Latvia, Legislation, Tourism

Armands Slokenbergs.

Slokenbergs told the government members during an interview for the job that it is important for Latvia to define competitive products and regions that it could offer on the tourism market, whereas tourism marketing must reorient itself to new technologies, informs LETA.

The new Tourism Development Agency's head said that he firmly believes that Latvia can attract many foreign tourists with its cultural richness and diversity, as well as the coastline of almost 500 kilometers.

Asked whether lack of experience in the tourism sector could hamper his work in any way, Slokenbergs said that tourists have to be attracted by tourism experts in conjunction with marketing specialists. Slokenbergs himself has been working in marketing for a long time.

Slokenbergs has been appointed the Tourism Development Agency's director for a term of five years, plus a six-month trial period.

As the Economy Ministry's Public Relations Department told LETA, Slokenbergs has a twelve-year experience of working in top posts at various advertising agencies.

Slokenbergs was the director of the Media House media agency from 1997 to 2002, and regional director for Media House Baltic from 2001 through 2009. He also worked as a board member at Mediaedge:Baltic from 2003 through 2009; currently Slokenbergs works as a consultant at the advertising agency "E-agents".

Slokenbergs has degrees in business and pedagogy, he has also completed various courses in marketing and advertising.

Overall, 34 persons had applied for the head of the Tourism Development Agency.

The previous Tourism Development Agency's Director Uldis Vitolins handed in his resignation on June 17 over a low-quality video advertising spa treatment in Latvia.

According to information on the Internet, the video was created by Lautas Ltd. for the Tourism Development Agency, it features millionaire Mairita Solima telling in bad English about spa resorts and centers in Latvia. The video cost the agency LVL 20,500.

As Vitolins informed LETA, that there has been a misunderstanding as the video that can be found on the Internet, presenting the opinion of Solima as a spa treatment expert, was made solely as a test product and it is not the actual advertisement. Furthermore, the allegations that the video has cost LVL 20,500, are false.

"It is a normal and common practice when testing new Web sites – first to prepare a test product and only afterwards supplement the Web site with the actual contents," Vitolins said.

Economy Minister Artis Kampars said that the incident with the amateurish video being placed on the pending tourism portal will have to be tackled by the new Tourism Development Agency's head, who will also have to make sure that such incidents do not occur again.