Person of the Year in Tourism Awards Presented for the 21st Time
The Latvian tourism calendar is closely linked to the international Balttour exhibition, which annually brings together both travellers and industry professionals in Ķīpsala – providing an opportunity to compare destinations, meet partners and outline the agenda for the new season. It is also the occasion when Person of the Year in Tourism awards are traditionally presented.
The Latvian tourism industry bestows this distinction annually on individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of the tourism industry in Latvia, typically heads of companies and institutions, as well as industry representatives or supporters who have actively promoted tourism growth, recognition of Latvia as a destination and industry interests.
On the opening day of the Balttour 2026 exhibition, the Latvian Person of the Year in Tourism awards were presented for the 21st time. This year, the awards were distributed in six categories to highlight the best professionals in the industry in 2025.
In the category “For significant contribution to the development of hospitality”, the award was given to entrepreneur Andris Kreislers – he has been organising the Christmas market in Dome square for more than 20 years, which creates a festive atmosphere for both locals and city guests.
In “Entrepreneur/Manager in the Regions”, back after a period of discontinuation, the winner was Ilze Stabulniece, owner of the Klajumi horse farm. Other candidates for this distinction were Maija Atvara, manager of the Via Vitalité wellness complex, Karina Stivriņa, owner of the Karina Home guest house, and Artis Rozītis, co-owner of Bangert’s restaurant, as well as the owner of Sīmanis hotel and the Stender’s Pica pizzeria chain.
In the accommodation segment, the award for “Entrepreneur/Manager in the Accommodation Business” was presented to Dace Šķēle, sales and marketing manager of Hotel Jūrmala SPA, but the nominees also included Mārīte Vaisūna, the director of A22 Hotel, and Māris Alnis, manager of the Grand Poet Hotel.
In the tourism brokerage sector, “Entrepreneur/Manager in the Travel Agency and Tour Operator Business”, the winner was Elena Serebrjakova, head of Nikos Travel. Karina Puzanova–Kļujeva, head of Coral Travel Latvija and Liene Čemme, head of Travel Biiz were also nominated.
In the field of regional information and destination management, the award for “Head of Tourism Information Centre”, was given to Jeļena Kijaško, head of the Rēzekne City Tourism Development Centre. Fellow nominees included Toms Treimanis, head of the Valmiera Regional Tourism Board, and Rolands Gradkovskis, head of the Tourism Department of the Augšdaugava Regional Culture and Tourism Board.
In the catering industry, Chef Kristaps Sīlis at John Chef’s Hall was recognised as “Entrepreneur/Manager in the Restaurant Business”, alongside nominees Māris Astičs, manager of Ferma restaurant, and Māris Jansons, co-owner of the Kest restaurant.
Person of the Year in Tourism awards were first presented during the Balttour 2004 exhibition, and, including this year’s laureates, a total of 136 awards have already been granted.
The award statue was designed by artist Ieva Strazdiņa and one of the sponsors is the Latvian Investment Development Agency. Balttour’s role as a platform for recognising industry leaders is not accidental, because this is the best forum for promoting the individuals who contribute to and strengthen the competitiveness of Latvian tourism.
Published: 26.04.2026
