Analytics, Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Tourism, Transport

Same-day trips

Last year Latvian residents went on 0.9 million same-day trips abroad, which is 12% more than in 2018, but their expenditure rose by 36% reaching EUR 57.7 million. In their overnight trips most often Latvian residents went to Lithuania (68.2%) and Estonia (20%). The average expenditure per same-day trip increased by EUR 11.3, reaching EUR 63.8.

Overnight trips

Last year Latvian residents went on 1.5 million overnight trips abroad, which is 8.1% more than a year ago. Most popular destinations of overnight trips abroad in 2019 were neighbouring countries Lithuania (11.2%), Estonia (10.9%), Russia (6.9%) and Belarus (5.3%). Sweden (6.8%), Germany (6.6%) and the United Kingdom (4.7%) also were among most popular destinations of Latvian residents.

51% of overnight trips abroad were made by plane, 32.3% – by passenger car or motorcycle, 9.3% by bus and 5.1% by water transport. In 20.8% of trips transport was booked at tour operators or travel agents.

In 2019, total expenditure of overnight trips abroad comprised EUR 741.8 million, which is 42.3% more than in 2018. Most of the money was spent on transport (34%), accommodation (32.2%), catering services (14.4%), entertainment and cultural activities (7.1%) and other expenses (12.3%). In share of expenditure the largest growth was in expenses on accommodation (4.2 percentage points).

Average expenditure on overnight trip abroad in 2019 comprised EUR 501.3 increasing by EUR 142.3 as compared to 2018. Average expenditure per day comprised EUR 83.1, which rose by EUR 11.8. The largest expenditure per day comprised EUR 121.4 in trips with stay at a hotel, resort hotel, motel or guest house, but the smallest – EUR 27.6 when staying in other private accommodation. Average expenditure per trip increased as residents chose to go on a trip by plane more often (by 4.9 percentage points more than in 2018), stayed at hotels and similar establishments (by 5.6 percentage points more) not at relatives or friends, where there was the largest drop last year of 3.2 percentage points. At hotels and similar establishments accommodation price mainly or in 87.7% of trips included at least one meal, of which 20% of trips included three or more meals.

In 2019, 8.9 million nights were spent in trips abroad, which is 22.1% more than a year ago. 64.1% of nights were spent in rented accommodation or accommodation for fee, but 32.4% of nights were spent at relatives or friends. Average length of a stay during a trip was 6 days – 0.7 days more than in 2018. Shorter stay was on a trip in rented accommodation or accommodation for a fee– 5.4 days, but longer – in private accommodation or accommodation for free – 7.5 days. Accommodation was booked on the internet in 57.7% of trips, where rented accommodation or accommodation for fee was used.

By demographic indicators women (52.2%), residents aged 25-34 years (28%), residents with higher education (57.5%) and employed (82.6%) mostly went on trips abroad.

Seniors (aged 65 years and more) went on 0.1 million trips abroad, which is 11% more than a year ago, staying 8.8 days (more by 2.8 days than average indicator) and spending EUR 417.8 (EUR 83.5 less than average indicator) during the trip. On average they spent EUR 47.5 (almost twice less than average) per day.

More information on tourism statistics is available on the CSB website section “Tourism”. Data are published in the CSB data base section “Tourism” (annual statistics data).