The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) regularly organises familiarisation trips and visits for foreign travel agents, tour operators, MICE sector representatives, media outlets and health tourism partners. These visits serve as a tourism export tool; they foster long-term cooperation, boost interest among foreign travellers in Latvia and strengthen Latvia’s position as an attractive destination in international markets.
Latvia offers visitors a rich cultural and historical heritage, Riga’s Art Nouveau architecture, a Baltic Sea coastline, high-quality resorts and diverse natural landscapes. However, even the best offering requires targeted presentation to professional audiences. Familiarisation visits allow tourism industry specialists to personally assess the quality, logistics and suitability of Latvia’s offerings for their clients.
LIAA utilises familiarisation visits as a tool for tourism export. They help showcase Latvia’s offerings to industry professionals and decision-makers. Following such visits, foreign partners can develop new travel itineraries, include Latvia in their catalogues or sales systems, propose Riga as a venue for conferences or corporate events, create health tourism packages, or prepare articles for foreign media. Therefore, the added value of such visits lies in direct engagement with individuals who can influence the choices made by travellers and companies.
What is a FAM trip?
A FAM trip or “familiarisation trip” is an introductory visit during which tourism industry professionals or media representatives experience a destination’s offerings first-hand. Participants evaluate these offerings based on several criteria: whether they meet client needs, can be incorporated into travel packages and provide sufficient added value.
When planning these visits, priority is usually given to companies from markets that align with Latvia’s tourism marketing strategy and the specific objectives of the activity. Such visits are often organised in cooperation with industry associations, regional tourism partners and companies wishing to showcase their services directly to potential customers.
Types of familiarisation visits
The LIAA Tourism Export Services Department organises several types of familiarisation visits, including Travel Agents and Tour Operators (TATO) visits, in which travel agents and tour operators visit Latvia, and MICE visits, intended for representatives of business and event tourism companies, professional conference organisers and corporate trip planners. Health tourism visits are organised separately, focusing on medical, rehabilitation and resort offers.
An important role is also played by the Latvian Destination Management Company (DMC) or destination service companies. Such companies help foreign partners in Latvia choose hotels, transport, dinner venues, excursions, activities, etc. Visits by journalists and other content creators also take place, which help Latvia gain visibility in foreign media and digital channels.
Programme development and partner involvement
The visit programme is developed in close cooperation with Latvian tourism companies. LIAA invites hotels, conference centres, restaurants, tour operators, cultural institutions and municipal tourism centres to offer their products for visit programmes. In this model, LIAA acts as a coordinator and platform that connects foreign professionals with creators of the Latvian tourism offer.
Visits by foreign journalists and bloggers
Another type of visit is organised for journalists, editors and digital content creators. The main goal of such programmes is high-quality content about Latvia in foreign media. In order for the publication to be accurate and convincing, the author must see the places, meet people, understand the context and obtain facts that cannot be fully acquired via a press release. Such visits can create stories about Riga, regions, culture, nature, gastronomy, rehabilitation opportunities or specific routes.
MICE segment – strategic priority
Special attention is paid to business and event tourism in the work of the LIAA Tourism Department. Riga, as the largest city in the Baltic States, offers infrastructure for international congresses, conferences and corporate events. MICE study visits provide an opportunity for international event organisers and corporate trip managers to evaluate Riga’s conference facilities, hotels, restaurants and team-building opportunities for themselves. Such direct contact with the offer is an important prerequisite for making a decision to organise an international event in Latvia.
Benefits for Latvian tourism companies
Study visits are not just an activity organised by LIAA – they are an opportunity for Latvian tourism companies that should definitely be taken advantage of. Therefore, LIAA invites representatives of Latvian tourism associations, clusters, destinations and companies to offer their products for visit programmes in order to become part of the international partner itinerary.
Participation in visit programmes provides companies direct contact with foreign tourism specialists and potential cooperation partners. Often, such meetings lead to long-term commercial cooperation.
A foreign specialist sees a place, meets people, tries out a service and can immediately assess how to offer it to their clients. After a successful visit, it is easier to prepare sales arguments, answer client questions and justify why Latvia is suitable for a particular trip, event or health tourism programme. This reduces the uncertainties that often hinder the inclusion of a new destination in the offer.
Long-term and systematic work
Familiarisation visits are a long-term and systematic part of tourism marketing. In one of the most significant tourism projects funded by the European Union in Latvia, 178 study visits were organised for representatives of tourism service companies, corporate and business event organisers, as well as 294 visits by journalists and bloggers. These figures show that work with foreign professionals takes place in various segments and requires long-term planning.
During each visit, local companies receive questions, comparisons and requirements from people who know other destinations. This promotes understanding of international competition, improves presentation skills, refines the product and adapts the offer to specific markets. Therefore, study visits are not only an external marketing tool – they also help Latvian companies to prepare more professionally for export.
From visit to cooperation
A successful study visit can lead to a new tourism programme, a group reservation, a conference offer, a joint campaign, a media publication or long-term cooperation between a Latvian company and a foreign partner. Not all results appear immediately, as the tourism and MICE sales cycle can be long. However, face-to-face experience significantly increases the chance that Latvia’s offer will be seriously evaluated.
Precisely for this reason, study visits organised by LIAA are an investment in Latvia’s tourism export and building the country’s image. Foreign specialists come away not only with impressions, but also with concrete contacts, proven services and a clear idea of what to offer their clients. In turn, Latvian companies get the opportunity to present themselves in an international environment and start negotiations that would be more difficult to initiate without such a format.
How to apply for collaboration?
Latvian tourism companies and organisations can apply to collaborate on organising TATO, MICE, health tourism and DMC visits by sending an email to the LIAA Tourism Export Services Department at [email protected]. LIAA evaluates the submitted proposals and may use them when planning future visits, provided the proposal aligns with the objectives of the specific programme.
