Estonian Tourism Product for Latvia. Asnāte Ziemele Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku celotajs Photo: Juris Smaļinskis

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1 Estonian Tourism Product for Latvia Asnāte Ziemele Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku celotajs Photo: Juris Smaļinskis

2 Latvian Country Tourism Association «Lauku celotajs» / Baltic Country Holidays Legal form: NGO (owns a Ltd. company for commercial activities) Founded: 1993 Members: ~300 (rural tourism providers) Staff: ~12 Office: in Riga Functions: RT product development Quality control and labelling Provider training and consultations Promotion and marketing (brochures, maps, Internet) Lobbying for interests of members Project implementation 2

3 How do we know Estonia?

4 Promotion in

5 Publications

6 TOP products in Estonia: 1. Estonian islands Families ang groups in summer season. B&B service required. Price is important. 2. SPA hotels Couples, families. Good service quality important. 3. Touring Families, friends, groups. Corporate guided tours are back. 4. Visiting events: Rally Estonia, Opera festival in Kuuresaare, etc.

7 Frequently used Estonian web sites and info Events in Kuressare Estonian islands s to Kuressare Tourist Information Estonian info

8 Prices compared in Latvia SPA packages Līgatne (1 night, 2 days) ~63 EUR per person DBL room, full board, underwater massage, body massage (choice from a range), solarium, sauna, fresh juice, a choice of nature activities (Nordic walking, cycling, skiing) Mārciena estate (1 night/2 days) ~287 EUR per person DBL room, sparkling wine and fruit in room, Arctic SPA Jaccuzzi bath on an open terrace, swimming in a warm counter-stream pool, herb teas, SPA procedures: hydro-thermal wrap bath with herbal mask 30 min., body massage, evening meal, country sauna with warm pool on an open terrace, sparkling wine. Sauna accessories included. Morning swim and breakfast. Dikļu castle (1 night)~115 EUR/two persons DBL room, morning swim and Jacuzzi bath, breakfast. SPA procedures: face cleansing, pealing, massage and blueberry mask, body massage with aromatherapy. Luxury hotel in the copuntryside «Anna» DBL room/78eur incl/ pool and breakfest; Tourist class htl DBL room 35 57EUR Guest house DBL room 22 EUR 30EUR

9 Booking patterns: 1.Book accommodations with a booking engines: Booking.com, hotels.com, celotajs.lv 2. Inquire about information sources and web links for attractions and events. 3. Plan the route themselves as the information accessible on the web is reliable and detailed. 4. Use local food services and buy local food in shops.

10 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Absolute top sites Saaremaa: the Panga cliff, Kuressaare, Kaali crater

11 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Sõrve cape. The distance between the cape and the Slītere Blue Hills in Latvia is just 20 km. From here Latvians try to see the forests at Slītere

12 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Vilsandi national park, a 5km wading tour in the sea. Earlier by truck...

13 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES It used to be like this. Tourists enjoyed it. We do not have anything like that in Latvia.

14 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians want to see the popular Estonian waterfalls, the huge boulders (rändrahnud) size of a house, and cliffs

15 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Those who have not been there, do not believe this is found in Estonia

16 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians enjoy skiing and doing other sports in Otepää because of the excellent infrastructure.

17 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES A Latvian gives a big smile hearing the name Munamägi (because of a famous Latvian movie). Latvians send e-postcards from here.

18 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES An e-card looks like that and it is a great pleasure to receive one.

19 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Piusa caves attracted Latvians well before they were open as an official tourist attraction

20 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians also like city breaks in Tallinn, Haapsalu, Pärnu, Tartu, Viljandi

21 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES On the way to cities and towns, Latvians want to see castles and country estates

22 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Tartu is a popular destination. Adults enjoy the beer museum, kids the science museum.

23 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvian cultural history is related to Tartu as many famous Latvians have studied here a hundred years ago. Latvians are interested in roots as well as in contemporary achievements.

24 The new Latvians - significant personalities having studied at Tartu University in1850-ies: Krišjānis Valdemārs founded the 1st Latvian naval school, publisher of the first new Latvian newspaper Juris Alunāns founder of Latvian poetry art, founder of Latvian literary language, introduced ca 500 neologisms Krišjānis Barons the most famous and greatest collector of Latvian folk songs, walked from Tartu to his home in Dundaga, North Kuzeme Atis Kronvalds founder of one of the oldest Latvian student corporations, active propagator of Latvian national identity and self-esteem Eduards Veidenbaums the first Latvian poet who used irony and sarcasm in his poetry, and the only one still popular at the end of the 20th century. Walked home from Tartu in winter time, fell ill and died. There is still a wooden building in Tartu where he had lived. Andrejs Spāģis author of Latvian school books Kaspars Biezbārdis one of the first active opponents to germanification of Latvians

25 Cycling marathon Tartu - Dundaga

26 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians are pleasantly surprised to see Estonians wearing national costumes (especially on Kihnu island)

27 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians enjoy the good infrastucture to access nature attractions.

28 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians like nature trails, viewing towers.

29 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Attractive is the cultural heritage of Setumaa...

30 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES... especially the food and local vodka

31 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Tourists appreciate that lighthouses on islands and on the coast are open to visitors

32 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians like the juniper fields we do not have in our country

33 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Latvians are also surprised by the quality of cycling roads and the Euro Velo routes (initiative of Rein Lepik)

34 TOP ATTRACTIONS AND SITES Infrastracture and visitor facilities in cultural heritage sites like the tower in Vastseliina with modern viewing platforms.

35 GOOD POTENTIAL Attractive, but less well known are oil shale mines

36 GOOD POTENTIAL Latvians are curious about Estonian ice roads, but there is not much information available. People do not really believe it works. Link, where we look for info (only in Estonian, difficult to find):

GOOD POTENTIAL We made a publication about the ice roads http://www.

37 GOOD POTENTIAL We made a publication about the ice roads Google shows it a s a first search result

38 GOOD POTENTIAL Latvians are less informed about surroundings of the Lake Peipsi and want to explore it. Avinurme crafts is a good attraction.

39 GOOD POTENTIAL Other less well known objects are the Time Museum at Paide, the Mooste spirits factory

40 GOOD POTENTIAL Latvians also like Estonian forest brothers )

41 GOOD POTENTIAL And Latvians wipe tears when Estonians sing popular songs in Latvian...

42 GOOD POTENTIAL Unused potential geological tourism. Estonia has unique rock outcrops, fossils.

43 GOOD POTENTIAL Latvians also want to eat and drink the good food that can be found only in the countryside, visit rural farmsteads.

44 GOOD POTENTIAL Nostalgic memories small shops in border towns Abja, Viljandi and Mõisaküla still selling jam in tubes.

45 GOOD POTENTIAL Less known but attractive the Matsalu national park

46 GOOD POTENTIAL Paradoxically, many Latvians do not know the Soomaa national park. We promote it. )

47 Conclusions: Main customers are individual travellers: - SPA - self drive touring the country - active tours in nature areas Potential for development: - good quality and commercial heritagebased and other theme products

48 Latvian Country Tourism Association Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciema 40, Rīga LV-1046, tel.: Facebook: Lauku celotajs Twitter:

Case of Benefits Latvian experiences

Case of Benefits Latvian experiences Asnāte Ziemele Latvian Country Tourism Association DJERDAP NATIONAL PARK, Serbia, 28th June-1st July 2011 POLPROP-NATURA Nr. LIFE07ENV/LV/000981 Latvian Country Tourism