Baltics: the new Scandinavia?
TOURISM ESTONIA OFFERS THE VISITOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING: DENSE FORESTS, ROLLING HILLS, NATURAL SPAS, AND DESPITE THE RAPID CHANGES SINCE INDEPENDENCE, THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TRADITION

STEEPED IN TRADITION Estonia is as culturally rich as it is diverse, with the advantage of European standards of hotels, restaurants and transport without the high prices

Estonia lies in a sometimes forgotten, and therefore all the more fascinating, corner of Europe, nestled between the Nordic countries across the Baltic Sea to the west and bordered by Russia to the east. To the south are the country's Baltic neighbors of Latvia and Lithuania. Of the three, Estonia is the smallest, covering an area roughly the equivalent of New Hampshire and Vermont combined. The capital city of Tallinn, with its medieval center, is located on the country's northern shores and has a population of 500,000, nearly one third of the country's total of 1.5 million. Geographically, Estonia is distinguished by thick forests that cover 40% of the country's territory, rolling hills and rivers, and by its winding coasts and dozens of uninhabited islands. For tourists, the country is best divided into four regions: the culturally rich northern area of the capital, the forests and folklore of the south, the sun and sea of western Estonia, and the heady mixture of Russian and Estonian culture which prevails in the east.

As a tourist destination, Estonia is still refreshingly genuine and uncontrived. Not only is it a nation with a touching, visible past, but it is also a nation that is as progressive and hip as it is history-filled. Foreign visitors totaled 3.2 million in 2001 and the country maintains European standards in transport, hotels, and restaurants, without the steeper mainstream European prices. With EU integration imminent, the Estonian Tourist Board is rethinking its promotional approach and considering a joint marketing of the entire Baltic area. Estonian Tourist Board Director Riina Lõhmus explains, "I feel that there is a great future in a Baltic branding, giving attention to all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, as is done with the Mediterranean countries. Estonia is similar to Sweden and Stockholm, but there are differences and people like variety so a Baltic island cruise or a Baltic capital cities cruise could be created." For the U.S. visitor new to the country, Mrs. Lõhmus recommends visiting the romantic west coast, which she says is a good area for experiencing traditional lifestyles and foods, plus you can find numerous spa resorts there.

The Radisson SAS Hotel, Tallinn, first opened its doors to guests in February 2001. In the hotel's first year, it has received over 66 thousand guests and maintained a room occupancy rate of 67%. The Tallinn hotel cements Radisson's presence in the Baltic region, where it has been establishing itself for over five years. Along with its other hotels in Riga, Vilnius, Klaipeda, and St. Petersburg, Radisson SAS is now the leading international hotel operator in the area. General Manager of the Tallinn hotel, Peter Holst explains, "When we saw the collapse of the Soviet Union, we saw the possibility of expanding into the Baltics. Today we have hotels in all the Baltic states and this helps us secure inter-Baltic travel, as well as taking care of tourist groups traveling within the region. I came over to set up the business and open the hotel and I found a very highly skilled laborforce in Estonia so we didn't need to bring in a big group of expatriates. We relied on local management and I have never regretted the decision. The Estonians have been and continue to be very competent."

The Tallinn hotel is totally equipped to deal with conferences and Mr. Holst states that many conferences are moving from the more expensive Scandinavian countries to Estonia. He says, "The prices here are a big advantage. If you are planning a conference in Sweden for 100 people, it would be cheaper to come here than hold it in Sweden, which is exactly what many Swedish and Finnish conference groups are doing now."