Reshaping the image of the historic summer resort Pärnu into a year-round resort

Heli Tooman, PhD

Pärnu College, University of Tartu

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Estonia – small country with long-term resort and spa traditions

Geography• Area: 45 227 km²• Coastline: 3794 km • Borders: 633 km total,

339 km with Latvia and 294 km with the Russian Federation

• Distance from Tallinn to Helsinki: 85km; to Riga: 307km; to St.Petersburg: 395km; to Stockholm: 405km

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Estonian Resort and Spa Traditions• In Estonia you may in several places find therapeutic mud, the healing properties of which were known in folk medicine since ancient times. • Spas in the present meaning of the word were established asearly as in the 1820 - 40’s. Establishments were especially built or reconstructed for the use of local seawater or mud for the treatment of ailments under the supervision physicians.

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The Association of Estonian Spas and Rehabilitation Centres

• In the course of time the Estonian spas have also partly changed their policy from being purely care centres towards being recreation centres, where the clients in addition to the treatments have the possibility to occupy themselves in various healthy activities, go in for sports or just relax and spend their time comfortably.

• The Association of Estonian Spas and Rehabilitation Centres (EKTL) has 16 members. EKTL has gathered in one web-page all facts concerning the Estonian Spas and Rehabilitation Centres. Here you may find a resume of the miscellaneous care and vacation possibilities the Estonian Spas have to offer. www.estonianspas.com

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Pärnu - the Resort Town www.parnu.ee

• Pärnu is a town whom the title of the summer capital has been bestowed upon both in people’s hearts as well as on a more official level; a town that is reigned by sun, fun and openness.

• Already in 1936, it was written: "Pärnu is the resort of joy, which all Estonia can be proud of, a place for the Baltic traveller, of whichever nationality to stop by”.

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Pärnu - the Resort Town• Pärnu’s first bathing establishment was founded already in 1838, the year now considered to be the birthday of the Pärnu resort. • Until the Second World War, Pärnu was a very popular

destination for holidaymakers from Scandinavia and Russia.

• During the Soviet time, Pärnu was popular year-round resort

• Today Pärnu with its beautiful sandy beach and numerous health spas, hotels, mud and water treatment centres, welcomes tens of thousands of tourists and people wishing to undergo treatments from many different countries.

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Pärnu – Estonian Summer Capital, but also a good place for winter vacation

• Marketing Pärnu as the Summer Capital of Estonia (since 1996) has made town famous with domestic and foreign visitors but gives an impression that Pärnu is only a summer resort.

• Pärnu is also a pleasant place for a winter vacation, whereas here a vacation can be combined in a most pleasant way with caring for one’s health.

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The Map of Pärnu – the town between sea and rivers

9Pärnu beach ca. 1890 (Pärnu Museum collection).

10Pärnu Beach Salon in 1910 (Pärnu Museum collection)

11Pärnu beach 1930 (Pärnu Museum collection).

12Pärnu beach ca. 1930 (Pärnu Museum collection).

13Pärnu beach ca. 1939 (Pärnu Museum collection).

14Pärnu beach ca. 1960 (Pärnu Museum collection).

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Soviet Time

• Pärnu has been very famous year-round resort-town on Soviet time

• Pärnu was full of visitors from all around the Soviet Union, most of visitors came from Moscow and Leningrad

16Pärnu beach 1996 (Pärnu Museum collection)

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Estonian Summer Capital Pärnu (since 1996)

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Beach Promenade 2006

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Mud Treatment House 1926-1927

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Beach Hotel 1935-1936

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Beach Cafe 1939

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The Rehabilitation Centre Estonia www.spaestonia.ee

• The Rehabilitation Centre Estonia is recently refurbished, carries well-known good traditions, and is the oldest treatment facility in Estonia. Located in the immediate vicinity of the beach, amidst parks and boulevards, pleasant service, a lovely holiday and the necessary heath improvement are guaranteed here. The proximity of the city centre, theatre house and concert hall enables to comfortably enjoy cultural events. Time can pleasantly be spent in our restaurants and bars while dancing to live music.

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The Tervis SPA www.spa.ee

• The Tervis SPA is Estonia’s largest resort establishment on the Pärnu shore, which is operating for the fourth decade already. The sanatorium complex consists of seven buildings connected by glass galleries, the newest of these is the hotel wing which was completed in 2002

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Tervise Paradiis

• Tervise Paradiis is a complex opened at Pärnu beach in March 2004, which consists of an 8-story spa hotel and a 2-story water park.

