Latvia Travel Industry Expects Stability and Development

"This will be the year of stability for travel industry. The growth in the number of tourists visiting Latvia is expected to range somewhere between 5% and 10%. The “Balttour 2011” fair will be a significant indicator of expectancy in the development of new travel season revealing new offers, sales capacity and price levels. The travel industry works hard to run up to the event,” the director of Tourism Development State Agency (TAVA) Mr Armands Slokenbergs tells.

2010 at a glance

According to the Association of Latvian Travel Agents (ALTA) data, the number of inbound tourists served by travel agencies in 2010 grew by 22% compared to the year 2009. The number of passengers travelling by charter flights increased by 15%. The outbound bus tours for groups saw a 12% rise in 2010. The number of travellers booking flights through travel agencies increased by 22%. The year 2010 saw a 12% increase in domestic tourism. According to TAVA, the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia reported 532.4 thousand people staying at hotels and other tourist lodgings in the third quarter of 2010; it means a 29.5% increase compared with the same period in 2009. It is particularly gratifying to know that 68% of them were inbound visitors to our country. Moreover, Latvia’s inbound tourism registered a whopping 79% rise in tourist arrivals from Russia.

Forecast 2011

"I have great expectations for the year 2011. Travel agencies expect at least a 5% growth on clients this year compared with last year. Agencies look forward to develop new outbound tour packages to closer and farther destinations as well as new travel routes around Latvia. The novel offers at very favourable price conditions will be introduced to clients already during “Balttour 2011”,” the president of ALTA Ms Kitija Gitendorfa tells.

The director of TAVA Mr Armands Slokenbergs pointed up that, in 2010, tourists visited Latvia, for the most part, to enjoy nature, the peace and quiet, to relax in domesticity with children. To satisfy demand with matching offer, the organisers of “Balttour 2011” have chosen for the hall “Travel Latvia!” an appropriate motto – “Best Enjoyed Slowly!”, and have arranged a special kids travel zone in the hall “Discover the World!”.

The president of the association “Lauku ceļotājs” Ms Asnate Ziemele is very positive about the year 2011. “The growth in inbound tourists could reach 10%. Good prices, quality services, increasing range of tourism products to offer. “Balttour” tends to be the point of reference mobilising Latvia’s tourism industry. This year’s travel trade fair promises to be especially good offering low-price travel packages and services,” Ms A. Ziemele explains.

Balttour 2011 – the No. 1 event in the travel industry calendar!

The 18th International Travel Trade Fair “Balttour 2011” will take place at Kipsala International Exhibition Centre from 11–13 February having about 250 participants representing 25 countries of the world and gathering audience of more than 30,000 travellers and professionals from more than 30 countries. The organiser of “Balttour 2011” is the Association of Latvian Travel Agents (ALTA), the supplier – International Exhibition Company BT 1 – that have entered into a five-year cooperation agreement aimed to reach the strategic objective of mahttp://www30.jimdo.com/app/s354fc387c6f10b5a/p42390337c35405f3/king “Balttour” the most significant travel industry event in the Baltic Region and the North European countries.

Read more: balttour.lv

Additional information:

Aiga Kupre-Vociša, Balttour PR Manager

Tel: +371 26591588, e-mail: aiga.vocisa@bt1.lv