Upholding fine traditions and looking back at the 2023 tourism season in Vidzeme, the Vidzeme Tourism Association (VTA), in cooperation with the Tourism Department of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), gathered tourism industry professionals at the end of the autumn season on November 28th for the annual Vidzeme Tourism Conference. This year, the event took place in the Ādaži Municipality, at the Carnikava Community Center “Ozolaine.”

The Vidzeme Tourism Conference opened with a welcoming speech by Grenovefa Kozlovska, Vice-Chairwoman of the Ādaži Municipal Council for Local Government Functions. Following the welcome, Rūta Zunde, Chief Tourism Specialist, introduced the tourism achievements of 2023 and the planned activities for 2024 within the Ādaži Municipality.

Linda Ziediņa-Ērgle, Deputy Director of the LIAA Tourism Department, further informed attendees by highlighting the challenges of the Latvian tourism marketing market. She provided updates on the “Neighbors Tend to Surprise” campaign in Lithuania, PR campaigns in the Lithuanian and Estonian media space, and news regarding gastronomy tourism and development trends. Interestingly, according to data from the latvia.travel portal, the number of visits significantly increased this summer season compared to 2022—by 51.40%. The TOP 5 countries for visit growth were: Latvia (+19%), Lithuania (+104%), Estonia (+89%), the USA (+223%), and Germany (+69%). Visitors searched not only for major museums and historical sites but also for information on nature objects and Latvian beaches. Raitis Sijāts, the long-standing Chairman of the VTA Board who has led the association for exactly 20 years, provided information on projects completed this year and those planned for next year, along with other activities such as training sessions, exhibitions, events, and study tours.

Other representatives of the association provided overviews of “Green Railways,” “Garden Pearls,” and other current projects. The second part of the conference was dedicated to transport, tourism, and mobility issues. Challenges regarding mobility were discussed by Rūdolfs Cimdiņš, Head of the Spatial Planning Division of the Planning Region, Edgars Ražinskis, Tourism Expert of the Riga Planning Region, and tourism experts from the Ropaži, Valmiera, and Gulbene municipalities.

Group work sessions focused on mobility issues as well as the accessibility of tourism objects for people with limited mobility. From the very start of the conference, participants expressed interest in one of Ādažu’s local treasures—lampreys. At the conclusion of the event, participants found answers to their questions during a visit to SIA “Krupis.” In this family enterprise, several generations of lamprey bakers demonstrated their craftsmanship, accompanied by stories about lamprey fishing, processing, and the lamprey as a tourism product.

Thanks to the large number of participants, colleagues from the Ādaži municipality were able to meet nearly 40 counterparts from across Vidzeme. The active discussions during the event and group work once again confirm that work in the tourism industry does not stop during the winter period—a time to discuss cooperation opportunities and future projects to find the best solutions in a changing landscape, encouraging local and foreign tourists to explore our land and the Vidzeme region.

Prepared by: Olga Rinkus and Signe Lorence

We thank the Tourism Department of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia for their support in organizing the event!