TALLINN – MTLG Destination Update 2023

In August, Estonia celebrated thirty-two years of independence. The country had already been independent between 1918 and 1940. The Second World War brought the flourishment of Estonia’s economy and society to a grinding halt. After thirty years of development as a new, independent country, advancements are present at every step. If you visited Tallinn before the coronavirus crisis, you will hardly recognise parts of the city. Across Tallinn, new developments are underway.

Estonians are proud of their culture and language and have adopted an incredibly respectful attitude towards their nature. With limited resources and space, they treat their ecosystems with incomparably more respect. Given literature and language is the staple of the country’s culture, bookstores are omnipresent. Estonia is a young country that has been leading in numerous trends. Most notably, its swift digitalisation and plentiful start-ups have made it the ideal destination for a plethora of events. Only the sky is the limit for a highly modernised young country if it hosts mega events such as a WRC race. Estonia is a textbook example of wise and pragmatic destination management. Their top-to-bottom approach has made them present in all target markets and appealing to potential clients. That is why they are hosting more and more events and going toe-to-toe with more illustrious European destinations.

Estonian start-ups are a neverending source of inspiration for local event organisers and professionals within the meetings industry. When the rest of the world uses Slido, Estonians opt for Votemo. It is only a matter of time before they roll out a project such as Wolt, Wise, Skype, Pipedrive or Zego dedicated to the meetings industry. Their entrepreneurial spirit resonates within the country’s dynamic meetings industry, which will make waves in the future. Tallinn has already been the leading meeting destination in the category of L-sized destination in 2021 and 2022. The results for 2023 will show how the destination has fared in the post-pandemic reality.

It is impossible to keep abreast of all the novelties in Tallinn. The sheer amount of new additions is astonishing – from hotels and meeting venues to destination management. The Estonian Convention Bureau and the Tallinn Convention Bureau work hand in hand and serve as role models for numerous convention bureaus globally. Moreover, the subsidies they implemented in 2023 seem to have bore fruit. Tallinn is the epicentre of the Baltic meetings revolution thanks to numerous hotel investments during COVID-19 and the meeting venues that continue springing up around the city. In vibrant districts around the city, construction sites now prevail. You may not recognise many places when you visit again. Right before our visit, Mövenpick Hotel Tallinn opened its doors. The 125-room hotel has a unique rooftop conference centre. It can accommodate up to 220 participants and has become the talk of the town. Boutique hotels have been springing up like mushrooms, too. Hotel Nunne, boasting 67 rooms, welcomed its first guests this year. Hotel Dunten opened its doors at the start of 2023. Among the most outlandish hotels in the city, the three-star Hektor Container Hotel has become a magnet for event organisers since opening before the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the city’s most recognisable hotels in the medieval, historic part, the Radisson Collection Hotel, reopened after extensive renovation in 2022. It boasts a smaller conference centre for 300 attendees. In 2021, the Tallink City Hotel in the city centre was revamped, too. The hotel offers a conference centre with cityscape views on the tenth floor.

Event venues are on the rise in the new districts as well. Some of the most sought-after can be found in Mahle Park, otherwise dominated by office spaces. It was built on a former factory site dating to 1909. The Workland Fahle coworking space has become favoured among event organisers because of its flexible design. An eye-catching venue within the Workland Fahle that turns heads is undoubtedly Gallery Street, accommodating 150 people.

A new venue for events is the Lillepaviljon, located in a modernist building from 1960. The distinguished Estonian architect Valve Pormeister designed the building in a modern Finnish style. Renovated in 2002, the venue’s main hall is ideal for up to 300 guests. When mentioning the city’s latest additions, we cannot overlook the Fotografiska photo gallery, which opened in May 2020. The spectacular venue offers a myriad of unique places for events. The spacious hall on the ground floor seamlessly connects the chic cafe and courtyard. Its capacity is up to 500 attendees. Event organisers can also organise a reception in the exhibition foyer, one of the hottest venues in the city.

Street art in Telliskivi district

A former Soviet industrial complex has transformed into the most jaw-dropping creative zone in the Baltics. Galleries, artisan shops, creative companies, start-ups and restaurants have all found their home here. Over 800 cultural events take place here year-round. Every Saturday, the district also hosts a flea market. One of the district’s unique features is the graffiti art that reflects Tallinn’s past and present. A guided tour across the Telliskivi district will acquaint you with the background stories of the murals, their authors and history. The two-hour tour can be enriched with a treasure-hunting competition or an accompanying event in one of the nearby venues. You can host your event in smaller meeting rooms or spacious conference halls.

