RIGA - The Economy Ministry has predicted that the number of tourists visiting Latvia this year would grow by 20 percent and amount to some 3 million, the ministry's press office said last week.
The ministry said that the expected surge would be the highest in the industry over the past few years.
The forecast is based on data provided by the statistics office on growth in tourists during the first half of the year, as well as potential growth in the second half.
Last year 2.5 million tourists visited Latvia, up 10 percent year-on-year, while in 2002 the rate of growth was 11.5 percent and in 2001 6.5 percent.
The ministry said it expected last year's result to be reached by this fall.
The rate means that Latvia could reach the ministry's target of 8 million - 10 million tourists annually within four years and an industry that comprises 5 percent - 7 percent of GDP.
In Estonia, the number of tourists rose 3 percent last year, while Lithuania has also seen a surge, particularly in Vilnius. No official numbers, however, were available.
Latvia's Transport Ministry has also taken steps to reduce airport taxes in Riga and attract discount airline Ryanair in order to double the number of passengers handled at the airport.
Meanwhile, the rural tourism associations of the three Baltic countries announced that they have jointly developed a Baltic rural tourism marketing strategy for the next five years.
Agnese Jakovica, spokeswoman for Lauku Turists, Latvia's rural tourism association, said the strategy set out common marketing goals and outlined steps to be taken to attain these goals.
The strategy, worked out as part of a project cofinanced by the EU PHARE program, extensively analyzed the supply and demand of rural tourism in the three Baltic states based on client surveys and tourist accommodation site operators.
The PHARE project also involved the technical development of an Internet reservation system for rural tourism that would allow tourists not only to select accommodation in any country, but also study occupancy calendars and make payments.
Presently the reservation system works in a trial regime and will likely be available to the public later this year.
The Baltic rural tourism marketing strategy also will form a part of Latvia's overall tourism strategy, which is being worked out by the state tourism development agency.
