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Estonia as tourism destination

MTV will broadcast ISpace Tallinn-Eesti campaign over Europe

The campaign started in eight European countries • The campaign meant for the young people in Europe is more capacious and large-scale of the earlier tourism campaigns organised by Enterprise Estonia

ISpace Tallinn is carried out in close cooperation with the international office of the TV channel MTV during eleven weeks through the mediation of both telemedia and electronic media in Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.

The programme of Marketing Destination Estonia is financed with the help of the structural funds of the European Union.

According to Tarmo Mutso, the director of Estonian Tourist Board of Enterprise Estonia, the aim of the campaign is foremost the broadening of the knowledge of the 20-35-year European tv-viewers about Estonia as tourism destination. “We wish to encourage the young to actively participate in the campaign with the objective to experience Estonia as the exciting destination of vacation. As the farther result our target is increasing the number of tourists arriving to Estonia, therefore ISpace campaign is the powerful investment to the future development of Estonia.”

The focal output of the campaign is the English and German website www.ispacetallinn.com separately prepared for that purpose, where in addition to the tourist contact information different route recommendations are provided, the possibility of the user to add feedback about one’s experience of the Estonian trip and assess the service providers provided on the website. Also the virtual recommendations are given by the famous Estonians for visiting Estonia. The banners are displayed in different internet portals of MTV for introducing the website of the campaign.

Two videoclips include the music of Kerli, the Estonian future hope of the USA Island Def Jam record company. The represented song “Creepshow” declares proudly the arrival of the gothic pop princess to the international music arena. “I come from the country with the name of secret Estonia/nobody knows where it is,” Kerli chants by making a joke. “I wanted to let the whole world know with that song where I come from, as this is just a wonderful place. So I am very happy that this song is represented in MTV campaign to help the young travellers to discover the secret Estonia”.

The short film-teleclips introducing Estonia and displayed in the international MTV air have been filmed in Tallinn at the beginning of September. Five teleclips have been divided in time into three categories. First, the teaser-type clip will go on the air, the objective of which is to arouse interest in the viewer and the wish to look for extra information on the website. Secondly, two clips introducing Tallinn and Estonia and the possibilities offered to the young will go to the air. Lastly, the clip introducing the prize game and win package and the summary overview will be broadcasted.

According to Antonio Canto, the vice president of Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBS) Estonia is the first country of the “new Europe” with whom MTV International belonging to the VBS media group starts this large-scale project. The providers of advertising for MTV from tourism sector value the flexibility of the TV channel which offers more efficient contact opportunities with the viewers for them. The success of the campaigns is also visible due to the fact that most of the clients wish to use largely and continuously different MTV platforms and our possibilities in the future campaigns,“ Canto said.

Source: EAS (2-10-08)

Cluster development programme

Hundred million for the development of the cooperation networks of the companies

Enterprise Estonia has started (on 1 October) to receive the applications to the cluster development programme. The budget of the programme co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund up to the year 2013 is 100 million kroons and the aim is to increase the competitiveness of the companies through partnership.

“Different in-sector and cross-sector clusters are today the sectors in Estonia where the development potential is yet unused,” Pille-Liis Kello, the director of the Enterprise Capability Division of Enterprise Estonia explained. “For instance, IT and logistics companies can support each other so that the goods would move more effectively. The cluster can be established by the entrepreneurs and research establishments for the development and sale of the more complicated products. Large-scale orders can be fulfilled with the help of the cluster which are not executable for one company. By improving each other within the sector and offering special services the entrepreneurs can find more clients and save the expenses by advertising together,” Kello provided the examples.
The increase of the added value, export sales and the sales of the new products-services are expected from the entrepreneurs participating in the cluster programme. Also the expected impact of the support programme is the improvement of the cooperation of the entrepreneurs and educational and research establishments.
The applicant of the cluster support can be the company registered in Estonia which is the member of the consortium, also NGO or foundation planning the establishing of the cluster. The application of the support is carried out by fixed-term rounds and through the submission of the preliminary applications or full applications. The due date of the submission of the first preliminary application is 15 October 2008 and the expected projects within which the search for partners, examination of the cooperation opportunities (incl participation in the study trip for learning about the cluster initiatives of other countries) and the development of the joint action plan of the partners are supported.
The maximum size of the support in the stage of preliminary application is 400 000 kroons and up to 75% of the eligible costs are compensated. The next application rounds are carried out in spring and autumn of 2009. • EAS (October 2008)

