International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analyticsFriday, 12.03.2010, 17:20
Riga travel agencies and Latvia-made products presented at conference in St. Petersburg
12.03.2010Riga travel agencies and Latvia-made products are being presented in St. Petersburg today, as the Riga City Council informed LETA. Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs (Harmony Center) opened a conference in St. Petersburg today, called "Riga and St. Petersburg: Partnership and Cooperation".
Keyword tags: Baltic States – CIS, Forum, Latvia, LIVE RIGA, Markets and Companies, Tourism
YIT Ehitus to build two highrise towers in Riga
09.03.2010YIT Ehitus, Estonian subsidiary of Scandinavian construction giant YIT, signed a 40 million euro contract in Latvia to build two 120-metre-high round buildings for a company Towers Construction Management, LETA/BBN reports.
Bill on lowering tourism VAT in Latvia is sent to Saeima
09.03.2010The People's Party succeeded today, with the help of the opposition, in gaining theoretical support from the Saeima's Budget and Finance (Taxation) Committee for forwarding their amendment to the law "On Value Added Tax" (VAT) for review in the full Saeima in Latvia. The amendment foresees the introduction of a reduced VAT rate for the tourism sector.
Temporary residence permits for large-scale investors to available from July in Latvia
04.03.2010Saeima today passed amendments to the Law on Immigration to grant temporary residence permits to large-scale investors in Latvia. After a long debate, the bill was passed with 48 votes in favor; 42 Saeima members voted against the bill.
Saeima committee agreed that construction of new terminal at Riga Airport cannot be postponed
04.03.2010Airport ''Riga'' is at full capacity, thus the construction of a new terminal cannot be postponed, the Saeima Economic, Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee concluded yesterday, after deputies listened to presentations by the management of national airline airBaltic and the airport itself.
Latvia’s government supports development of land in Jurmala dune zone belonging to Slesers
The government of Latvia today voted in support of the development of a piece of land belonging to Deputy Mayor of Riga Ainars Slesers (Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) and his wife, Saeima deputy Inese Slesere, at 1a Upes Street, Jurmala. The piece of land in question is within the Gulf of Riga coastal dune protection zone. Support was given to the development of a plot measuring 0.6627 hectares; 0.23 hectares smaller than was requested.
11 bathing areas and two yacht clubs in Latvia apply for the "Blue Flag" tourism eco-certificate
At present, the tourism eco-certificate "Blue Flag" has been applied for by 11 bathing areas and two yacht clubs in Latvia, LETA was informed by Janis Ulme, eco-certification director for the Foundation for Environmental Education. In 2010 a bathing area in Jekabpils has applied for a "Blue Flag" certificate for the first time.
Slesers: Riga Airport is capable of servicing 30 mln passengers in the future
Riga Vice Mayor Ainars Slesers (Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) still believes that International Airport Riga could have carried out its previously planned development project, worth EUR 300 million (LVL 210 million), after which the airport would be capable of servicing 30 million passengers a year, LETA was informed by Slesers' press secretary Girts Dripe.
Riga International Airport capacity to be expanded to 12.7 mln passengers a year
By 2013, the plan is to expand the capacity of Riga International Airport to 12.7 million passengers a year. The capacity of the existing terminal is to be increased to 5.5 million passengers a year, with the airBaltic terminal to be built by 2013 and predicted to serve 7.2 million passengers a year.
LIVE RĪGA: tourism sector needs innovative products
In the framework of the International Tourism Fair, Balttour 2010, LIVE RIGA organised a round table discussion for entrepreneurs and institutions from various sectors. The subject of the discussion: “LIVE RIGA Partnership – An Opportunity to Create Innovative Tourism Products.” The Latvian National Opera House, the European Capital of Culture Board, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, JSC Aldaris and JSC Dzintars, as well as many other representatives of the tourism and related sectors participated in the discussion with their visions of promoting tourism.
Riga races ahead of its neighbours in attracting tourists
Attracted by lower prices in hotels and restaurants, and the marketing campaigns under the city brand LIVE Rīga, the number of travellers have been steadily increasing to Riga since the year end in 2009, helping the Latvian capital to outpace its neighbours, informed BC Janis Vanags, vice president corporate communications of airBaltic.
More than 200 participants at "Balttour" tourism fair in Riga in 2010
The number of participants in the international tourism fair "Balttour" in Riga has increased to 207 in 2010, as the organizers of the fair informed the business portal Nozare.lv.
VAT for tourist industry in Latvia may be reducted to 10%
A bill of opposition deputies' amendments to the law "On Value Added Tax" was submitted today by Latvian Saeima to several committees for examination. The bill envisages reduction of the VAT rate for the tourist industry to 10%.
"Bergs" in Riga included in the list of Europe's 50 best restaurants
The downtown Riga restaurant "Bergs" has been included on the list "The European 50 Best Restaurants", as public relations consultant, Zandra Krastina, informed the business portal Nozare.lv. A Lithuanian restaurant is in 63th place, and two Estonian restaurants – in 73rd and 87th places.
Rigas pilsetbuvnieks teamed up with Messe Frankfurt Venue to build the largest exhibition center in Northern Europe near Riga Airport
The Riga City Council's Property Committee today decided to assign the municipal company Rigas pilsetbuvnieks to implement a major exhibition and conference center development project, and to invest twelve land plots of 35.6 hectares in area altogether in the share capital of a company that would be set up for implementing the project. Rigas pilsetbuvnieks has teamed up with the world's largest company in this business area, Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH to build the largest exhibition center in Northern Europe near Riga International Airport.
Closer cooperation model for the Baltics and the EU 
