Latvian tourism is a service export industry with huge potential, which increases state revenues, creates jobs, and strengthens Latvia’s economy and recognition abroad. However, the question remains – are the country’s advantages being used consciously with the aim of uniting smaller successes into a stable system that will bring significant benefits in the long term?
Latvia is home to patriotic and enterprising people and organisations that are truly interested in the country’s development and international reputation, including professional associations, entrepreneurs, and the educational and public sector that work with foreign markets, products and cooperation partners. One of these industry voices is Ēriks Lingebērziņš – Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Association of Tourism Agents and Operators (ALTA) and Dean of the Faculty of International Tourism Business at Turība Business School. He defines tourism as an export-capable industry with significant, but not fully utilised potential. Lingebērziņš emphasises: “It is positive that the public space is finally more aware of the fact that yes, tourism is part of exports. However, awareness alone is not enough – specific actions, support mechanisms, sufficient funding and clear prioritisation are needed.”
Lingebērziņš points out that in tourism, as in other sectors, there are various stakeholders who form sectoral professional associations. In Latvia, these include the Latvian Association of Tourism Agents and Operators, Latvian Association of Hotels and Restaurants, Country Traveller, Latvian Congress Bureau, and Latvian Restaurant Association, etc. These professional organisations unite entrepreneurs within their fields in creating a common vision of sector development in cooperation with the public sector. Entrepreneurs provide feedback on tourism policy planning, marketing activities implemented by the state, amendments to tourism regulations and various operational issues. In cooperation with the Latvian Investment Development Agency (LIAA), more cooperation activities are being developed in relation to inbound tourism.
First, tell us about Latvian tourism in general – what is the current situation?
The year 2025 clearly outlines how geopolitics affects opportunities to attract foreign tourists and determines what our main markets are. The data shows that we have a very high proportion of tourists from Lithuania and Estonia. However, neighbouring countries are relatively smaller markets and have less purchasing power than, for example, large Western European countries, which also means greater sensitivity to even small changes. Last year demonstrated how quickly inbound tourism can change. The summer months were characterised by bad weather conditions, as a result of which the number of foreign tourists from neighbouring countries practically stagnated or even decreased. Comparing Latvia with neighbouring countries, we see that Lithuania has a huge Polish market (38 million inhabitants) “behind it”, while Estonia has Finland a two-hour ferry ride away. If we want a bigger breakthrough and more tourists from Western Europe or Scandinavia, it is not enough to claim that tourism is part of Latvia’s export story – it must also be backed up by appropriate actions and support mechanisms. Namely, state tourism marketing needs to be financed more efficiently or on a larger scale, because tourism as a service export is a significant part of Latvia’s export balance.
What else characterises the overall situation in the tourism industry?
There are classic things that do not change, such as seasonality. We are part of Northern Europe, so the peak summer tourism season lasts approximately from May to the end of September, sometimes until the beginning of October. December, thanks to Riga and Christmas-related events, is relatively more active. We still see that the largest concentration of foreign tourists is in Riga, both in terms of infrastructure and activities. The Riga “phenomenon” can also be an advantage – Riga is like a gateway to Latvia. Unfortunately, the dispersion of tourists from the centre to the periphery is still relatively small. Also, last year, we clearly recognised the importance of large events that affect the flow of tourism. In August and September, in connection with the European Basketball Championship in Riga, the industry witnessed how much large-scale events help the entire tourism ecosystem, giving service providers in various fields the opportunity to work more intensively and at full capacity. And this is certainly what we need to achieve throughout the year, reducing the fluctuations in tourism seasonality.
Where are the most important target groups for Latvia in Western Europe? Which countries do most tourists come from?
Priority markets have been defined – the Baltics, Finland, Poland, Germany, Great Britain. More state marketing activities are also invested in these markets. The focus of Latvian tourism is two-fold: business tourism, which includes conferences and events, and leisure tourism. Leisure tourism, in turn, has several product offerings, such as culture, nature, gastronomy and wellness. At the same time, there are more categories than we can successfully promote with marketing and product offerings. Moreover, recent years have shown that changes in the market can occur very rapidly. For example, last year the number of tourists from the United Kingdom increased by 19.7%. This is the result of marketing activities carried out in previous years to raise awareness of, for example, the availability of flights, and these results usual appear after a time lag. Sometimes it is difficult to track which activities in which market will deliver a return and how quickly. The same is true of the Netherlands. In recent years, the number of tourists from the Netherlands has unexpectedly grown rapidly, from 6.7% in 2024 to an increase of approximately 24% in 2025. This shows that action must be flexible and we must be able to adapt quickly.
