OREANDA-NEWS. March 14, 2012. In 2011, travel services exports earned about 900 million euros, which is 11% more than in 2010.  Travel services imports accounted for 554 million euros, having increased 17% within a year. Travel services exports exceeded imports by 343 million euros, accounting for some 2% of Estonia's GDP. Travel services exports made up 23% and imports 21% of Estonia's external trade of services. Calculations of the balance of payments' current account indicators for travel services exports and imports show that the latter have constantly occupied the second place after transportation services in our external trade, reported the press-centre of Eesti Pank.

In 2011, Estonia welcomed about 5.3 million foreign visitors, which is 13% more than in 2010. EU residents accounted for 81% of the total number of visitors, whereas the share of the CIS was 12%.  Visits by the EU residents increased 12%, year-on-year, and those by the CIS residents by 18%.

Approximately half of the total number of visits lasted for several days and this ratio has not changed compared to 2010.  The average stay in Estonia was 4 days in both 2010 and 2011.

42% of the visitors came from Finland and about half of them stayed here less than one day. Expenditure made by Finns accounted for 46% of travel services exports. The share of Russians in the total number of visitors as well as expenditure made by them both made up 11%. The respective indicators for Swedes were 6% and 8%.

Estonia's residents made 3.8 outbound trips in 2011, which is 8% more than in 2010. Our residents' trips to the EU countries increased 6% within a year, accounting for 67% of total outbound travel. Travel to the CIS went up 12% on 2011 and the share of the group of countries in total outbound travel was 18%. Overnight visits made up 70% of Estonia's residents' outbound travel, just like in 2010. The average duration of stay abroad was also 4 days in both years. The average duration of stay differed slightly when looking at travel to the EU and to the CIS: in the first case, the average stay was 4.6 days and in the second, 2.5 days.

The target countries of Estonia's residents' outbound trips were predominantly our neighbouring countries. Travel to Finland made up 24%, to Russia 16%, to Latvia 11% and to Sweden 7%. Since these countries are relatively close to Estonia, the share of same-day visits there was relatively high: 37% for Finland, 35% for Russia, 53% for Latvia and 40% for Sweden. The new popular holiday destinations were Turkey and Thailand in summer and India in winter.

The expenditure made by Estonia's residents in Finland and Russia accounted for 31% and 8%, respectively, of total travel services imports.