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Destination Report Estonia is a special edition of HeadQuarters Magazine - June 2011published by Meeting Media Company (Belgium) - www.headquartersmagazine.com - [email protected]
HEADQUARTERSE U R O P E , M I D D L E - E A S T, A F R I C A
meet estoniaa positively surprising e-country
© G
rah
am
Mit
chel
l
HEADQUARTERS 2
ESTOnIA IS THE SMALLEST OF THREE BAL-
TIC COUnTRIES, BUT DESPITE ITS SIzE IT
OFFERS A LOT TO EvERyBODy wHO SETS
A FOOT In THIS BEAUTIFUL REgIOn. IT IS
ALMOST UnBELIEvABLE HOw MAny HIgH
STAnDARD HOTELS, COnFEREnCE vEnUES
AnD OPPORTUnITIES ESTOnIA BOASTS.
THIS IS A PLACE TO RETURn BACk AgAIn
AnD AgAIn - AS EvERy TIME OnE CAn
FInD SOMETHIng nEw, LET IT BE A nEw
BOUTIQUE HOTEL, A HI-TECH COngRESS
CEnTRE, A FAnCy RESTAURAnT OR An
EnTERTAInIng SOCIAL PROgRAMME.
RepoRt AnitA KAlMAne
My last visit to Estonia took place in 2009,
and when I returned to this fascinating
country in April I was amazed to see how
much it’s changed. 2011 is definitely The year
of Estonia - from January 1 they have joined
Euro-zone, Tallinn is the official European
Capital of Culture and Tartu, the second big-
gest Estonian city, just inaugurated its new
science centre AHHAA. And that is not all as
high plans are also set for 2012: next year
Tallinn will be the (unofficial) Capital of Euro-
pean Law and Tallinn Tv-Tower will welcome
its visitors again not only for a nice view of
the city, but also for small conferences for up
to 100 people.
OlD anD nEw par excellenceBlend of old and new, modern and medieval,
in the last years Estonia has been a destina-
tion for several large-scale conferences
and events. In ICCA’s last statistics, Estonia
ranked 40th, its capital Tallinn 44th, and Esto-
nian capital of science Tartu 171th - not bad for
an emerging destination!
Estonia has just only 1,3 million inhabitants
although its territory is slightly larger than
Denmark or the netherlands. That means
that almost half of the country is covered
with forests, and Estonians them-selves like
to stress out how green and nature-friendly
they are. It takes less than half an hour to get
out of any city and organise a green meeting
in the countryside, although it is possible
to organise such a meeting also in the city
centre - a good example is the 5th Interna-
tional Conference of waste Management and
the Environment which took place at Radisson
Blu Hotel Olümpia.
On the other hand, Estonia is also a true
‘e-country’. Upon my arrival, an Estonian
friend reassured me in a heartbeat: ‘Wi-Fi is
one of our basic human rights.’ That being
said, all hotels have free wireless and some
go even further - for example, the busi-
ness rooms in nordic Hotel Forum include
a modern Skype telephone, which gives
the opportunity to call Skype users free of
charge. Oh and by the way, did you know
that Skype was invented in Estonia (although
Sweden is claiming the same as the lucky
combination consisted of Estonian brain and
Swedish money)?
TEsTiMOnialErik Bongcam-Rudloff,
member of the execu-
tive board of EMBnet
and chairman of
SeqAhead (Sweden),
says: ‘We are looking
for places to organise
conferences in 2012-2014. Last year I went to
Erik Bongcam-Rudloff
© Jarek Jõepera
estonia, the hard facts
+ Officiallanguage:Estonian+ Foreignlanguagesspoken:English
andGerman,oftenalsoRussianandFinnish
+ Officialcurrency:Euro+ Timezone:GMT+2+ Membership:Estoniaisapartof
NATO,EUandSchengenvisaarea
+ Neighbouringcountries:Finland,LatviaandRussia
+ RegisteredpublicWi-Fihotspots:1,140
E-country Estonia
HEADQUARTERS 3
Barcelona for EIBTM and got very interesting
information in the booth of Estonia, and I was
invited to come for the fam trip ‘Meet Estonia
2011’. We are very specific in our wishes –
we want to get a place that is technically
advanced, where there is good transportation
(not far away from the airport) and which has
good value for money. The first impression
of Estonia is so far very good. Three years
ago when I was here for one day as a tourist,
I just saw the old town. For me it was very
impressive, because it is one of the few places
where you can see a town which looks like a
medieval castle. Now that I have inspected
hotels I must say that the quality standard
is very high. Also it is very impressive that
everywhere we go there is free internet. In
the field of bioinformatics where I am working
it is very important, because we must always
be connected in order to be very efficient in
our work.’
