Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Factors Influencing Tourism
Development of Latvia
declared the Latvian Song and Dance festival
together with the Lithuanian and Estonia Song
festivals 'masterpieces of intangible culture
heritage' in 2003 (Ministry of Culture of the
Republic of Latvia, 2003).
The presence of a number of religions
within the country helps to promote tolerance in
society. Aglona Basilica in the south-east is a
major Catholic pilgrimage destination, which
annually celebrates the Assumption of Blessed
Virgin Mary, attracting more than 420,000
people (District Council of Prei
k
i, 2004). Soviet
heritage provides new tourism products, such as
the employment of military objects in Liep
a
ja
Military port and Ventspils International Radio
Astronomy Centre (former USSR military cosmic
communication centre).
Global tourism tendencies are favourable
to tourism development in Latvia
Various global events have affected travel to a
certain extent; therefore, due to security reasons
travellers prefer destinations closer to their place
of residence (Hall, 2005, p. 283) and Latvia is
located near the tourism generating regions of
Europe and Russia.
One of the most significant factors that
will affect world tourism in future is the ageing
demographic structure in industrialized countries
(UN, 1998; Hall and Page, 2002, p. 341). By
2050 one in five people will be aged 60 or older
(UN, 1998). Along with the improvement of
living conditions the average life expectancy will
increase, although in Latvia the average life
expectancy is 8 years less than the average in
Europe: 71.4 years in 2003, compared to 66.7 in
1995 (T
i
si
o
a, 2004). This factor will present chal-
lenges for the development of tourism product
and infrastructure in future. Considering its tour-
ism resource potential, Latvia is ready for these
challenges. The country is also well positioned in
relation to the globalizing driving forces of IT,
telecommunications and international trade.
Latvia as a new tourism destination
As a member of the EU, Latvia is now better
positioned in the international tourism market.
Many EU citizens mainly travel around the terri-
tory of the EU. Over a period of 2 years it was
found that three-quarters of all EU citizens
did not travel outside of the Union's borders
(European Commission, 2003). Latvia is a
comparatively cheap, relatively high quality,
comfortable and not overcrowded destination.
In 2004, border-crossing data indicated that
37% of foreign visitors were arriving in Latvia
for the first time (Briksne, 2005b). Indeed, arri-
vals have increased every year since 1995,
rising by 2004 to 3m (0.7% of all European
travellers), a 22% increase on the previous year
(Table 14.1).
A majority of foreign visitors are still from
neighbouring countries, notably Estonia and
Lithuania (in 2004, 28% and 30% of the total,
respectively). The number of foreign travellers
from the CIS countries has diminished (Briksne,
2005b). German arrivals in 2004 occupied third
place (7%). More than 50% of all foreign tourist
overnights in provincial areas were by German
tourists (Seilis, 2005).
Political and geographical position
Germans, Swedes, Poles and Russians have recog-
nized the advantages of Latvia's geographical
position. However, Latvia should better position
itself as the centre of the Baltic States, promot-
ing the development of R
i
ga as the capital of
the Baltic region. Within a 1-hour flight of
R
i
ga live 100m people. The Baltic States should
collaborate to develop common tourism pro-
ducts for the international tourism market, with
Latvia at the heart of such cooperation (Latvian
Institute, 2005).
Natural and cultural heritage
tourism resources
Tourism management and administration:
institutional capacity strengthening
Latvia is characterized by a variety of natural and
cultural landscapes, ancient folklore and folk-
art traditions and traditional cuisine. UNESCO
In the period 1993-2003, tourism was the
responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and
