Analytics, Estonia, Latvia, Statistics, Tourism

The latest data of the Central Statistical Bureau show that the number of visitors from Lithuania, as compared to June of the previous year, has dropped only by 3.5%, and the number of nights spent by them – by 0.9%.

In the 2^nd quarter of 2020 the number of foreign and resident visitors in Latvian tourist accommodation establishments comprised 170.8 thousand, which is 78.1 % less than in the 2^nd quarter of 2019. As compared to the same period of the previous year, the number of nights spent by visitors has reduced by 74.7% and comprised 373.4 thousand nights. Visitors spent an average of 2.2 nights at tourist accommodation establishments. In the first half of 2020, 570.3 thousand visitors, of which 317.1 thousand foreign visitors, were hosted in Latvian tourist accommodation establishments.

After the emergency situation declared in the country on 12 March, the number of visitors continued to decrease also in the months of the 2^nd quarter, reaching the largest decline in April (drop of 93.6%). As on 10 June the emergency situation ended and large part of tourist accommodation establishments resumed their activity, as compared to May, the number of visitors in June increased four times, reaching 127.6 thousand visitors.

 In 2^nd quarter of 2020 the number of foreign visitors comprised 62 thousand, which is 88.7% less than in the 2^nd quarter of last year, but the number of nights spent by foreign visitors has decreased by 84.9% and comprised 159.7 thousand nights. The majority of foreign visitors came from Lithuania (24.2 thousand), Estonia (18.2 thousand), Finland (4 thousand), Germany (2.9 thousand), Canada (2.8 thousand), Russia (1.5 thousand) and Poland (1 thousand).7

Out of foreign visitors 71 % or 44.1 thousand came from neighbouring countries – Lithuania (39.1%), Estonia (29.4%), Russia (2.4%) and Belarus (0.2%).

In the 2^nd quarter of 2020 the largest share of foreign visitors stayed in Riga – 50.8%, Jūrmala – 18%, Liepāja – 7.3%, Ventspils – 4.1%, Sigulda municipality – 2.5%, Rucava municipality – 1.6%, Roja municipality – 1.4%, Engure municipality – 1.3%, Salacgrīva municipality and Daugavpils – 1.1%.

In the 2^nd quarter of 2020, 108.7 thousand Latvian visitors were hosted at Latvian tourist accommodation establishments, which is 53.3% less than during the 2^nd quarter of 2019, when it reduced by 48.9% and amounted to 213.7 thousand.

Latvian visitors stayed mostly in Riga (14.2%), Liepāja (9.6%), Jūrmala (8.3%), Daugavpils municipality (3.4%), Ventspils (3.2%), Salacgrīva municipality (3.1%), Roja municipality (2.9%), Engure municipality and Daugavpils (2.7%), Ventspils municipality (2.5%).

In June 96.9% of respondents submitted report on the activity of accommodation establishments, of which 13.6% of respondents (in June 2019 – 3.4%) answered that they did not carry out activity mentioning as a reason downtime, improvements or repair of accommodation.