EsTOnian COnvEnTiOn BuREaukadri karu, Managing
Director of Estonian
Convention Bureau,
explains: ‘Estonian Convention Bureau is
a young membership-based organisation
that was founded in 2008 and unites 23 key
players of the Estonian meetings industry,
including convention centres, conference
hotels, PCO’s and DMC’s and the cities of
Tartu and Tallinn. As a first contact point ECB
provides free of charge neutral information
and assistance in finding the local partners
for any meeting or incentive.’
She continues: ‘Organising an event in
Estonia is affordable and easy - facilities and
services come at very competitive rates and
offer good value for money when compared
to other European countries. E-solutions and
practically no need for transfers help to keep
the budget costs down and also contribute to
green approach that is widely recognized in
Estonia. Using electronical conference mate-
rials and communication, avoiding plastic
and paper and choosing local seasonal food
for catering are just few examples how to act
green in Estonia.’
She concludes: ‘Estonia is very informal
and friendly hence it is possible to organise
things quickly and easily. You can even rent
the centuries old Tallinn Town Hall for special
occasions or have the former Prime Minister
and historian Mart Laar as a tour guide in
the UNESCO Heritage listed Tallinn Old Town!
Just recently in May European Quality Asso-
ciation announced Tallinn to be the venue for
57th EOQ Congress in June 2013. We consider
the possibility to host 500 European quality
specialists as an important recognition to
Estonia as a top quality meeting destination!’
COnTACT
Kadri Karu, Managing Director
estonian Convention Bureau
T: +372 6 450 029
www.ecb.ee
past conferences held in estonia
+ AIDS2011InternationalConference+ InternationalIntegrativeMedicine
Conference+ AssociationofEuropeanThreat
AssessmentProfessionals(AETAP)Conference2011
+ 2011EFMDEntrepreneurshipConference+ TheWorldFederationofTouristGuide
Associations(WFTGA)2011Convention+ 5thInternationalBalticCongressof
AnaesthesiologyandIntensiveCare+ Europe’sEcotourismConference2010+ EuropeanCharophytologistsAnnual
Conference+ SUSI2010:11thInternationalConference
onStructuresUnderShockandImpact+ 3rdWorldConferenceonScienceand
TechnologyEducation+ EuropeanConferenceonCyberConflict
Full list of past and upcoming events you can see at www.ecb.ee
The programme ‘Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination’ is supported by Euro-pean Union Regional Development Fund.Kadri Karu
tallinn old town © Jaak Kadak
estonia Song Festival © Anton Klink
© Kirsti eerik
> I n T R O D U C T I O n
HEADQUARTERS 4
Most of travellers arrive to Estonia at
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, which was not
only the first airport in the world to offer free
internet, but is also one of the few places
in Europe where one can literally walk from
the airport to the hotel as driving to the city
centre takes only five minutes. In May 2012 the
Airport Council International - Europe Region
and Tallinn Airport will be organising the 7th
Routes Europe event in Tallinn together with
key partners - Enterprise Estonia, Estonian
Tourist Board; Tallinn City and Estonian Air.
Thanks to their national carrier Estonian Air
and other companies, Tallinn airport offers
direct flights to 30 European cities as well
as good flight connections to everywhere
else in the world via Helsinki, Riga and other
European cities. It is also no problem to
arrive by train from Moscow or take a ferry
from Helsinki, Stockholm or St. Petersburg.
