Tourism in Latvia is a service export sector with huge potential, which strengthens Latvia’s economy and recognition abroad.
Tourism in Latvia is a service export sector with huge potential, which strengthens Latvia’s economy and recognition abroad. Statistical data shows which countries attract the most foreign visitors, how demand is changing and which Latvian destinations remain the most attractive to travellers.
The demand for tourism in Latvia is best reflected in comparable data by the number of guests served in tourist accommodations, which count Latvian residents and foreign visitors separately. In official statistics, the “number of tourists served” includes residents and non-residents accommodated in hotels and at other tourist accommodations, while “nights spent” indicates the total amount of overnight stays.
In 2025, 2.8 million foreign and local guests stayed in Latvian tourist accommodations, 4.5% more than in 2024 according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau. Guests spent 5.0 million nights in tourist accommodations, 6.1% more than a year earlier. Of all guests served, 59.3% or 1.7 million were foreign guests, who spent 3.1 million more nights, though the average length of stay remained 1.8 nights.
Latvia’s main inbound tourism markets are its neighbouring Baltic countries – Lithuania and Estonia – as well as Northern Europe and European countries with regular air traffic to Riga. In 2025, the most foreign guests were received from Lithuania (272,500), followed by Estonia (188,100), Germany (165,200), Finland (121,200) and the United Kingdom (113,400). Farther down the list in terms of number of guests are Poland, the USA, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
Compared to 2024, the most significant increase in the number of foreign guests in 2025 was from the United Kingdom, amounting to 19.7% or 18,700 guests. An increase was also recorded from Poland – by 9.4% or 7,000, Finland – by 7.9% or 8,800, and Estonia – by 4.2% or 7,600. Statistics show that total demand has also increased from more distant European markets.
The stay of foreign guests in Latvia is still strongly concentrated in Riga, while in the regions, individual destinations with a clear tourism offer are of greater importance. In 2025, 71.8% of all foreign guests stayed in Riga tourist accommodations, 7.7% in Jurmala, 3.8% in Mārupe region, 2.8% in Liepāja, 1.7% in Sigulda region, and 1.4% in both the Ventspils and Cēsis regions.
In the first quarter of 2026, 447,100 visitors stayed in Latvian tourist accommodations, 3.0% less than in the first quarter of 2025. The number of foreign guests decreased by 7.2%, while the number of domestic guests increased by 2.8%. The number of foreign guests during this period was 246,600, most of which originated from Lithuania, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Germany and Finland.
