Baltic States – CIS, Estonia, Tourism

Estonian hotels say that they are quite booked for New Year’s and Orthodox Christmas. People come in larger groups, several families together. Although the French, Germans and Italians also come to spend New Years’ in Tallinn, most of the clients of hotels come from Russia.

Estonian Hotels Association chairman Feliks Mägus said that last year, hotels were full and there is no reason to believe this year would be different. For example in hotels Olümpia and Meriton, 85% of space is booked.

Olümpia hotel accommodation manager Kairi Tomson said that the hotel is fuller than last year. “There are clients who arrive already to spend New Year’s in our hotel, some clients stay in our hotel till the Russian Christmas.”

Hotels said that the tourists that come here for New Year’s are wealthier and ready to spend lots of money here. They come to Estonia because it is close, Russian language is spoken and hotels offer Russian language programmes.

Estonian Tourism Development Centre deputy director Marje Braunbrück said that Moscow trains will get extra carriages and extra buses will also service the route. There is unfortunately no train connection with St Petersburg. Tourism from Russia is the only growing market in that sphere, she said.