Planners often decide to organise combined
programmes including a post-conference
tour to Helsinki, St. Petersburg or Riga.
Once in Tallinn, most of the conference
venues and hotels are located in the city
centre which is only 10 minutes by foot
from the port and railway station. The short
distances in the capital and the fact that all
venues are about 5 to 10 minutes away from
each other help avoiding using public trans-
port. It also makes it convenient to discover
the city by night!
All together there are 7,500 hotel rooms
in Tallinn. In addition to numerous confer-
ence hotels, there are five star boutique
hotels, which are suitable for those looking
for something more unusual. Having visited
the boutique hotel Telegraaf, which was built
for the Estonian Telegraph company in 19th
century, and several conference hotels, I can
truly say that it is hard to choose where to
stay as each and every hotel gives a good
reason to come back for a longer time!
COnfEREnCE HOTEls in Tallin
swissôTEl Tallinn
During my time in Tallinn I stayed on the
29th floor of Swissôtel, which is the tallest
hotel in Estonia. The view from my room was
priceless, as I woke up with the sun, admiring
the view of the ferries slowly sliding along
the port. In total the hotel has 238 luxurious
guest rooms as well as the largest ballroom
in Estonia and seven other multi-functional
meeting rooms with various capacities from
9 to 500 people. not to forget also the only
ESTOnIAn CAPITAL TALLInn wITH ITS COMPACT SIzE SURPRISES yOU In EvERy ASPECT.
IT FEELS ALMOST LIkE BEIng In A FAIRyTALE AnD gOIng BACk TO 15TH CEnTURy
(ESPECIALLy wHEn vISITIng THE TOwn HALL PHARMACy, THE ELDEST STILL-RUnnIng
APOTHECARy In EUROPE), wHILE AT THE SAME TIME TALLInn AMAzES yOU wITH ITS
19TH CEnTURy FACTORy DISTRICT ROTERMAnn AnD 20TH CEnTURy BUILDIngS JUST
ACROSS THE STREET.
tallinn compact, yet diverse
Town Hall Pharmacy © Toomas volmer
Executive Lounge in Tallinn, business centre,
spa and wellness centre, several restaurants
and two private dining rooms.
MERiTOn GRanD COnfEREnCE
& sPa HOTEl
It seems that Meriton with its 21 treatment
rooms and several pools, saunas and jaccuzis
has the largest spa and wellness centre in
Tallinn, therefore it is an ideal place for partici-
pants to relax after a hard day’s work. Fourteen
multifunctional conference rooms give the
possibility to organisers to choose the most
suitable one for them, let it be a room with a
terrace overlooking the old town or a small
meeting room next to the aqua and sauna
centre. The biggest plenary room is suitable
for 380 participants and the hotel also offers
cocktail receptions for up to 600 people.
TallinK sPa & COnfEREnCE HOTEl
Tallink Hotel is not only special because of its
original pool bar and outdoor swimming pool,
but also because of the nice feeling it gives
its guests. During the day participants can
have a meeting in one of the six conference
halls (the largest one can seat 263 guests); at
night they are welcome to rest in one of its
275 rooms, among which there are four origi-
nal luxury suites, reminiscent of different,
distant worlds, whether it be French, Arabic,
Metropolitan or even from the Cosmos!
RaDissOn Blu HOTEl Tallinn &
RaDissOn Blu HOTEl OlüMPia
For those who prefer well-known brands,
both Radisson hotels situated in Tallinn’s
skyscrapers are the best choice. Combined,
the hotels offer 670 guest rooms and 29
multifunctional rooms, which in total can
host almost 2,000 delegates (the largest
room alone is suitable for 400 participants).
