Tallinn having bumper year for tourism

The first quarter of 2011 has proved a triumphant success for Tallinn's tourist industry.

The Estonian capital has seen a 12.5 percent increase in international visitors compared to the same time period in 2010.

As it goes, the Brits are proving to be especially enthusiastic, with as much as a 41 percent increase in guests from the U.K.

Tallinn is one of two European Capitals of Culture in 2011, and this is attracting a lot of interest in the city, said Tarmo Mutso, Estonia's Tourism Director.

Were benefiting from this, from new flying routes and from a strong tourism infrastructure with good quality hotels and good value prices., he said.

Mutso also highlighted some new enterprises on the Tallinn horizon.

Several new tourist attractions have been or will be opened this year in Tallinn, including the Viru Hotel KGB museum, the renovated Estonian History Museum and the Estonian Maritime Museum at the reconstructed Seaplane Harbour on Tallinns seafront, he noted.

These factors all cumulatively provide excellent conditions for the sustained growth in inbound tourism which we expect to continue.