With the support of Salaspils Municipality and on the initiative of LIAA (Investment and Development Agency of Latvia), the Tourism Association of Riga Region, the member of which is Salaspils Municipality, was offered the opportunity to represent and promote the brand of the tourism region EXIT RIGA at the Latvian national tourism stand at two international tourism fairs. At the beginning of the year, Jana Freimane, Tourism Organiser of Salaspils Municipality, had the honour to participate and represent the municipalities of Riga Region located in the territory of EXIT RIGA, as well as present the tourism offer of Salaspils Municipality to both Dutch and Belgian tourists at the international exhibition “Vakantiebeurs 2023”, which took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 11. 01.-15.01.2023, and Finnish tourists at the international and largest Nordic tourism fair “Matka Nordic Travel Fair 2023” in Helsinki from 19.01.-22.01.2023.
Both exhibitions are truly spectacular tourism showcases, each attracting around 850 participants from all over the world – tourism destinations, tour operators, individual travel companies and other tourism professionals – and both exhibitions were very well attended, with around 65 000 visitors or potential travellers attending each, according to the organisers.
The Latvian national stand at both exhibitions also attracted a lively and moving interest. Unlike the average Dutch tourist, who had to be educated extensively about both the Baltics and Latvia in general, the average Finnish tourist was very knowledgeable and very focused – coming to the stand with specific preferences, requirements or interests, often with tickets to Latvia already booked. The Finnish tourist was also certainly more fearless, as there were hardly any questions about security due to Russia’s close proximity to our country. The Dutch travellers were more concerned about security, so the calls to visit our country now had to be very convincing. It was interesting to understand the habits, needs and current trends of travellers from both countries – the Dutch tourist mostly loves travelling and prefers to travel in their own campervan, at camping sites, picnic spots, is very interested in nature tourism, asking about hiking, cycling, boating opportunities, while the Finnish tourist prefers to travel by plane or ferry from Finland to Estonia and then to Latvia, prefers to stay in hotels and is more interested in cultural and historical tourism offers, mostly near Riga, as most Finnish travellers have already been to Riga and are familiar to it.
That is why this was a wonderful place and opportunity for the brand of tourism region EXIT RIGA to be represented at the national tourism stand, taking tourists and travellers from both countries a little out of the capital and into nature, which are the best tourism qualities and values of the Baltic Sea Region – close to Riga, but with a much different offer for enjoying tourism.
We would like to thank the Tourism Association of Riga Region and LIAA for the opportunity to be part of the national tourism stand at both impressive tourism events, giving the opportunity to show and introduce foreign travellers to the tourism offer of Salaspils municipality!
