Tallinn Old Town: most venues, hotels and attractions within the city can be reached by foot so the public transport offer will come in handy for visiting outlying sights. Photo Credit: Getty images
TALLINN, ESTONIA – The city of Tallinn has introduced a new scheme where delegates to international conferences in the city can now ride the capital’s buses, trolleys and trams for free.
From 1 June 2020, indoor events, including seminars and meetings, with up to 100 participants are allowed in Estonia. From 1 July, events with up to 500 participants can be held in compliance with safety regulations.
Event organisers who apply through the city’s Transport Department will receive QR code tickets which can be sent to delegates before their arrival. The tickets are valid for the entire period of the delegate’s official stay.
Tallinn’s compact layout means that most venues, hotels and attractions can easily be reached by foot. However, the public transport offer will come in handy for visiting outlying sights and making the quick bus or tram connection from the airport, and for events outside the city centre, such as at TalTech, when delegates are staying in central hotels.
“This is a fantastic way for the city to contribute to the local conference industry, particularly since promoting public transport fits so well with the growing trend toward green events. And what better way to welcome visitors than giving them a free ride into town,” said Estonia Convention Bureau MD, Ms Kadri Karu.
The QR tickets come in two versions – one designed for printout, including on event badges, and another that can be displayed on a smartphone. Users have to scan their tickets at the front of the vehicle upon boarding.
To qualify for the offer, event organisers have to send a formal application to the Tallinn Transport Department. They also have to agree to promote the city as an event sponsor in specific ways, such as including the Tallinn logo on web and printed materials, and using the #VisitTallinn and #Tallinn hashtags on social media posts.
Compared with the rest of Europe, Estonia has been less impacted by the health crisis, with the majority of hotels restaurants remaining open throughout the last few months.
A day in Tallinn: the city drew some 1.77 million tourists in 2019. Photo Credit: Vist Tallinn
Event organisers must ensure that attendance at indoor events does not exceed 50% of the occupancy limit.
Currently, citizens of 16 Schengen zone countries can travel to Estonia without been quarantined on arrival from 1 June. They are citizens and residents of Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.
However, those who have travelled to Estonia from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Malta, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, must still undergo a period of quarantine.
According to Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau, Estonia received 1.77 million tourists in Tallinn and some 1.5 million comprised international tourists in 2019.
Estonia has become increasingly popular as a convention city. Last November, the Junior Chamber International World Congress organised by JCI Estonia drew over 4,000 Junior Chamber members from 105 countries. The week-long event in Tallinn was one of the largest international conference ever hosted in the country. The congress focussed on sustainability and digital innovation and offered post-conference tours.