Baltic design

The medieval core of Tallinn hides countless boutiques of Estonian fashion designers. Ivo Nikkolo is among the oldest and most recognised fashion brands in the Baltics. Three brave designers opened the first boutique store in 1994 in Tallinn. Today, their chich fashion attire stores are found across Scandinavia and marketed under Baltika Group. Scandinavian design does not comprise only Danish, Swedish or Finnish products. Estonia has also joined its more renowned neighbours in pompous style. Every avant-garde fashion enthusiast has to have at least one piece of Estonian fashion in their closet today. Industrial pieces are especially appreciated. If you are short on time, we recommend visiting the Solaris shopping mall to discover Estonian design. Solaris is, in essence, a showroom of Estonian design and a welcoming space for chit-chatting with locals.

Producing the first space food began in Estonia. In 1962, a factory in Põltsamaa made the first products for the fast-developing Soviet space program.

Latitude59
(25 – 26 May 2023)
W: www.latitude59.ee

WRC Rally Estonia
(20 – 23 July 2023)
W: www.rallyestonia.com

OPG Global Summitt
(6 – 7 September 2023)
W: www.avpeesti2023.ee/en

Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF)
(3 – 19 November 2023)
W: www.poff.ee/en

Robotex International 2023 Festival
(17 – 18 November 2023)
W: www.robotex.international

Plus important events included in the project Tallinn Green Capital of Europe (learn more at greentallinn.eu/en/events):

European Green Capital Opening
(21 January 2023)
W: www.greentallinn.eu/en/events/opening-ceremony-of-the-green-capital-of-europe/

Melt Innovation Forum
(12 April 2023)
W: www.melt.ee

Future Forum on the cities of the future
(27 – 28 September 2023)
W: www.futureforum.ee/

Greentech week: Cleantech Forum Europe, Greentech Expo, Green Tiger Conference, and the Smart City Convention
(14 – 17 November 2023)
W: www.greentallinn.eu/en/events/tallinn-greentech-week/

Talliinn’s cuisine is impressively rich, offering not just traditional Estonian gastronomy but an array of global cuisines, from Thai, Georgian, Indian, African, Greek, French, even Japanese, Italian, Serbian, Russian to Turkish, to mention a few. Eating at Olde Hansa is a one-off gastronomical and ethnological experience. Imagine indulging in delicious dishes on imposing wooden tables in a candle-lit dining hall reverberating with medieval tunes while the staff dressed in traditional Estonian attire graciously serve handcrafted plates and cups laden with flavourful dishes. The evocative atmosphere befits an Estonian feast: a mouthwatering mushroom soup, exotic bites of moose and wild boar, quail eggs, fresh raw salmon, black bread, herb spread and not least, dark honey beer.

If you prefer venturing to fine-dining restaurants, list through Michelin’s Guide for Estonia, issued in 2022. The premier Michelin Guide in Estonia awarded 2 Michelin stars, 5 Bib Gourmands, and 2 Michelin Green Stars to leading restaurants in the city. This year, the restaurant 180° by Matthias Diether became the first to receive two Michelin stars. Altogether, 34 superb culinary establishments in Estonia were included in the Michelin Guide.

Giorgio Armani once said elegance does not mean being noticed but being remembered. That is, in a way, a definition of timeless elegance and minimalism we believe Tallinn represents. Combine that with incredible professionals and a start-up culture enshrined in Estonian society, and it seems Tallinn is the perfect event destination. Tallinn is home to professionals who always keep their promise and walk the talk. That is why we believe the outpost is head and shoulders above the competition in the so-called second-tier category of destinations. Tallinn has an offer that far exceeds the city’s size. Tallinn is a superb choice, should you wish to organise your event in Armani style.

NOTE: The MTLG Destination Update is not a paid advertisement. The Tallinn MTLG Destination Update was prepared based on a personal visit of Kongres Magazine’s assessor in October 2023. Based on the evaluation, Tallinn will be evaluated according to the Meeting Experience Index methodology. The MTLG evaluation will be prepared at the end of November 2023.