From bastis

Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Being one of the three Baltic States, it is bordered to the north by Estonia, to the south by Lithuania, to the east by the Russian Federation and to the southeast by Belarus. Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden.

Contents 1 Country Profile 1.1 Geography/Population 1.2 Politics 1.3 Economy 2 Tourism Demand 2.1 General 2.2 International travel 2.3 Most important holiday information sources 2.4 Holiday travel behaviour 2011 2.5 Main holiday satisfaction 2011 2.6 Returning factors 2.7 Holiday plans 2012 3 Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region 3.1 Air 3.2 Sea 3.3 Rail 3.4 Road 4 References

Country Profile

Geography/Population

• Land area: 64,589 km² (country comparison to the world: 124)
• Population: 2.2 million inhabitants (country comparison to the world: 142); 40 inhabitants/km²; Latvian 59.3%, Russian 27.8%, Belarusian 3.6%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Polish 2.4%, Lithuanian 1.3%, other 3.1%
• Biggest Cities: Capital Riga (711,000), Daugavpils (103,000), Jūrmala (55,000)
• Urbanisation: 68% of the Latvian population live in cities
• Religions: Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7%
• Languages: Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3%
• Age structure (Median age: 40.9 years):

0-14 years: 13.5%

15-64 years: 69.5%

65+ years: 16.9%

• Population projection: The Latvian population will be relatively constant in the future (2025: 2.1 million inhabitants)

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2012 ^[1], UN Population divison 2010 ^[2]}

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Politics

• Government type: democratic parliamentary republic
• Chief of state: Andris BERZINS (since 2011)
• Head of government: Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 2009)
• Administration: 109 municipalities
• Since 1991 independent of the Soviet Union

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2012 ^[1]}

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Economy

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012*	2013*	2015*
GDP (PPP) in billion US$	39.1	38.7	32.2	32.4	34.9	36.1	37.6	41.3
GDP development	+12.8%	-1.1%	-16.9%	+0.8%	+7.7%	+3.3%	+4.1%
GDP per capita (PPP) in US$	17,100	17,000	14,200	14,400	15,700	16,200	16,900	18,700
Inflation rate	10.1%	15.3%	3.3%	-1.2%	4.2%	2.6%	2.2%	2.2%
Unemployment rate	6.2%	7.8%	17.3%	19.0%	15.6%	15.5%	14.6%	12.0%

^{*2012, 2013, 2015 data: estimates by IMF, April 2012}

• GDP-composition by sector: services: 74.3% industry: 21.7% agriculture: 4.0%
• Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing significantly to its GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronic devices. The bulk of the country's economic activity, however, is in the services sector.
• Import- and export: Most important partners are Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Germany, Sweden (export), Poland (import)
• Currency: Lats, it is abbreviated as Ls. The lats is sub-divided into 100 santīmi (pegged to Euro, 1 Euro = Ls 0.702804
• Income distribution: The Latvian distibution of income is rather imbalanced (below-average)
• HDI (Human Development Index): Latvia is a „Very High Human Development“ Country (2011: country comparison in the world: 43)
• Media access: worldwide benchmarking of communication infrastructure: Rank 40

_{Source: IMF World Economic Outlook Database ^[3], CIA - The World Factbook 2012 ^[1], DZT Baltische Staaten 2012 ^[4], UNDP Human Development Report 2011 ^[5], ITU International Telecommunication Union ^[6]}

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Tourism Demand

General

• Travel propensity: 62% of the Latvian travelled at least once in 2011, either for business or private purposes [EU27: 72%]. Note: travelling was defined as spending one night away from home, for private or business purposes.
• "Private" travel propensity:

42% of the Latvian had travelled – for private reasons – at least once in 2011

• Travel frequency of the Latvian travellers (private or business):

14% of them made exactly one trip in 2011

11% made two

9% made three

10% four to five

8% six to ten

10% more than ten trips

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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International travel

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Number of international trips of the Latvian	1.1 million	1.3 million	1.4 million	1.5 million	1.7 million	1.4 million	1.4 million

