1) The Latvian Country Tourism Association has over 300 members and promotes rural tourism through product development, quality control, training, and marketing. 2) Rural tourism accommodations in Latvia include guest houses, cottages, and B&Bs and are graded into four categories based on quality criteria. 3) The association has developed several eco-labelled and community-based rural tourism products and services focusing on cultural heritage, nature activities, and seasonal attractions. 4) Case studies demonstrate how developing new tourism routes and products in collaboration with local stakeholders has increased visitor numbers and benefits to local businesses in destinations like the Slītere National Park.

1. Latvia’s experience:
eco-labelling, rural tourism commercial
activities, accommodation rating scheme
Antra Damberga
Latvian Country Tourism Association
4th international congress on rural tourism of Navarre. Spain.
February 21, 2013.

3. Latvian Country Tourism Association
Founded: 1993
Members: ~300
Staff: ~12
Office: in Riga
Functions:
• RT product development
• Quality control and labelling
• Povider training and consultations
• Promotion and marketing
(brochures, maps, Internet)
• Lobbying for interests of members
• Project implementation

4. Rural tourism accommodations in Latvia
- Guest houses, self-catering cottages, rural B&B
- Additional services: meals, sauna, party services, excursions, etc.
- Graded in four categories
- Different quality grading criteria for serviced accommodations
and self-catering
- Serve as a guideline for accommodation owners
- Updated in 2012 according to changes in product and client
feedback

5. Green Holidays – eco-labelled rural tourism
accommodations
5

6. “Countryside Bounty” - local community based
commercial products and services

7. Cultural heritage products interactive

8. Innovative for Latvia – dog sledding
A 50km ride
with overnight in
a Teepee. Drive
yourself the dog
team!

9. Beaver stories and products

10. Seasonal products – boating during spring flood
Boating in the flooded meadows, over roads and bridges

11. Special interest products – military heritage
11

12. Destination develpment example in the Slītere
National Park - success story
Initiate local
cooperation
• NP administration
• Local municipality
• local NGOs
•Tourism
entrepreneurs
•Other active local
people
RESULT – INVENTORY
OF RESOURCES AND
THE CONCEPT

13. New tourism products/routes
Why start with routes?
- No large investments in service
provision required
- Large local participation
achieved in itinerary development
- Well tested, reliable product
- Example of a professional
product description created
- Product development experience
documented in guidelines

14. Instruction - make a touring route in 10
steps
14

15. Open air seminar – route marking
Marking the route in the
nature/Guidelines

16. Route description template
The design template is
• Natural and historical downloadable and contents can
information about the be changed by users
area
• Route description with a
map
• Tourist information
• Points of interest
• Pictures
• Practical advice

17. Special interest products – nature tours
17

18. Provider training – open air seminars
- Bird watching
- Animal watching
- Plant watching
- Insect watching

19. Botanical guide – funny facts and stories
19

20. The Slītere NP Tourism guide
+ guidelines how to develop a guide of a
national park
• Based on local stories (> 30
interviews)
• The first tourism guide of a NP in
Latvia (developed together with the
Slītere people)
• History interacts with life today
• Stories of the Liv minority
• Services and facilities
• Tour Maps

21. Travel day to Slītere - promotion event
• Local initiative
• All stakeholders involved
• Grew into tradition – annnual
event
• Motivation to develop new
products
• Opportunity to test new products
Juris Smaļinskis, Lauku ceļotājs • Customer feedback 21

22. Results
- new and better quality tourism products in the area
- increased professionalism of local tourism providers
- intensive marketing
- visitor numbers increased by 10%
- more income to local businesses
(example - local tourist info office income: souvenirs + 60%, food staffs +20%)
- Project experience documented in “Sustainable
Tourism Development Model”

23. Conclusions
•Local acceptance, motivation and continous
involvement = be practical!
•Involvement of professionals for all products and
activities (nature, tourism, culture) = keep quality!
•Integrated approach to all aspects: social, economic,
environmental = be simple!
•Fulfil your promisses to the locals = be realistic!
•Regular feedback of visitors = follow the market!

24. Latvian Country Tourism Association “Lauku ceļotājs”
Kalnciema 40, Rīga LV-1046, tel.: +371 67617600
asnate@celotajs.lv, www.celotajs.lv
Facebook: Lauku celotajs
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laukucelotajs