Estonia to be the partner country of the 2020 Matka Nordic Travel Fair
The Matka Nordic Travel Fair, the largest travel fair in Northern Europe, has confirmed that Estonia will be its next partner country. For the rest of the year, Estonian themes will be highlighted in the fair’s newsletter and social media channels. In January, Estonia will feature prominently in the fair’s stage programme and exhibition area, to enable tourism professionals and fair visitors to get to know more about the new attractions and options for activities and accommodation available. The Matka Nordic Travel Fair will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki from 16 to 19 January 2020.
“The selection of Estonia as the Matka Nordic Travel Fair’s partner country is happy news for us. It is also logical, considering that environmental awareness and responsible tourism are gaining ground,” says Margus Sameli, the director of the Estonian Tourist Board. “Even though it is easier and cheaper than ever before to travel to exotic destinations, tourists who prefer short-haul travel are among the most important consumer groups in the tourism industry.”
“Estonia is a familiar country to many Matka Nordic Travel Fair visitors, and it is often perceived as being a quick shopping and leisure destination. By giving Estonia broad visibility at the fair, we believe that visitors will see the country through fresh eyes, as an even more diverse tourist destination. We are happy to be able to offer our Estonian exhibitors an opportunity to meet potential tourists at the fair”, says the sales group manager at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair, Anna Suominen.
According to a survey commissioned by Suomen matkailuorganisaatioiden yhdistys Suoma (‘Association of Tourism Organisations in Finland’), 74% of Finns plan to travel in Finland this summer. Of young adults aged 25–34, as many as one third consider domestic tourism to be an important trend, specifically because of its low impact on climate.
According to Margus Sameli, this is something that strengthens Estonia’s position in the tourism market. “The people who repeatedly visit Estonia are an important target group for us. Keeping these people loyal is best done when they perceive the Estonian offering of attractions and events to be almost as easily accessible as being in Finland. This is already the case, at least for residents in the Greater Helsinki area, for whom even southern Estonia is closer, by road or rail from Tallinn, than, for example, the Finnish cities of Kuopio, Joensuu or Vaasa”, Sameli adds.
Responsible experiences and family travel will be the overarching themes of the Matka Nordic Travel Fair in the upcoming winter. These are familiar topics to the dozens of Estonian tourism organisations and companies that participate in the fair as exhibitors. As a partner country, Estonia is hoping to inspire Finns to visit one Estonian town, museum, restaurant, event, or children’s adventure park that they have not been to before, or to get one friend or acquaintance who has not previously visited Estonia to join them and do so now.
Photo: Renee Altrov / Brand Estonia
More information about the Matka Nordic Travel Fair: communications manager Eva Kiviranta, tel. +358 407756609, eva.kiviranta@messukeskus.com
More about Estonian tourism: Estonian Tourist Board/Visit Estonia, communications manager Timo Raussi, tel. +372 56 57 1400, timo.raussi@eas.ee
The Matka Nordic Travel Fair, the largest travel fair in the Nordic countries, will next be held from 16 to 19 January 2020 at Messukeskus in Helsinki. The international sales event Matka Workshop Day will kick off the Matka Nordic Travel Fair on 15 January 2020. To be held concurrently with the Matka Nordic Travel Fair is the Helsinki Caravan fair, from 17 to 19 January 2020. | www.matkamessut.fi | www.facebook.com/matkamessut | @matkatravelfair | #matka2020
