The Estonian Convention Bureau has officially laid out the nation's post-crisis welcome mat, announcing the reopening of the local conference sector with a wide-reaching social media campaign.

Launched on May 15, the project entails having each of the ECB's 36 members submit a creative photo or video under the tagline #EstoniaIsOpen. The material will be published on the ECB's Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook channels over the coming weeks, with members introduced gradually as those hotels that closed during the COVID-19 crisis come back online.

The campaign will showcase new ideas and innovative solutions for maintaining safe hosting practices, as well as encourage bookings for later periods when more travel possibilities return.

According to ECB Managing Director Kadri Karu, the aim is to show that Estonia's conference industry remains united and is ready to host events safely, in accordance with appropriate social distancing guidelines.

“We want to send out a positive message that even though our industry has been among the hardest hit by the crisis, it's time to pick up the pieces and carry on. The campaign also carries a strong personal touch, putting faces to the names of our member organisations,” Karu said.

The new effort coincides with the easing of travel and meeting restrictions in the country and region, where early measures resulted in a relatively low spread of COVID-19. On May 15th, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became the first EU countries to reopen their borders to one another, allowing free movement within the so-called 'Baltic bubble.'

Other changes will soon follow in Estonia, paving the way to a gradual return of meeting options. From July 1st, for example, indoor events of up to 500 participants will be allowed as long as the rooms are used at only 50% of their standard capacity.