Tartu will be celebrating its 970 th anniversary in the year 2000 and has attracted foreigners for centuries. Tartu is a Hanseatic town with a university and a rich cultural heritage. Due to the enormous Soviet military facilities, Tartu was a "closed town" until the 1990's. After the fall of the iron curtain, many former citizens of Tartu and graduates of Tartu University from abroad started visiting Tartu, which boosted tourism industry.
The Tourist Information Centre and the South Estonian Office of Estonian Tourist Board represent the state level in Tartu. The Centre supplies various information concerning accommodation, catering, transportation and various activities. Together with the South Estonian Office, the City of Tartu participates in various tourism exhibitions and fairs.
Regional level is represented by the South Estonian Tourism Foundation which coordinates the activities in the adjoining 6 counties. Tartumaa Tourism Foundation directs the tourism work of the Tartu County. It aims at strengthening the cooperation in the county to promote tourism, and is supported financially by the local governments.
Tartu City Government has no special unit for tourism activities. The Foreign Relations Service, Information and PR Service and the Department of Culture are involved in marketing and promotion of Tartu in cooperation with the abovementioned institutions.
Tartu-related cultural tourism is becoming more popular. Events, such as the Tartu Ski Marathon, Tartu Early Music Festival, the Theatre Festival Dionysia, Hanseatic days, classical music performances (open air concerts by Montserrat Caballer in 1998, Jose Carreras 1999), Tartu Song and Dance Festivals, Emajogi Summer Theatre performances on Dome Hill, etc. are popular.
The interest of foreign tourists in active recreational activities (canoeing, horse riding and biking) should also be mentioned.
Club Tartu Maraton organizes four popular sport events: The Tartu 

Maraton (cross- country ski marathon), Tartu Jooksumaraton (running marathon), Tartu Rattaralli (bicycle race) Tartu Rattamaraton (mountain bike race).
The most famous is the Tartu Maraton. The best indicators of the fame and growth are the increasing number of participants (over 3000 skiers) and the interest of foreign ski tourists. More than 600 ski tourists have participated in Tartu Maraton last years.

Classical music performances are popular in Tartu

Tartu Maraton is a unique opportunity to enjoy the beautiful landscape of SouthEstonia at professionally organized international cross-country ski race. Worldloppet, an organization that consists of 14 greatest ski races of the world, has chosen the Club Tartu Maraton for its General Secretariat for the next four years since June 1999.
Each event has become a popular festival, where everyone competes with friends and other participants. Estonian Association of Travel Agents awarded Tartu Maraton as the Best Tourism Establishment in Estonia in 1999. However, the Club Tartu Maraton is happy for even greater interest towards its events from outside of Estonia and especially from the neighbouring countries.

Klaipėda is Lithuania's gateway to the world, boastful of booming economy and rich cultural offer.
The City Sea Festival, held in the end of July livens up with concerts& performances.
The city is proud of the castle remains from 1252, old buildings in the old town, the Theatre Square and the city symbol Anike von Tarau statue, dedicated to Simon Dach. The blacksmith's museum featuring iron traditions, equally with the Maritime Museum, aquarium and dolphinarium receive a well deserved attention and interest. The city has over 300 restaurants, cafes and bars.
With the new tourism legislation, most of the tourism service functions were transferred to tourism departments in the municipalities and counties. Klaipėda Municipality established Tourist Services Committee to meet the new challenge, granting activity certificates (the five star scale). Presently, there are 30 tourist agencies and 18 hotels registered. Klaipėda County Tourism Council, Klaipėda City Tourism Committee and Klaipėda Industry and Trade Chamber's Tourism Committee coordinate tourism in the region and decide upon participation in international tourism fairs or projects.
City Tourism Information Centre surveys increasing tourists. Elderly German tourists take the lead in the survey. Latvians and Estonians come second. Scandinavian tourists come third. Overseas visitors usually stay 2 to 3 days in the city. Apart from Klaipėda, they visit the Curonian Spit, Palanga, and other cities. In their surveys tourists appreciate pleasant service, hospitality of the citizens, but they miss cheaper accommodation, city maps, internet cafes, bicycles and other tourist equipment to rent.