The Tourist Board is a public office acting under the administration of the Ministry of Economy that organises the economic policies of Estonia in the area of tourism and whose mission is to provide continuous development, preservation of the cultural and natural riches of the state and balance between the interests of tourists, local people, tourism enterprises and local administrations.
For this purpose the Tourist Board performs the following tasks:
- participates in the development and carrying out of policies and development plans concerning tourism
- organises active introduction of Estonia in target markets and travel trade fairs
- co-ordinates co-operation between the public and private sectors in the area of tourism
- counsels tourism enterprises in the area of product development and marketing
- participates in the improvement of tourism services and tourism training
- develops and manages the tourist information system of the state
- co-ordinates tourism research and tourism statistics
- participates in the preparation of legal acts concerning tourism and conducts supervision organises enterprising in the area of tourism
- pursuant to the procedure provided by law
- informs the public of the situation in tourism economy
STRUCTURE OF THE ESTONIAN TOURIST BOARD
Department of Tourism Research is the source of information for the Tourist Board through co-ordination of tourism research and collection of tourism statistics, analysing of the situation in tourism economy and projection of the development of tourism. The data received is used for preparation of economic overviews and proposals are made with regard to economic, political and strategic measures. The department participates actively in the development of target and development programs. Tel. +372-6990423, /6990424, /6990425
Department of Development deals with the development of tourism products and enterprising. The department is engaged in the development of legal acts and governmental standards, services the commissions formed for inspection of the implementation and fulfilment of such acts and standards, prepares and administers the register of licensed travel agents and agencies and attested accommodation companies. The task of product development is also co-ordination of regional and national tourism development and training programs, organisation of supplementary training both for the public and private sectors and tourism issues related to integration into the EU. Tel. +372 6990430, /6990428
Marketing Department is the image of Estonia as a travel destination and it develops and carries out the marketing strategy and tactics. The department co-ordinates marketing activities in the area of tourism both in the public and private sectors, organises introduction of Estonia in target markets and travel trade fairs, produces the printed matter that presents the tourist potential of the state, encourages local and foreign journalists to write about our sights, or conclusively - makes every effort to increase the demand for Estonia as a tourism product. Tel. +372 6990416, /6990417, /6990418
IT Department organises administration of the information technology of the Tourist Board and the national tourist information system, manages the creation and updating of a database that corresponds to the international standards of tourist information systems, deals with the design and development of information networks and is responsible for the security of data, plans the IT training of the employees of the Tourist Board and Tourist Information Centres. Tel. +372 6990421, /6990422
General Department deals with the everyday administrative and financial issues of the Tourist Board, prepares the budgets and supervises their fulfilment, organises personnel work.
Regional Bureau of the Tourist Board is an extension of the board who carries out the tourism policies in the relevant region, manages the development of the tourist information system of the state, organises tourism research and collection of tourism statistics, co-ordinates the co-operation of the public and private sectors in the area of product development and marketing.
Tourist Information Offices (TIO) of the Tourist Board comprise the tourist information system of the state. Their main task is creation, updating and administration of the national tourism database, objective forwarding of tourist information to all interested persons, collection of tourism statistics, organisation of co-operation between the public and private sectors in the area of product development and marketing in counties.