Do travellers choose Latvia specifically as a destination or does the Baltic region attract more attention?
We are often lumped in with the Baltics. When a tourist decides to travel to this lesser-known part of Northern Europe, they choose a country with better air connections, better package deals and greater recognition. This is an important issue for national image. The Baltic States are simultaneously in a state of constant cooperation and competition, although some foreign tourists visit all three Baltic States in one trip, especially tourists from Southern Europe, such as Spain and Italy. Our goal is not only to attract tourists, but also to achieve a longer duration of stay; the longer they stay, the higher the revenue per tourist. Last year we accommodated a total of 1.6 million tourists, who stayed an average of 1.8 nights. If we could raise this average to, for example, 2 nights, it would represent a very significant economic benefit.
What is Latvia’s biggest advantage compared to Lithuania and Estonia?
Latvia’s strategic advantage, which is not fully utilised, is connectivity. Riga is the best-connected Baltic capital compared to Vilnius or Tallinn. It is easier to reach us not only via major passenger centres in Europe and Scandinavia, but also from secondary airports. But here too we can develop – the national airline, airBaltic, could be more involved and, together with decision-makers, implement activities with the specific goal of attracting more tourists to Latvia. This is a question of both airBaltic strategy and the country’s recognition and image. What should we do specifically? It is also a political question – to prioritise the growth of international passenger traffic to Latvia. Sometimes it is easier to work with the local market than to convince foreign partners and tourists to fly from Germany, Great Britain and other countries. In recent years, we have seen that it is no easy feat for airBaltic to adapt to changing market conditions. The airline needs state investment to ensure the continuity of its operations. However, from a broader perspective, the national airline is part of the tourism ecosystem, and its growth also depends on the ability to attract foreign tourists, instead of focusing exclusively on the local or regional market. This is a much broader discussion. The potential is there, but it has not been fully utilised.
How is regional tourism developed in Latvia?
Here we differ from Lithuania and Estonia. Lithuania has several distinct tourism centres – Vilnius, Kaunas and the Klaipėda region (Palanga, Nida). In Estonia, Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu foster more stable tourist dispersion. Latvia has Riga and the Riga metropolitan area, which also includes Jurmala and Sigulda. In recent years, there has been a certain breakthrough in Liepāja and South Kurzeme, but in general, regional tourism centres are weaker. There are several reasons for this. For example, Lithuania has very good road infrastructure and connectivity between Vilnius and the coast. Estonia has consciously developed Pärnu over the years as a resort with a high-intensity hospitality offer. In Estonia, the National Museum was built in Tartu, not in Tallinn, and this promoted the development of Tartu. Our regions often lack an offer suitable for, for example, large groups, because there are no hotels with 15–20 rooms. Aside from Liepāja and Daugavpils, the choice is limited. In turn, entrepreneurs often have no interest in developing these areas, because the number of tourists is too small. This also affects local tourism. In Estonia, despite a smaller population, local tourism is more intense – people travel more around their own country.
Historically, almost 40% or more of Latvia’s population is concentrated in Riga. Could this explain the peculiarities of tourism in our country?
Yes, that’s right. Tourism in Latvia remains very concentrated in a geographically narrow area. This is due to the large concentration of residents in Riga and its surroundings. Regional strategies are often aimed at a specific audience – residents of Riga and the Riga region who are interested in a one- or two-night stay to experience local cultural, entertainment, beach, etc. offers. In recent years, this trend has gradually changed – now the attraction is not so much based on specific landmarks and interests, but geographical experiences. For example, “Latgale – the land of blue lakes” sounds good, but tourists need practical information on the specific options that exist to experience it: where to stay, how to take advantage of boating, hiking trails, pottery workshops and other opportunities. If the offer remains narrow and is created only within the framework of a single municipality, it hampers wider development. We cannot rely solely on the public sector when implementing marketing activities; product development is also very important, which includes the dimensions of service accessibility and quality, attractiveness, and authenticity.