Being just 500 metres away from each other,
it is easy to host a large conference in both
venues.
nORDiC HOTEl fORuM
If there is one thing to be said about nordic
Hotel Forum, it is definitely its unique Skype
phones in all of its 23 business rooms,
making it clear that a real working atmos-
phere is possible everywhere. In addition
to its 267 rooms, the hotel boasts six multi-
functional conference and meeting rooms
with daylight, the biggest one seating 200
people in a theatre style. Definitely a good
choice for smaller conferences.
sOKOs HOTEl viRu
Back in 1972 Sokos Hotel viru was the first
skyscraper in Estonia. Today it’s been fully
modernised and includes 516 guest as well
HEADQUARTERS 5
Altogether there are 7,500 hotel rooms in Tallinn. In addition to the expected conference hotels, there are five star boutique hotels, which are suitable for those looking for something more unusual
Elo Aun and Liina guiter, Project Managers at Foun-dation Tallinn 2011, explain: ‘All together there are around 251 projects and 7,000 events as a part of Tallinn 2011 - European Capital of Culture. One of the biggest events that will last till September is a straw theatre. Another highlight is the 11th Youth Song and Dance Festival at the beginning of July, which tells seaside stories about Estonia and its people. It is the most important event for Estonians and will take place in open air, so it practically cannot be sold out and tickets can be bought even at the last minute. Of course, there is also a whole area by the seaside with special events and simply nice places to walk.’
tallinn, 2011 european capital of culture
> T A L L I n n
Tallink spa & Conference Hotelnokia Concert Hall swissôtel conference hall
HEADQUARTERS 6
> T A L L I n n
as 11 multifunctional conference rooms,
the biggest one of which seats up to 500
delegates. Those looking for entertainment
will be thrilled: the hotel has a nightclub,
a shopping mall or there is even the kgB
museum on the 23rd floor! Indeed, kgB, the
national security agency of the Soviet Union,
used several rooms in the hotel to spy on the
foreign guests and now hotel guests have
the exceptional possibility to hear the stories
about kgB and see the proofs of their work.
BOuTiQuE HOTEls - TElEGRaaf,
THE THREE sisTERs anD sCHlösslE
Although Tallinn boutique hotels do not have
facilities for big conferences, they represent
a good choice for discerning business travel-
ers. It can either be Telegraaf with its 86
rooms, special service cabinets and a lounge
for up to 50 persons, The Three Sisters with
23 unique rooms and suites, small meet-
ing rooms for a maximum of 90 people, or
Schlössle with 23 rooms and a board room
for up to 12 people. These places are perfect
for either small and very special meetings
or those conference participants seeking for
a difference. All three boutique hotels are in
the old town and just a few minutes by foot
from the biggest conference venues.
COnvEnTiOn vEnuEs
nOKia COnCERT Hall
Built only two years ago, nokia Concert Hall
is proud to have the best sound system in
northern Europe and the biggest multi-
functional room in Estonia, which can host
a wide amount of people, let it be 1,800
delegates or only 500 people (while covering
the rest of the hall with curtains). During
my visit, general Manager Aivar Sirelpuu
even mentioned you can drive a car on the
stage - everything is possible! Extensive
foyer areas are suitable for exhibitions
catering and posters. As if that was not
enough there are 9 auditorium-style cinema
halls in the same complex that can be used
as break-out rooms.
Tallinn univERsiTy
COnfEREnCE CEnTRE
Tallinn University Conference Centre
has found its home next to the port near
kadriorg Park. The academic environment
here is a good place for seminars, workshops
and conferences in one of the seven meeting
rooms the facility boasts. The biggest one of
them is suitable for 255 people, although next
year 15 new rooms will open. Then their larg-
est room will accommodate 400 delegates.
Tallinn’s uniQuE MEETinG faCiliTiEs
EsTOnia COnCERT Hall
anD EsTOnian naTiOnal OPERa
Just across the street of nokia Concert
Hall there is a ‘two in one’ facility, Estonia
Concert Hall and Estonian national Opera,
connected with the white Hall belonging
to the theatre. Hosting a conference in
such a majestic place guarantees a special
atmosphere and the guests can have a
seminar in the morning, a gala dinner in the
Estonian song festival © Kaarel Mikkin
Estonian national Opera © Harri Rospu
The Three sisters Hotel © Toomas volmer
Telegraaf Hotel
HEADQUARTERS 7
evening and a concert the next day - all in
the same hall as the removable chair system
of the Concert Hall enables to change the
set up in less than ten minutes. Besides the
theatre and concert halls both suitable for
conferences up to 800 persons, there are
foyer areas and 3 smaller rooms suitable for
exhibitions, catering and break-outs.
