Domestic tourism in Estonia emerges from the shadow of the pandemic, according to the Minister of Economy.
Here's a freshened-up take on the tourism sector in Estonia in 2024:
Chillin' in Estonia: The 2024 Tourism Boom
According to Aleksandr Michelson, the tourism guru at Estonia's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, 2024 was a blast for tourism despite a slight dip compared to the pre-pandemic era. Both domestic tourism and the financial health of the tourism industry showed promising signs.
Estonian locals took over 1.5 million overnight outbound trips in 2024, marking a 2% increase from the previous year, while domestic trips reached almost 3.5 million, showing an 8% surge. As Michelson rightly put it, domestic tourism is almost back to its pre-pandemic level.
In addition to the surge in trips, the number of nights spent on both domestic and foreign trips is on the rise. Domestic stays saw a 4% and 8% increase from 2023 and 2019, respectively, while the number of nights spent on foreign trips grew by a more modest 8% compared to 2023 but just less than 1% compared to 2019.
The growing number of domestic tourists has given a positive boost to regional businesses. On a domestic trip with an overnight stay, Estonian locals dropped an average of €184, a 3% increase from 2023 and a significant 39% increase from 2019, with business trips showing an even more impressive jump – a 22% surge in 2024 compared to 2023, and a whopping 58% compared to 2019.
While spending on domestic travel increased steadily, expenditure on foreign trips slowed down somewhat. In 2024, an average Estonian traveler dished out €1,102 on foreign trips, a 2% increase from 2023 and a solid 33% increase from 2019. Of this amount, approximately €380 went towards transportation, €342 for accommodation, €233 on food, and the remaining bite for entertainment and shopping.
Estonian travelers typically favor neighboring countries or sunny locales in southern Europe for their trips. EU countries accounted for 73% of Estonian residents' foreign trips, with Finland nabbing 11%, Latvia and Sweden both notching 11%, Spain and Italy sitting at 7%, and Italy recording a 6% share. Sweden saw the most significant growth, with a 48% increase in overnight trips by Estonian travelers in 2024 compared to 2023, followed by Spain with a 32% uptick and Lithuania with a 14% rise.
Michelson highlights that the growth in domestic tourism is reflected in the sales revenues and profits of Estonian companies. Preliminary estimates show a 6.4% increase in turnover for accommodation and catering companies compared to the previous year. The growing number of overnight stays by foreign tourists also supports the growth of tourism companies. Statistics Estonia reported a 9% increase in the number of nights spent by foreign tourists in Estonia in 2024 compared to 2023.
While specific data on how domestic tourism fared compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2024 is lacking, the overall surge in tourism suggests that domestic tourism might have benefited from similar trends as international tourism. 🤫🤫🤫 (Wink-wink, nudge-nudge)
🔍🔍🔍 For those who like extra bites of info -- don't we all? -- here's a sneak peek at what the search results dug up:
- International Tourism: Estonia welcomed around 3.6 million tourists in 2024, indicating a strong year for tourism. (Yesss, that's it! The more tourists, the merrier.)
- Factors Influencing Tourism Growth: The increase in foreign visitors and multi-day trips are behind the growth in tourism. Additionally, the shift of Easter to April in 2025 and cooler spring weather affected accommodation numbers, but spending by foreign visitors increased by 10%, proving that the tourism sector is resilient AF.🤫🤫🤫 Aren't you curious to know about migration patterns? Well, let's just say they're quietly adding to Estonia's economic activities.* 🤫🤫🤫
In the realm of business, the tourism sector revealed a significant surge in 2024, with both domestic and international tourism experiencing growth.The uptick in domestic tourism contributed to the growth of local businesses, particularly in transportation, accommodation, and entertainment, as Estonians favor trips to neighboring countries and sunny locales.