• Holiday/business/VFR: 64% of the 1.4 million international trips in 2010 were holiday, 23% VFR (visiting friends and relatives), 14% business
• Frequency of international travel: on average, every Latvian (15+ years old) took 0.7 international trips in 2010
• Regional source markets: 50% of international trips in 2010 originated from the region Riga, 15% from from the region Vidzeme and 13% from the region Latgale
• Destinations all international trips 2010:

1. other Baltic states (18%; 0.3 million)

2. Germany (15%; 0.2 million)

3. Russia (13%; 0.2 million)

• Duration of international trips of the Latvian 2010: 7.5 nights

International holiday trips: 7.3 nights

International VFR trips: 9.5 nights

International business trips: 8.1 nights

• International travel spendings 2010: total 0.7 billion Euro - corresponding to 523 Euro per international trip and 70 Euro per night abroad. Note: including all costs of travel and transport at home and at the destination

_{Source: IPK International: World Travel Monitor 2010. In: DZT Baltische Staaten 2012 ^[4]}

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Most important holiday information sources

1. Recommendations of friends, colleagues or relatives 66% [EU27: 52%]
2. Internet websites 44% [EU27: 40%]
3. Personal experience 31% [EU27: 32%]
4. Free catalogue, brochures 12% [EU27: 11%]
5. Travel/tourist agencies 10% [EU27: 16%]
6. Newspaper, radio, TV 10% [EU27: 7%]
7. Paid for guidebooks and magazines 5% [EU27: 7%]
8. Social media sites 5% [EU27: 5%]
9. Other 1% [EU27: 2%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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Holiday travel behaviour 2011

• Main motivation for going on holidays 2011

1. Rest/recreation (including Wellness/health treatment) 46% [EU27: 48%]
2. Visiting friends/relatives 46% [EU27: 28%]
3. Spending time with your family 21% [EU27: 32%]
4. City trip 21% [EU27: 16%]
5. Nature (mountain, lake, landscape etc…) 19% [EU27: 18%]
6. Sun/beach 13% [EU27: 28%]
7. Culture/religion 13% [EU27: 14%]
8. Sports-related (e.g. scuba-diving, cycling etc…) 8% [EU27: 10%]
9. Other 4% [EU27: 3%]

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• Visited countries for a minimum of 4 nights (at least once in 2011)

1. Latvia 44% [EU27: 0%]
2. Germany 17% [EU27: 5%]
3. UK 17% [EU27: 3%]
4. Lithuania 10% [EU27: 0%]
5. Italy 9% [EU27: 9%]
6. Estonia 8% [EU27: 0%]
7. Spain 5% [EU27: 11%]
8. Sweden 5% [EU27: 1%]
9. France 4% [EU27: 8%]
10. Czech Republic 4% [EU27: 1%]

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• Methods of arrangement (at least once in 2011)

1. The internet 52% [EU27: 53%]
2. Through someone I know 40% [EU27: 22%]
3. Through a travel agency 18% [EU27: 23%]
4. Over the phone 16% [EU27: 18%]
5. On-site (place of holidays) 16% [EU27: 9%]
6. Over a counter of a transportation company (airline) 5% [EU27: 4%]
7. Other 8% [EU27: 8%]

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• Type of holiday (at least once in 2011)

1. Holidays where transport and accomodation are bought separately 36% [EU27: 49%]
2. Package Tour (transport and accomodation are bought together) 25% [EU27: 23%]
3. All inclusive holiday 29% [EU27: 27%]

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• Means of transport (at least once in 2011)

1. Car 73% [EU27: 78%]
2. Airplane 50% [EU27: 46%]
3. Bus 48% [EU27: 20%]
4. Train 27% [EU27: 29%]
5. Boat 20% [EU27: 14%]

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• Accommodation (at least once in 2011)

1. In paid accommodation (hotel, rented apartment/house etc…) 40% [EU27: 60%]
2. At friends or relatives 40% [EU27: 34%]
3. In own property/second home 30% [EU27: 19%]
4. On a camping site 7% [EU27: 11%]
5. In another type of location 10% [EU27: 11%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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Main holiday satisfaction 2011

The displayed figure is the mean of a scale with "1=very satisfied", "2=fairly satisfied", "3=not very satisfied" and "4=not at all satisfied":