KuMu aRT MusEuM
kumu Art Museum offers more than culture,
as it hosts exhibitions of Estonian art that
can be used for private events. Awarded the
best European Museum of the year in 2008,
it has an auditorium suitable for conferences
and performances up to 245 people and the
main exhibition hall can be used for recep-
tions (up to 500 people) and gala dinner (up
to 280 people).
Tallinn sOnG fEsTival GROunDs
going further, the most extraordinary
place to have a conference is Song Festival
grounds as you will not find anything like
this out of the Baltic states. Once every five
years it is home to the Estonian Song Festival
gathering 30,000 singers and 8,000 dancers
in once place (this July there is 11th youth
Song and Dance Celebration, so do not miss
it if you are nearby!). At any other time, the
indoor facilities are available for banquets,
conferences, exhibitions and concerts,
hosting up to 1,000 people for a reception.
The empty indoor layout is highly flexible,
adapted to anyone’s demanding needs.
HOusE Of THE BROTHERHOOD
Of BlaCK HEaDs
In terms of majesty and special feelings, the
House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads
is competing with Estonia Concert Hall and
national Opera. During the medieval times
when Tallinn was part of the Hanseatic
League unmarried merchants gathered in
their guild here. now there are two spec-
tacular halls where one can get away from
the bustling noises of everyday’s life and feel
like one is back in the past. Maybe the only
preserved Renaissance building in Tallinn, it
can host up to 300 guests for reception or
150 guests for conference.
the XXv congress of the international federation for european law (fide) in estonia
Dr. iur Julia Laffranque, President of FIDE 2011-2012 and President of Estonian Association
for European Law, says: ‘Inspired by Tallinn being the 2011 European Capital of Culture,
Tallinn will be known as the Capital of European Law in 2012, when it will host one of the
most distinguished EU law conferences, the XXV Congress of the International Federation for
European Law (FIDE). The Congress will be hosted by the Estonian Association for European
Law and the Estonian Lawyers Association. As hosts to the 2012 FIDE Congress, we would like
to give the Congress a wide perspective and offer the people of Estonia and other Europeans
during the whole year of 2012 a unique opportunity to learn more about their rights under EU
law and how they can influence policy making at different levels. While the Congress will surely
contribute to the development and enrichment of European law, it will also introduce Estonia,
Tallinn and the country’s jurisprudence to European and global audiences, and help Estonia
prepare for the Estonian Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2018.’Julia laffranque
Thanks to their national carrier Estonian Air and other companies, Tallinn airport offers direct flights to 30 European cities as well as good flight connections to everywhere else in the world
COnTACT
Meeli Jaaksoo, Convention Manager
tallinn City tourist office & Convention
Bureau [email protected]
T: +372 6 404 414
www.tourism.tallinn.ee
Kumu art Museum © Karel Koplimets
Tallinn Town Hall
House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads © Toomas Tuul
> T A L L I n n
HEADQUARTERS 8
Estonian scientists have achieved great
results in several areas - for example, gene
technology, nanotechnology, software devel-
opment, astronomy and biology, and most of
those scientists come exactly from Tartu as
the city has not only several higher educa-
tion institutions, but it is the national centre
of science and research, base to the oldest
science park in the Baltics and many research
institutes. In the summer, when the students
are resting and there are no lectures, the
city might seem more quiet, but every spring
and summer during Tartu Student Days the
city becomes really vibrant and opens up for
everybody, not only students.
