A record number of visitors from abroad came to Estonia in the third quarter, with 2.1 million visits, which is 4% more than in the third quarter of last year. There were one third more visitors from Asian countries and they accounted for 6% of all visitors, their largest share ever registered. There were slightly fewer visitors from Finland than a year earlier and they accounted for one third of the total, which is the smallest share in recent years. The number of Russian residents visiting Estonia also continued to decline, and there were 14% fewer such visits in the third quarter of this year than in the same quarter of last year. At the same time there were increased numbers of visitors from Germany, Spain, Latvia and the USA.

In all, 43% of the visitors to Estonia stayed for more than one day, and their average stay was five days. It is estimated that multi-day visitors spent a total of 250 million euros, and single-day visitors spent 150 million euros.

Estonian residents made 1.1 million visits to foreign countries in the quarter, which was 1% more than a year earlier¹. Three quarters of those visits were made to the European Union. People from Estonia travelled more to holiday destinations like Greece, Turkey, Italy and Croatia, but the numbers going to Portugal fell by 38%, to Hungary by 25%, and to Finland by 11%. There were 3% more multi-day visits, but their average length remained constant at 4.6 days. Single-day visits accounted for 27% of the total, and there were 2% fewer such visits than in the third quarter of last year. Visitors from Estonia to foreign countries spent an estimated 185 million euros.

¹ The number of trips abroad and the number of visits to foreign countries are not the same, as one trip abroad may include visits to several different countries.

The movement of travellers has a noticeable effect on the export and import of travel services in the Estonian balance of payments, which will be published on 9 December.

Additional information:
Tarass Snitsarenko
Eesti Pank Statistics Department
Telephone: +372 668 0906
Email: [email protected]