The international sustainable tourism organisation Green Destinations has selected Tartu’s success story on reviving local barge culture among the world’s Top 100 sustainable stories.
“Reviving and promoting inland waterway navigation is a highly valuable contribution to the local tourism sector. It is truly encouraging that a community-driven and publicly supported cooperation has now gained recognition on the international stage,” said Annika Ojasaar, Head of Tourism for Tartu.
Barges are traditional wooden cargo sailing ships that sailed on Lake Peipsi and the River Emajõgi from the Hanseatic era until the mid-20th century. When these vessels were replaced by more modern watercraft, the skills and craftsmanship needed to build them also disappeared. Step by step, the heritage has been revived in cooperation with the NGO Emajõgi Barge Society (Emajõe Lodjaselts), the City of Tartu and many volunteers. Inspired by historical examples, the Barge Society and volunteers built the single-masted barge Jõmmu, which was launched in the spring of 2006. In 2020, the city opened the new Barge Yard (Lodjakoda) complex on the banks of the Emajõgi, providing facilities both for showcasing barge culture and for building new vessels. In September 2024, the Barge Society launched a new, larger two-masted barge named Suur Sume.
The revival of barge culture is not the achievement of a single organisation. Hundreds of volunteers, businesses and educational institutions contributed – from donating timber to carrying out intricate craftsmanship. Many young people who once started as volunteers are now working as crew members or even captains.
Tartu’s barge story demonstrates that sustainable tourism is possible: the service is environmentally friendly and self-sustaining. Revenues from cruises and events cover operating costs, while profits are reinvested into building and maintaining vessels. The numbers speak for themselves: Jõmmu has hosted nearly 200,000 visitors over 18 seasons, Suur Sume carried 25,000 passengers in its first year alone, and the Barge Yard has welcomed more than 40,000 people through educational and community events in the past three years.
Every year, Green Destinations gathers success stories from across the globe to share experiences and promote sustainable tourism. Tartu has previously been recognised in the Top 100 with its bike-sharing system and biomethane-fuelled city buses (2020), Car-Free Avenue (2021), guidelines for organising eco-friendly events (2022), the Harbour Railway Green Corridor (2023), and the opening event of European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 (2024).
Barge cruises operate seasonally and are ideal for families, school groups and special events. Tours present the history of barge culture, explore the River Emajõgi, and can be combined with workshops or concerts.
Learn more about barge cruises here Home page – Barge.
Discover all of Tartu’s success stories here Tartu is a Platinum Level Green Destination.
Additional information: Miia Maris Praks. Sustainable Tourism Coordinator, Tartu County Tourism Foundation, +372 5347 0939, miia.praks@visittartu.com