the indoor beach or determine its exact future location.

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