Located only 180 km away from Tallinn, Tartu
is easily accessible by bus or train from the
Estonian capital and Tartu airport has regular
flight connections with Tallinn and Riga, the
capital of Latvia. As the city proudly boasts
the oldest university not only in Estonia, but
in all Baltic states, around 400 large-scale
science conferences and events take place
there every year. Tartu has only 100,000
inhabitants and is therefore compact and
easily walkable. There are four main confer-
ence hotels plus several smaller available and
a number of unique venues for conferences.
As Tartu is a small city, conferences truly
stand out there.
HOTEls in TaRTu
HOTEl lOnDOn
Hotel London has not only the most central
location in Tartu (directly in the middle of
the pedestrian street), but also a spacious
lobby and a small, interesting choice of travel
books one can read there while waiting for
the rest of the group to be ready - as I did!
Besides offering 60 rooms, the hotel has a
conference room for up 100 people with an
exit to a quiet courtyard, where it is possible
to organise banquets and coffee breaks.
HOTEl Pallas
Hotel Pallas is proud of its 61 rooms: the inte-
rior decoration received the Annual Award
of the Union of Estonian Architects. Located
just across the main department store and at
the same time just a few minutes away both
from the old town and all conference venues,
Hotel Pallas also has a small conference
room for up to 40 people, with a wonderful
view over the city.
HOTEl anTOnius
Hotel Antonius is a special place with a very
special atmosphere. you can feel it as soon as
you enter the lobby full of 19th century vibes.
Although the hotel has only 18 rooms, it is all
about quality, not quantity as they combine
both antique furniture and modern bath-
rooms. I had a chance to visit Antonius Suite
and I can only envy those who stay there
while enjoying their time in Tartu - although
once there, you might not want to go out of
the hotel at all! And why should you? Hotel
Antonius has also one of the best kitchens
tartu, Estonia’s capital oF sciEncE EvERy PLACE CAn BE CAPITAL In ESTOnIA. IF TALLInn IS THE CAPITAL
OF CULTURE THIS yEAR AnD CAPITAL OF LAw nExT yEAR, THEn THE SECOnD
BIggEST CITy TARTU IS CAPITAL OF SCIEnCE AnD STUDEnTS EvERy yEAR.
> T A R T U
HEADQUARTERS 9
in Tartu (the cellar restaurant seats up to 40
people and can be booked also for non-resi-
dents) and a cosy lounge which is suitable for
either a meeting or a meal for 15 people.
DORPaT COnvEnTiOn CEnTRE & HOTEl
For the bigger groups there is Dorpat Con-
vention Centre and Hotel which is both the
largest hotel (205 rooms for 410 guests) and
the largest convention centre (10 multi-
functional rooms, the biggest one of which
is for up to 500 people) in Tartu. It has a
spacious lobby with more than 600 m2 of
exhibition area and several possibilities for
catering. The convention centre is connected
with a corridor to the hotel, which has a
separate floor for people with allergies and
five rooms for guests with physical
disabilities. what makes it different from
other hotels in Tartu is its spa with ten
different massages and body treatments.
TaRTu’s MEETinG faCiliTiEs
aHHaa sCiEnCE CEnTRE
The new AHHAA Science Centre opened just
a few weeks ago in the beginning of May
as the biggest science centre in the Baltic
states. The new building includes an inter-
active exhibition area totalling 10,000 m2,
an auditorium for conferences up to 120
and 3 smaller meeting rooms.
vanEMuisE COnCERT Hall
Up to 959 people can feel comfortable seat-
ing in Tartu’s largest concert hall, which can
be transformed into a nice hall for a gala
dinner or a reception in about 20 minutes,
thanks to the ingenious removable chair
system. The spacious foyer areas around
the main hall are a perfect place for coffee
breaks, exhibitions or informal gatherings -
they also can be converted into 3 to 6 smaller
rooms with sound-proof transportable walls.
aTHEna COnfEREnCE anD
CulTuRE CEnTRE
Just a few seconds away from the University
of Tartu, Athena Conference Centre with three
main halls and a next-door restaurant offers its
services for those who are in favor of a 1920’s
style. The grand hall can host 253 people
together on the floor and balcony, the ‘black
box’ is suitable for 150 people, and the smallest
private room welcomes 35 people. One should
note that the conference centre does not have
an elevator. Right next door, Restaurant volga
caters for 260 people in total.
