Analytics, Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Good for Business, Tourism

Latvia was mostly visited by travellers from Lithuania – 35.6%, from Estonia – 19.0%, from Russia – 10.0% and from Sweden – 6.7%.

Structure of the foreign travellers in breakdown by countries in 2014

Data source: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia

In 2014, foreign overnight travellers on average stayed in Latvia 4.2 days and spent 516.9 mln euros which is 7.4% more than in 2013.

Comparing the number of foreign overnight travellers with the previous year, it is obvious that the number of travellers from Germany rose by 36.4%, from Poland – by 35.8%, from Lithuania – by 26.7%, from Estonia – by 23.7% and from the United Kingdom – by 22.3%. Even though the number of travellers from Russia continued to increase, growth rate has reduced from 22.0% to 4.5%, compared to 2013.

Number and increase of foreign overnight travellers

As the main purpose of the visit 44.0% of foreign travellers mentioned recreation, 29.5% – visit to friends and relatives and 21.2% – business trip. 34.4% of the overnight visitors came to Latvia for the first time.

As compared to 2013, the number of overnight travellers who mentioned recreation as the main purpose of the visit grew by 35.3%. Travellers from Estonia, Finland, Germany and Sweden mentioned recreation as the main purpose of the visit. But travellers from Russia, Belarus, Ireland and the United Kingdom arrived to Latvia to visit friends and relatives.

31.8% of all foreign overnight travellers obtained information on Latvia from the Internet, 21.4% – from relatives, friends and acquaintances, 16.8% – during their previous visits, 10.6% – from travel guides and mass media.

66.6% of the foreign overnight travellers were accommodated in hotels or in other accommodation establishments, but 33.4% stayed at their relatives or friends.

Out of all foreign overnight travellers who visited Latvia, 48.6% used air transport, 37.4% – road transport, 7.3% – sea transport and 6.7% – railway transport.

On average the largest amounts per day in Latvia were spent¹ by travellers from Norway (114.8 euros), Finland (108.8 euros), Switzerland (108.2 euros) and Sweden (96.8 euros). But the smallest amounts were spent by overnight travellers from Ukraine (33.5 euros), Belarus (39.3 euros), Ireland (45.8 euros), Estonia (48.9 euros) and Poland (50.8 euros).

For the longest period of time in Latvia stayed travellers from Ukraine (8.5 nights), from Ireland (7.5 nights), from Russia (7.3 nights) and from the United Kingdom (6.7 nights).

More information on foreign travellers is available in the CSB database in section "Tourism".

¹ Average daily expenditure per traveller, excluding transportation expenses.