Tourism in Estonia

Tourism in Estonia refers to the overall state of the tourism industry in the Baltic nation of Estonia. It is a key part of the country's economy, contributing 7.8% to its GDP, and employing 4.3% of its population.^[1] In 2018, tourism and other related services counted for over 10.8 percent of Estonia's exports. Tourism is increasing rapidly in Estonia: the number of tourist arrivals—both domestic and international—has increased from 2.26 million in 2006 to 3.79 million in 2019.^[2] Estonia was also ranked the 15th-most safest country to visit in 2017, according to safedestinations.com, scoring 8.94 out of 10 on their list.^[3] In a 2018 report published by the OECD, they concluded that most international tourists come from places like Finland, Russia, Latvia, Germany, and Sweden.^[1]

National tourism in Estonia is managed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (Estonian: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium), which works closely with the national tourist agency, the Estonian Tourist Board. In 2014, the Government of Estonia announced the National Tourist Development Plan, a project meant to invest 123 million euros into the Estonian travel industry,^[4] meant to last until 2020. After 2020, when the plan ended, the Ministry announced a new plan starting from 2021 and ending in 2024, entitled the "Tourism Programme 2021–24", with help from the Ministry of Education and Research.^[5]

In the context of tourism in general, Estonia, along with other Baltic states, is considered a newly-freed Eastern Bloc nation with a rich history and untouched nature.^[6] Popular destinations in Estonia include the national capital of Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, and Saaremaa, of which the Old Town in Tallinn is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Additionally, Estonia is also a popular destination for foreign students: 5,528 students from external countries studied in Estonia, mostly from neighboring countries, but also occasionally from places like Azerbaijan, Nigeria, and India,^[7] comprising 12.2% of all students in Estonia.^[8]