In 2019, number of visitors hosted at Latvian tourist accommodation establishments has grown by 1.6 %

Latest data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that 2.85 million foreign and Latvian visitors stayed at Latvian tourist accommodation establishments in 2019, which is 1.6 % more than in 2018. Compared to the previous year, the number of nights spent by visitors increased by 2.6 %, reaching 5.51 million. The average length of stay comprised 1.9 nights.

In 2019, 1.95 million foreign visitors were hosted, which is 1.1 % more than in the previous year, whereas the number of nights spent by them increased by 2.9 %, reaching 3.85 million. The majority of visitors came from Russia (279.4 thousand), Germany (243.0 thousand), Lithuania (209.5 thousand), Estonia (171.1 thousand), Finland (110.8 thousand) and the United Kingdom (108.0 thousand).

Out of the total number of foreign visitors, 36 % or 700 thousand came from the neighbouring countries of Latvia – Russia (14.4 %), Lithuania (10.8 %), Estonia (8.8 %) and Belarus (2 %).

In 2019 increase was observed in the number of visitors from neighbouring countries – Lithuania (of 9.7 %), Russia (7.9 %), Belarus (4.2 %) and Estonia (0.8 %) as well as from other countries – Ukraine (of 12.1 %), Germany (7.6 %), Poland (5.2 %) and Spain (2.0 %). A drop was observed in the number of visitors coming from Japan (30.9 %), Canada (15.6 %), the United States of America (12.2 %), China (11 %), Italy (8.8 %) and Norway (5.9 %).

Out of all foreign visitors, majority (75 %) stayed in Riga, 8.9 % – in Jūrmala, 2 % – in Liepāja, 1.9 % – in Sigulda county, 1.4 % – in Ventspils and 1.5% – in Daugavpils.

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In 2019, 907.4 thousand Latvian residents were hosted at tourist accommodation establishments, which is 2.7 % more than in 2018, whereas the number of nights spent increased by 2.0 %, constituting 1.66 million.

Latvian residents stayed mostly in Riga (25.1 % of visitors), Jūrmala (9.3 %), Liepāja (7.3 %), Ventspils (3.3 %), Daugavpils (4.6 %), Sigulda county (2.8 %).

Number of visitors hosted, and nights spent at accommodation establishments

	2019		2018		Changes, % (2019 compared to 2018)
	Visitors hosted	Nights spent	Visitors hosted	Nights spent	Visitors hosted	Nights spent
TOTAL	2 853 333	5 509 682	2 808 808	5 368 739	1.6	2.6
Latvian residents	907 414	1 658 379	883 411	1 625 773	2.7	2
Foreign residents	1 945 919	3 851 303	1 925 397	3 742 966	1.1	2.9
Russia	279 390	580 959	259 028	537 560	7.9	8.1
Germany	242 988	454 777	225 927	422 112	7.6	7.7
Lithuania	209 536	363 117	190 931	318 396	9.7	14
Estonia	171 062	259 992	169 666	253 055	0.8	2.7
Finland	110 792	205 169	114 584	208 000	-3.3	-1.4
United Kingdom	107 950	217 776	108 271	216 350	-0.3	0.7
Sweden	77 079	164 318	79 668	165 588	-3.2	-0.8
Poland	63 449	99 327	60 328	96 539	5.2	2.9
Norway	62 821	131 903	66 733	140 508	-5.9	-6.1
France	46 326	89 871	45 989	89 459	0.7	0.5
Italy	44 051	82 531	48 301	88 513	-8.8	-6.8
Ukraine	44 004	91 125	39 256	73 661	12.1	23.7
USA	43 292	87 736	49 290	106 934	-12.2	-18
Spain	40 610	74 220	39 801	72 786	2	2
Belarus	39 977	125 417	38 373	113 008	4.2	11
Netherlands	31 762	57 856	32 341	62 359	-1.8	-7.2
Denmark	31 328	62 510	31 036	59 811	0.9	4.5
Canada	22 653	31 240	26 850	42 713	-15.6	-26.9
Switzerland	21 830	43 093	22 788	44 236	-4.2	-2.6
Japan	20 416	31 984	29 534	39 949	-30.9	-19.9
China	20 233	37 574	22 738	39 589	-11	-5.1

In 2019, 1.69 million visitors were hosted at tourist accommodation establishments in Riga, of which 1.46 million were foreign visitors, which is 1.6 % less than a year ago. The number of nights spent by foreign visitors in Riga grew by 1.1 %, amounting to 2.87 thousand. The majority of foreign visitors in tourist accommodation establishments located in Riga came from Russia (184.3 thousand), Germany (182.7 thousand), Estonia (111.6 thousand), Lithuania (108.7 thousand), the United Kingdom (97.7 thousand), Finland (86.5 thousand) and Sweden (66.2 thousand).

In the 4^th quarter of 2019, 580.6 thousand foreign and Latvian visitors were hosted at tourist accommodation establishments in Latvia– 4.5 % more than during the 4^th quarter of the previous year. Visitors spent 1.14 million nights which, compared to the same period of the previous year, is an increase of 3.8 %. The number of foreign visitors in the last quarter of the year rose by 3.8 %, amounting to 390.6 thousand.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366621 +371 27880666

More information on data:
Transport and Tourism Statistics Section
Edīte Miezīte
E-mail: Edite.Miezite@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366810