Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
was opened in December 2003, and in 2004
received 435,000 visitors (L i vu Akvaparks,
2005). It offers a new experience for families
with children, and complements other family-
oriented recreational attractions such as R i ga
Zoo and L i gatne nature paths.
Ecotourism was started in the 1990s, while
rural cultural tourism has been reinvigorated.
Growth has been particularly marked in the
northwest part of Latvia. Sl i tere National Park,
for example, is the home of the Liv (Latvia's
Finno-Ugrian minority) community, whose main-
tenance could be supported by the income from
ecotourism; but compared to Estonia, Latvia lacks
an understanding about these types of activities -
for example, there are difficulties in accommo-
dating bicycles on buses or trains. However,
several projects have been initiated for the devel-
opment of infrastructure - creation of cycling
paths, cycle rentals, ease of transportation -
within the framework of the international cycling
path Eurovelo 11 (Leitis, 2005).
There are more than 1200 organic farms in
Latvia, but marketing organic food is compli-
cated by different certification systems. Yet food
freshness, originality and difference are major
tourism attractions in both rural and urban
areas. For example, Germany and Denmark
have adopted home-producer friendly legisla-
tion, and tourists can easily purchase typical
local food directly from producers, supported at
both the state and municipal levels. However, in
Latvia there have been bureaucratic delays in
the development of this tourism product.
Latvia may possibly experience the same
wave of entertainment seekers as has been pre-
viously experienced in Dublin, Amsterdam and
Prague. There are several dozen tour operators
specializing in 'stag' and 'hen' weekend packages.
R i ga is now targeted as a possible 'hot spot' that
offers 'amazing nightlife, fantastic cheap local
beer - and the most stunning-looking women
on the Continent' (Naish, 2004). The relation-
ship between the flow of such tourist groups and
the growth of budget airline connections is
strong. The privately published R i ga Visitor's
Guide , which is available for free at R i ga airport
and in the hotels, advertises R i ga as an enter-
tainment city and the last page devoted to night-
life offers clear sex tourism. The government of
Latvia and R i ga municipality should improve
legislation and its implementation in entertainment
entrepreneurship to avoid R i ga becoming a
European sex tourism capital. During 2005,
action was taken by the state and city authori-
ties to reduce advertising of sex-related tourism
products in R i ga and across Latvia.
Business tourism products
The territory of Latvia has interested merchants
and leaders of many states since ancient times.
It has been known as the road from the East to
the West since the 6th century. In the 10th-12th
centuries the Daugava river was the most
important trade route. Via the Daugava and
then the Dnepr, one could reach the Black Sea
and the rich Constantinople. Ancient trade routes
are well marked by discoveries of imported
articles, coins and silver in former trade centres.
These include Arabian 8th-11th century,
Byzantium 10th-11th century and 10th-13th
century European coins.
R i ga joined the Hanseatic Union in 1282,
and acted as a trade centre between East and
West. At the beginning of the 20th century R i ga
was one of the most developed industrial cities
and trade centres in the Russian Empire.
Currently, R i ga is again establishing itself as the
Baltic business centre, with the location of many
international enterprises' Baltic central offices in
the city.
R i ga tourism operators, hotels, Air Baltic
and R i ga airport have created an organization -
Inspiration R i ga ( www.inspirationriga.com) -
promoting R i ga and Latvia as attractive
congress, meeting, incentive and business travel
destinations within the context of EU and
NATO membership. In May 2000, for example,
R i ga hosted the 9th EBRD (European Bank of
Reconstruction
and
Development)
annual
meeting, involving 4000 delegates.
Conclusions
In summary, we can conclude that tourism
development in Latvia is taking place slowly but
surely, exhibiting both positive and not so posi-
tive tendencies:
Latvia is located at a geographical 'cross-
road', which can be employed to promote
tourism development;
Search WWH ::




Custom Search