No. 129, 17.11.2014
Winter round of the Foreign Visitors Survey to begin at border crossing
points
Today, on 17 October, Statistics Estonia and Enterprise Estonia launch the second stage
of the Foreign Visitors Survey that started at the border crossing points of Estonia in the
summer. The second stage will last until the middle of December.
The winter round will try to determine whether there is a difference in the travel motivation,
behaviour and satisfaction describing tourists visiting Estonia in the summer and those arriving in
the winter. “While summer is the high season of tourism in Estonia and foreign visitors come
here mostly for their holiday, then in the current phase of the survey it is very interesting to see
which countries’ residents visit Estonia in the winter season and for which reasons,” explained
Kaja Sõstra, Head of the Methodology and Analysis Department of Statistics Estonia. “In the
summer, Statistics Estonia interviewed 5,600 foreign residents for the survey, but in the winter
season, the number of interviewees is smaller and approximately 3,000 foreign residents will be
interviewed, said Sõstra. “Also, in accordance with the season, a couple of interviewing points
have changed – three spa hotels in Pärnu have been added, for example,” noted Sõstra.
According to Tarmo Mutso, Director of Enterprise Estonia’s Tourism Development Centre, the
winter round of the survey will give the full picture of the travel motivation of foreign visitors in the
low season. “The current round will determine the general trends in the winter season, but the
motivation for travelling around New Year will be studied in the third stage of the survey, which
starts at the beginning of the New Year,” Mutso added.
Statistics Estonia’s interviewers interview foreign visitors at the passenger port, airport, bus
station and railway station in Tallinn, at the border crossing points in Narva, Koidula and
Luhamaa, at the Ahhaa centre in Tartu, at three spa hotels in Pärnu, at the former border
crossing points in Valga and at the petrol station and the car park of the shopping centre in
Valga city. The interviewers carry an employment certificate bearing their photograph and issued
by Statistics Estonia.
The Foreign Visitors Survey has been commissioned by Enterprise Estonia, who uses the
received data in providing input to the tourism sector. The information received from the survey
is also an important data source for Eesti Pank (central bank of Estonia) in calculating Estonia’s
income from tourism. In addition to Enterprise Estonia and the tourism sector, the data received
from the survey are also necessary for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
and to local governments. For example, based on the survey data, it can be decided which new
tourist attractions, roads and border crossing points should be invested in.
Statistics Estonia organises the survey in co-operation with the Police and Border Guard Board,
and enterprises engaging in passenger transport.
The results of the survey will be published in spring 2015.
For further information:
Kaja Sõstra
Head of Methodology and Analysis Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel. +372 625 8409