univERsiTy assEMBly Hall
If one of Tallinn’s highlights is the House
of Blackheads, then Tartu can be proud of
its University Assembly Hall with its neo-
classical architecture, its white columns and
magnificent chandeliers. 470 people can be
seated on the floor and balcony either for
conferences, concerts, lectures, gala event...
you name it! A good idea is to spend a longer
time in the University Main Building and pay
a visit to the top floor, where in the old days
students were locked-up for not obeying the
rules of the university. Accommodating up
to 100 people, the university also offers to
book the so-called ‘Soiree with Parrot’, with
the first rector of the university. georges-
Frederic Parrot himself then tells about the
university and the life in the beginning of 19th
century when it was built.
univERsiTy Of TaRTu HisTORy MusEuM
On the top of the hill where a medieval Dome
cathedral once was, University of Tartu
History Museum has found its home. Being
more than a museum, its two conference
halls are an extraordinary place for con-
gresses, concerts and receptions for up to
100 people. The museum has also a magnifi-
cent view of the city and its cathedral ruins.
COnTACT
Angela Järg, executive Director
tartu Convention Bureau
T: +372 7 441 464
www.visittartu.com
> T A R T U
Tartu university Main Building © andres Tennus Hotel antonius
st John’s Church © Meelis lokk
Tartu Town Hall © Jaak nilson
Tartu © sven Zacek
HEADQUARTERS 10
to relax and lay back. you can take a walk on
the beach, listen to the sea waves and after a
calm get-away return back to the conference.
Besides that, the city hosts several festivals all
year long, including Pärnu International Opera
Music Festival and Pärnu Hanseatic Days.
MEETinG faCiliTiEs in PäRnuThe most common place for conference
delegates in Pärnu is Strand SPA & Confer-
ence Hotel with its 187 rooms and a large
conference hall which seats up to 500
people. The biggest hall can be divided into
three smaller sections, and besides that the
hotel also has six other rooms, all but one
named after different Baltic seaside cities.
For bigger events there is Pärnu Concert Hall
with 800 seats in its grand Hall and 170 in its
Chamber Hall. Built less than ten years ago
and therefore being one of the most modern
concert halls in Estonia (the same as in
Tallinn and Tartu, also this concert hall as a
removable chair system), it is no wonder that
most of the biggest city events take place
exactly there, including receptions by the city
mayor, international scientific conferences
and corporate events like Price waterhouse
Coopers’ and Astrazeneca’s conferences.
EnTERPRisE EsTOnia, EsTOnia TOuRisT BOaRDTarmo Mutso, Director of Estonian Tourist
Board, says: ‘Positively surprising Estonia is a
new and exciting destination – it is relatively
undiscovered, but easily accessible. We
have brand new accommodation establish-
ments, conference
centres, restaurants,
unique venues and also
professional confer-
ence organisers with
extensive international
experience. Estonia
has a rich cultural and
historical heritage, but at the same time it is
also the most modern and high-tech capital
in the Europe.’
Tarmo continues: ‘It is important that Estonia
supports international conferences that
are held in Estonia. Enterprise Estonia has
Conference Support Scheme that can cover
up to 70 percent of the costs of international
conferences. In 2010, eight international
conferences were financed with 355,265
euro and for 2011 we have 320,000 euro.
The programme is financed by the European
Regional Development Fund and the aim
of the programme is to promote Estonia as
a conference destination and increase the
number of overnight stays. Together with
Estonian Convention Bureau we are working
to promote Estonia as an attractive confer-
ence destination. Welcome to Estonia!’
ESTOnIA’S THIRD CAPITAL IS PäRnU,
THE ‘SUMMER’ CAPITAL. BEIng EvEn
CLOSER TO TALLInn (129 kM) AnD On
THE SEASIDE, IT IS A COMMOn wEEkEnD
DESTInATIOn nOT OnLy FOR ESTOnIAnS,
BUT ALSO FOR THEIR LATvIAn
nEIgHBOURS AS RIgA IS LESS
THAn 200 kM AwAy.
