Porikuu Festival (Mud Month Festival)
About this good practice
The challenge in Estonian tourism lies in the uneven distribution of tourist arrivals throughout the year and the need to divert visitors from crowded hotspots. The Porikuu Festival addresses this challenge by occurring in the low season in October and enticing visitors to discover less-explored locations. The Porikuu Festival, held in October, unfolds in Northwestern Estonia, offering a diverse array of experiences stretching from Estonia's capital city, Tallinn, to the charming resort town of Haapsalu situated on the country's western coast. In 2023, around a hundred local tourism companies and cultural organizers offered 76 unique activities, including hikes, lectures, workshops, concerts, theatre performances, fairs, and other exciting events. These activities were aimed at introducing the region and creating a sense of discovery even during the off-peak tourism season. A considerable number of events occurred in offbeat locations seldom explored in the daily lives of visitors. The Porikuu Festival has successfully run for six years, becoming a well-established annual tradition. The initiator of the festival is Lääne-Harju Municipality, in collaboration with the Western Harju Cooperation Group, the four municipalities, and stakeholders in Western Estonia's tourism industry. The cooperative partners include Visit Haapsalu, Visit Läänemaa, and Visit Harju.
Resources needed
In 2023, approximately 100 local tourism companies and cultural event organizers offered their services and tourism products during the festival. The festival is supported by the European Union Leader Program.
Evidence of success
In 2022, over 7,000 people from both Estonia and abroad participated in the festival. This best practice proved to be effective in spreading tourism and tackling the uneven distribution of tourist arrivals throughout the year. In addition, Tight cooperation between different stakeholders is essential.
Potential for learning or transfer
Festivals and events are widely recognized as having the potential to deliver sociocultural benefits for host communities and destinations. Several destinations can organise festivals or events to divert tourists to lesser-known regions, attractions and facilities to ease the pressure of the city centres or tackle the uneven distribution of tourist arrivals. Festivals can act as a catalyst for diverting tourists to lesser-known areas at the destination. Festivals attract visitors motivated by cultural exploration, Indigenous heritage while also accommodating diverse motivations, from cultural learning to recreational experience.
Good practice owner
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