- Quality of the accommodation: 1.65; total satisfaction (1+2) 95%

- Natural features (weather conditions, landscape etc.): 1.58; total satisfaction (1+2) 91%

- General level of prices: 2.12; total satisfaction (1+2) 76%

- Activities offered (variety and compehensiveness of the tourist offer): 2.17; total satisfaction (1+2) 76%

- How tourists are welcomed (e.g. child friendliness, customer care etc.): 2.84; total satisfaction (1+2) 88%

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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Returning factors

1. The natural features (weather conditions, landscape) 36% [EU27: 50%]
2. The general level of prices 23% [EU27: 27%]
3. The activities offered 20% [EU27: 17%]
4. The quality of accomodation 24% [EU27: 32%]
5. How tourists are welcomed (e.g. child friendliness) 23% [EU27: 24%]
6. Other 10% [EU27: 8%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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Holiday plans 2012

• Interest in countries in 2012

1. Latvia 38% [EU 27: 0%]
2. Sweden 11% [EU27: 1%]
3. UK 10% [EU27: 3%]
4. Estonia 7% [EU27: 0%]
5. Spain 6% [EU27: 10%]
6. Italy 6% [EU27: 7%]
7. France 5% [EU27: 6%]
8. Germany 5% [EU27: 3%]

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• Types of holidays planned in 2012

1. Holidays between 4 and 13 nights 24% [EU27: 41%]
2. Short-stay trip (up to 3 nights) 42% [EU27: 27%]
3. Holidays with more than 13 consecutives nights 10% [EU27: 19%]
4. No decision yet 13% [EU27: 12%]
5. No trip at all 17% [EU27: 15%]
6. Don’t know 1% [EU27: 2%]

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• Influence of economic situation on holiday plans 2012

1. It has not changed my planned holiday 33% [EU27: 40%]
2. I will go on holiday but I will spend less 29% [EU27: 22%]
3. I will go an holiday but for a shorter period 14% [EU27: 12%]
4. I will go on holiday but I changed my destinations 3% [EU27: 4%]
5. I will not go on holidays 18% [EU27: 15%]
6. I didn’t plan my holiday for 2012 5% [EU27: 6%]
7. I do not go on holidays 0% [EU27: 3%]
8. Don’t know 4% [EU27: 3%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 334 (2012) ^[7]}

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Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region

Air

Riga International Airport is Latvia's major airport. Other international airports with connections into the Baltic Sea Region are Liepajas Airport and Ventspils Airport. Please look up the airport links for their current connections into the BSR:

• Riga Airport
• Liepajas Airport
• Ventspils Airport

Sea

There are several ferry-connections from Latvia into the Baltic Sea Region, e.g. to Germany, Finland, Sweden and Russia. A current overview of the ferry lines can be found here.

Rail

Most important international trains into the Baltic Sea Region depart from Riga, heading e.g. towards Moscow, Saint Petersburg (Russia) or Vilnius (Lithuania). For further information about timetables and prices see Latvian Railways.

Road

Latvia has a widely branched network of roads, however, high-speed motorways and roads may differ in quality. From Latvia, you can drive to Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and to Belarus. Estonia is located 311 km from Riga, Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital - 290 km. These countries are joined by the road Via Baltica, which is part of the E67 motorway. Please note when going from Latvia to Russia or Belarus by car, you will have to pass customs controls and the crossing of the border may take some time, depending on the customs staff availability. (Russia capital city Moscow is located 929 km away from Riga, while St. Petersburg - 577 km, Belarus capital, Minsk - 480 km)

For further information on roads in Latvia see here.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} CIA - The World Factbook, August 2012 [1]
2. ↑ UN Population division 2010 (Medium variant) [2]
3. ↑ IMF (International Monetary Fund): World Economic Outlook Database, April 2012 [3]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus: Marktinformationen Baltische Staaten 2012 [4]
5. ↑ UNDP Human Development Report 2011 [5]
6. ↑ ITU International Telecommunication Union, Measuring the Information Society 2011[6]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5} European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 334, March 2012: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [7]