Latvia wants to bring tourists to its regions

Bringing tourists to Latvia's regions will be one of the priorities of the government's Tourism Development Agency (TAVA) next year, local media the Baltic News Service reported Saturday.

Inese Sirava, TAVA's senior specialist for product development, said at the annual Latvian Tourism Forum that the Latvian capital Riga was well-known in the foreign markets. Riga was in the focus of very many promotional activities while Latvia's regions were sometimes neglected but TAVA hoped to correct this with the help of a plan prepared in cooperation with the regions, she said.

Next year TAVA will also continue the cultural tourism activities launched this year. "The activities of Riga as the European Capital of Culture launched this year have to be continued also next year," Sirava said, explaining that the activities in 2014 could serve as a stepping stone for further increase of cultural tourism in Latvia in 2015.

Increased promotional activities are planned in Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria and Poland, TAVA's representative said.

The Latvian Tourism Forum this year was held for the 11th time.

TAVA is an agency under the Latvian Economics Ministry for implementation of the national tourism policies and promotion of tourism industry development in the country. Endit