Pärnu has been a renowned spa resort town
since the middle of the 19th century. nowadays
it offers a wide range of activities for anybody
who likes active holidays either in the forest
or on the seaside, with yachting and golf. Once
in Pärnu, you can easily forget the outside
world, as every part of the city demands you
summEr, spa and sEa
in pärnu© Madis Palm
© Toomas Tuul
ammende villa © Toomas Tuul
© anneli Tandorf
Pärnu Concert Hall
Tarmo Mutso
COnTACT
tarmo Mutso, Director
estonian tourist Board
T: +372 6279 770
visitestonia.com
HEADQUARTERS 11
Hotels on the islands have attractive spa
facilities - the first spa in Saaremaa opened
almost at the same time as in Pärnu. For
example, the small luxury resort and spa
Pädaste Manor on Muhu Island (which has
only 2,000 inhabitants) gives the possibility
not only to relax, but also to organise a small
meeting in one of its three private rooms
which in total are suitable for more than
150 guests. On an island where ‘the time
rests’ (their own slogan) it is also possible to
order party tents to be set up in the hotel’s
courtyard, a bonfire, horse-drawn carriages,
folklore dancers, fishing trips at dawn - again,
you name it!
And there are also Estonia’s beautiful forests.
The country’s oldest and largest national
park Lahemaa is worth discovering not only
for those looking for wireless internet in
the middle of the forest, but also for lovers
of nature and small villages. It is possible
to follow bog walking trails in the nature
reserve, fish and later have a campfire,
stay at manor houses or visit small villages.
Smaller conferences and meetings (with the
possibilities to stay overnight) are possible
in manor houses Palmse, Sagadi and vihula.
And whether it be in käsmu, an Estonian-
Finnish-Swedish village of captains or in the
little fishermen village of Altja, it is a true
voyage to the old days.
going more east, Estonians welcome visitors
in the Peipsi area. Lake Peipsi is the natural
frontier between Estonia and Russia, and in
the west bank of the lake old believers still
live their life the same as in the old times.
Four chapels and several villages show how
these people have strived to keep their
traditions alive. Estonian Ministry of Culture
is working to preserve these villages and
local culture as it is. not far away from the
old believers there is also the only Rus-
sian Orthodox cloister in Estonia - Pühtitsa
Dormition Convent in kuremäe. It has been a
sacred place already since the ancient times
and every year it welcomes thousands of
religious and curious visitors.
In the most Eastern point not only of Estonia,
but of the European Union a completely differ-
ent world can be seen in narva, a melting pot
of cultures and languages, where Estonian-
speakers are even in minority. Just across the
river narva (yes, the same name as the city
itself) there is already Russia - just a short
walk away from the city centre. who would
have thought Estonia had so much to offer?
For pre- and post-conference tours, Estonia could well be the place to be
Closer to the nature
in and around EstoniaBEFORE vISITIng ESTOnIA, I wAS vAgUELy AwARE OF THE FACT THAT THIS SMALL
COUnTRy HAS 1,521 ISLAnDS. THE TwO BIggEST OnES SAAREMAA AnD HIIUMAA ARE wELL
knOwn HOLIDAy DESTInATIOnS BOTH FOR ESTOnIAnS AnD FOREIgnERS. BUT ESTOnIAn
ISLAnDS ARE ALSO A gREAT PLACE FOR gREEn AnD SMALL COnFEREnCES FORUP TO 100
PEOPLE wHO SEEk SOMETHIng SPECIAL AnD UnUSUAL.
For pre- and post- conference tours, Estonia could well be the place to be
narva © Jaak Kadak
setu Kingdom in south-Estonia© Toomas Tuul
Bog walking © sven Zacek
Taste for something new? Estonia: Positively surprising!Estonian Convention Bureau is your partner forany and all meetings you plan to hold in Estonia.For more information on what we have to offer,please visit
www.ecb.ee visitestonia.com