Paet: Estonian Tourism Sector Recovering from Economic Decline

16.02.2010

Nr 48-E

At the opening of the tourism fair “Tourest 2010” at the Eesti Näitused exhibition centre, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that tourism is an important branch of Estonian economics. Although the global economic crisis has reduced travel activity, Foreign Minister Paet said that positive signs give hope for improvement in the situation. For example, last year the number of foreign tourists in December was already 12% higher than in the year before. “Last year 14% more Russian tourists visited Estonia than in the previous year. It was also a record year for visitors coming through the Port of Tallinn and for cruise passengers visiting Estonia,” listed Foreign Minister Paet as examples.

The foreign minister stated that the primary goal of consular services is to offer Estonian citizens, and also citizens of other countries when necessary, consular aid and to share recommendations for how to avoid problems while travelling. “Estonian citizens have required the most consular aid in the countries that are the most frequent travel destinations. Last year the Foreign Ministry and our representations provided consular aid on 579 occasions,” said Paet. Last year the countries most visited by Estonians were Finland, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Spain. Estonian citizens also received consular aid from the representations of other European Union member states in places where Estonia does not have its own embassy or honorary consul.

Paet stated that the Foreign Ministry and the network of foreign representations and honorary consuls do their part to actively introduce Estonia as a tourism destination. In 2009, 2.1 million domestic and foreign tourists used Estonian accommodation establishments.

Foreign Minister Paet said that the Foreign Ministry also works actively to make applying for a Schengen visa for travel to Estonia easier in countries where Estonia does not have its own representation. “Visa representation agreements help for nations in the Schengen area to be represented as widely as possible all over the world. The network of Estonian foreign representations is limited, and this kind of co-operation makes it easier to get an Estonian visa in countries where we don’t have our own embassy. At the moment, Estonia is represented through co-operation with 11 European Union member states for visa matters in 77 countries,” Paet explained.

Last year Estonia concluded many new co-operation agreements with European Union member states in the Schengen area for representation in the issuing of visas. In 2009 Estonia concluded agreements with Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Hungary, Austria, and France. In January of this year a visa co-operation agreement was signed with Poland. In Russia, those who wish to travel to Estonia can apply for visas using a courier service, so that those in the more distant areas of the country do not need to travel to the embassy.

Today at 14.00 a Foreign Ministry information session will take place within the framework of Tourest 2010. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs Aino Lepik von Wirén, and director general of the Foreign Ministry’s consular department Lauri Bambus will be speaking about the Foreign Ministry’s consular activity and current events and future plans related to it, EU visa policy, and the organisation of consular aid abroad. They will also address consular procedures and aid, as well as the goals of consular service in general.

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