• Tervise Paradiis is the first hotel in Pärnu which complies with the requirements for a four-star hotel, with 112 double rooms and 10 suites with saunas – a total of 244 beds. In addition to an indoor pool, the hotel features a pre-heated outdoor pool and a terrace for the sun lovers in the early spring.

• The 11,500 m² amoeba-shaped water park features plenty of attractions, a variety of saunas and a 25-metre pool which offers relaxation for everyone from small children to the elderly people.

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Spa Hotel Viikingwww.viiking.ee

• Spa Hotel Viiking is located in the seaside district, next to the historical moat of Vallikraav, merely a few minutes’ walk from Pärnu city centre. The hotel first opened its doors to visitors in 1993. Today, the hotel consists of three contemporary and modern buildings, the last on which was completed in 2003.

• Spa Hotel Viiking offers different therapeutic and relaxation packages for people who wish to improve their health – spanning from one day to two weeks. SPA Hotel Viiking contains a high-quality treatment centre and trained experts, which allow us to treat bone and joint diseases, radiculitis, hypertension, various chronic inflammations and stress.

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Spa Hotel Sõpruswww.spahotelsoprus.com

• Sõprus is a cosy resort hotel located in the seaside district of Pärnu, in the middle of parks and boulevards. The Centre is located only a few hundred metres from the beach and within walking distance of the town centre. Sõprus is an excellent place for preventing ailments, accelerating rehabilitation or simply for relaxing.

• Sõprus is the sanatorium in Estonia with the longest tradition of offering rehabilitation treatment. There is treatment of joint, bone and peripheral nervous system diseases. Packages for generally improving one’s condition and reducing stress. Out-patient and in-patient care

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Strand Spa and Conference Hotel XXXXwww.strand.ee

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The number of summer visitors

• 1996 292 000• 1997 308 000• 1998 220 000• 1999 311 000• 2000 275 000• 2001 415 000• 2002 401 000• 2003 330 000• 2004 304 000• 2005 267 000• 2006 339 000• 2007 272 000 ???

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Reshaping the Resort• Pärnu has ambitiously been positioned as a resort town.

The town’s development plan states the vision: Pärnu is a regional centre with a safe physical and social environment, competitive economy and up-to-date infrastructure; it is an attractive resort throughout the year.

• Marketing the town as the Summer Capital of Estonia has made the town famous with domestic and foreign visitors but gives an impression that Pärnu is only a summer resort.

• Recent visitor surveys show that the number of domestic and foreign visitors is declining. While competition from other destinations may account for some of this, other factors include poor image management, product development, quality and marketing.

• Reshaping the resort’s image as a year-round resort is a key issue.

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The New Holistic Concept

• Pärnumaa Päikeseringid

• Pärnu County Sun Rings

31

IDARINGLaanemaa

LÕUNARINGSinine Meremaa

rannikualad

rannikualad

LÄÄNERINGMaa mere ääres

PÕHJARINGRoheline Jõemaa

Via Baltica

Via Baltica

Soomaameri

4

1

2

3

1

2

34

Pärnumaa Päikesering

Päikeseringide vahelised teema- ja tõmbekoridorid

Via BalticaRannikualadMeriSoomaa

Päikeseringide sisesed teema- ja tõmbekoridoridMeri ja saaredLõuna-Eesti Kesk- ja Põhja-EestiLääne-Eesti, saared

Pärnumaa PärnumaaPäikeseringidPärnu Päikesering

2, 41, 21, 23

1234

Legend

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What we have?

We have:• Natural resort, spa traditions, experiences, good

resources• Beautiful surrounding, beaches, parks, etc• Resort and tourism development plan• Roof-organization: Pärnu County Tourism• Pärnu Convention Bureau• Pärnu Concert Hall, Drama Theatre• Museums, Art Galleries, etc, active cultural life, shopping centres, etc• Tennis and Colf courses, sport facilities, etc

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And we have:

• Pärnu College, University of Tartu Department of Tourism Studies:

More than 350 studentsTourism related R & D, inlc resort and spa R & DNew study-field (applied higher education) Spa

Management and MarketingWe are developing a new curriculum Wellness

Service Design and Management (Master degree)

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Where is the Key?

What we don’t have or don’t have enough in Pärnu:• Image of the year-round resort town• Good knowledge and skills for better destination product

and quality development and cooperation• Good knowledge and understanding about destination

marketing• Innovative approach, willingness to change the things• Understanding that the things (market, customers,

competitive situation, etc) are changing• Understanding how many valuable resources we have

for changing Pärnu to the year-round attractive resort town

How to reshape the image of the historic summer resort Pärnu into a year-round

resort where the “sun is shining” all the year round?

Thank you!

Heli Tooman