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Targeting new tourist visitors

New look for the road museum, Tamula coastline and Kukruse manor

This week the management board of Enterprise Estonia decided to finance the development of the Estonian road museum, the construction of Tamula coastline and renovation of the country estate of Kukruse manor and the creating of the exposition. The total cost of the development of the road museum is 47 million kroons, of which 40 million is covered by the regional competitiveness improvement support co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund. The construction of the coastline will cost 28.6 million, of which the same support covers 24.3 million kroons and the project of Kukruse will cost 37.2 million for Kohtla rural municipality, of which 31.6 million kroons is covered by the support.

“As a result of the activities of the project the outdoor areas of the Estonian road museum are developed and the existing museum complex is also completed,” Monica Hankov, the director of the business environment division of Enterprise Estonia said. The composition of the outdoor areas to be created will be the unique historical road room, area of road signs and traffic control devices, demonstration and exposition squares of the machines, play square for children, traffic campus for children, picnic square and the prankster’s track. The experience is even more attractive due to the possibility of wearing the authentic historical clothing, participation in the pub life and the harnessed horses moving within the road room.

“The project creates good opportunities for the development of the new regular events and the redevelopment of the existing ones, including the improvement of the awareness of the school youth on traffic,” Hankov said. As a result of the project the increase of the number of visitors by almost half is expected by the year 2010, from the current 20 000 visitors up to 40 000 visitors.

The development of the Estonian road museum has also positive impact on the development and entrepreneurship of the other tourism objects planned in Põlvamaa: renovation of Hurmi manor, construction of the spa centre to the city of Põlva and the establishing of the tourism and catering companies near the historical Postitee (post way).

“Tamula beach is one of the key tourism attractions of the city of Võru in summer and at the same time the good place for the organisation of both the sports and cultural events. Unfortunately, the infrastructure needed for the attractive rest site has so far been missing,” Monica Hankov described the necessity of the project.

The boardwalks and lighting are to be established, among other things, with investments, the tribune and stairs, clothes changing cabins, new landscaping and rest attractions will be installed. Also, the parking area, boat port, rest place and rose planting will be established near the suspended bridge of Roosisaare to expose this Estonian longest suspension bridge and one of the most visited tourist objects of Võru.

The city of Võru plans to develop the coast area of Tamula to the level which would allow to apply for the internationally recognised sign of Blue Flag.

Kukruse manor has connections with both historical research, polar investigations as well as with also Estonian oil shale industry through the activities of the historical owners. In June 2010 the activities of the first renovation stage will be finished, as a result of this two houses of manor of Kukruse will be restored, the exposition and the halls will be opened for the visitors and the territory and park of the complex will be put into order.

The exposition of Kukruse manor will be kept opened through the year which enables to offer the possibilities to spend one’s spare time also in winter for the tourists when the tourist attractions are often closed. The main focus in the winter season is on the exhibits in the manor, also the winter manor park and the polar food on offer.

The exposition presents the construction of the manor and life and the important people related to the manor, this also includes the room for viewing the polar film and good overview of the records, land maps, polar trips and the external side and interior of the polar ship Zarya. The situations exhibited can be really experienced by the visitors themselves (lying down in the polar tent, driving with the dog equipage, imitation of driving with the polar kayak, sleeping in the cabin etc.)

Pursuant to the end of the project several regular events will be started in the manor, e.g. county day of plays for the school youth and the series of manor concerts. • EAS (10-08)