In-person exchanges and exhibitions are an important tool for tourism planning. ALTA is one of the main industry partners organising and developing the content of the Balttour international tourism exhibition. How important is the event for Latvian tourism?
Balttour has been taking place for more than 30 years, and every year it is a good example of how tourism and related supply and demand change. In the past, Balttour was more of a trade fair where tourists came to buy trips, primarily abroad. Currently, we see that the ratio of participants and content has changed – there are both Latvian and foreign offers. And many visitors want to understand what the regional event calendar is, how to plan their next destination, and what the overall travel experience will be beyond the ticket price. Balttour has transformed into a broader tourism event for industry exhibitors and various business activities. For the third year running, we have been inviting potential foreign partners to Latvia to meet local tourism service providers, inbound tourism companies and regional tourism information centres, as well as create a transaction-based event. So, we are pursuing two channels – professional and a more inspirational message for the public. Technologies are changing the exhibition format and giving us the opportunity to react more flexibly. But even though everything is digital and accessible, travel and leisure planning are service areas where consumers often want to talk, meet their service provider and ask questions to understand how one or another activity will work in practice. This is a signal that even in the age of technology, human contact still plays a big role.
What do you think are the five priority tasks for Latvian tourism development over the next five years?
I think that one big and very important task that requires public and private sector cooperation is organising large events and promoting their visibility throughout Latvia. The marketing and communication power provided by information in the public space cannot be bought with classic tourism advertising – whether it is basketball, rally, hockey, national sports, games or something else. The benefits not only flow from the event itself – it also has a cumulative effect on the rest of the ecosystem thanks to greater visibility. I invite professional associations from other sectors to dialogue with the tourism industry, because often they can attract customers to large events.
The second big challenge, in my opinion, is to review how we define priority markets and how closely we adhere to them. Lithuanian and Estonian tourists are very important to us, and there is no doubt that they will continue to come here – they know us, we are close, we are nearby. But we should take a closer look at and focus our attention on markets that are not only large in terms of population and therefore have a potentially large tourist base, but where we also see opportunities to attract investment and broader development opportunities in other business areas. This means linking and synchronising tourism with other economic sectors. If we see that Latvia is developing good cooperation, for example, in the IT field with a European market, then this creates a natural basis for tourism as well, enabling our business partners from these markets to organise events and build a presence. This also helps to create recognition for Latvia – the feeling that “the product is created in Latvia”. We cannot divide the industry into tourism markets, export markets, and investment markets. We have to find more synergy. At the moment, I believe this is the kind of thinking that will only reinforce our efforts.
The third opportunity involves engaging and working with the diaspora more intensively. This resource, which has swelled in recent times, is a strength that many countries, such as Ireland, Greece, etc., have deliberately used to fuel their development. We need our people abroad to speak highly of Latvia in their communities and to friends. And also – it would be worthwhile for us to understand more about what is happening on the ground and what is available in terms of the services and leisure opportunities around us. So that each of us, when meeting a foreign partner or friend, becomes an ambassador for Latvia. When a foreigner asks what to do in Latvia, each of us should have our own “three-point” offer. This undoubtedly means cooperating with communities, so that tourism is embedded in the local economy and identity.
The fourth task is to channel tourists not only to beautiful sites or well-maintained nature trails, but to destinations where local communities are ready to get involved and tell stories, to offer an authentic experience, because that is exactly what tourists are looking for. We are also unique because, despite our small size in terms of population, we are territorially quite large. The world is increasingly talking about population density and lack of space. That makes our wide open spaces even more appealing. Here you can distance yourself and experience true freedom – in spirit, in nature and in the outdoors. Of course, this also requires a “compromise” with local residents and communities. To show that we are ready to share this space, that we are inclusive and friendly. We may not always be smiling like Greeks or Spaniards, but we can be welcoming and kind-hearted towards potential tourists.
The fifth recommendation would definitely be to highlight the gastronomic offer, because no trip is complete without a delicious meal. A combination of authentic infrastructure and culinary traditions creates a good foundation for us to make gastronomy one of the cornerstones on which our tourism offer rests. The food we serve symbolises our natural Northern European beauty and connection to that natural world – attributes that make Latvia unique. Another way to really support the industry would be to reduce VAT for the catering sector like many Western European countries, making our cuisine less of a luxury and more affordable for visitors and residents alike.
