- In 2019 foreign travellers crossed the border of Latvia 8.3 million times, which is 7.3 % more than the year before.
- The latest data of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that traveller expenditure rose by 7.2 % and reached EUR 806.3 million.
In 2019, the number of same-day travellers or number of border crossings increased by 9.9 %, reaching 6.4 million, expenditure – by 14 %, reaching EUR 268.1 million.
The largest rise was observed in the number of same-day travellers from Ukraine – by 93.4 % (175.7 thousand), Russia – by 36.2 % (626.3 thousand) and Belarus – by 32.4 % (246.3 thousand). Average expenditure in same-day trips also increased by 3.7% – EUR 41.8.
Even though 48.5% of the same-day travellers stayed in Latvia in transit, their expenditure in expenditure structure comprised 17.1%. Out of total same-day traveller expenditure the largest share (52.3%) was comprised by expenditure of those travellers, who arrived for shopping.
Overnight travellers
In 2019, Latvia was visited by 1.9 million foreign overnight travellers (0.6 % less than in 2018), spending 4.2 % or EUR 538.2 million more. Compared to the year before, the total number of nights spent rose by 5.1 %, reaching 8.3 million nights.
Visitors stayed in Latvia on average for 4.3 days – 0.3 days more than in 2018.
1.2 million or 63.3 % of all overnight travellers arrived to Latvia from Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Norway and Finland. 18.9 % (0.4 million) travellers were from Belarus, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, France and Netherlands.
Significant increase was observed in the number of overnight travellers from three largest priority markets – from Lithuania of 12.2 %, from Russia – of 22.1 % and from Estonia – of 19.5 %.
How much travellers spent
On average travellers from Russia spent EUR 301 per trip, which has not changed, as compared to the previous year.
Travellers from Lithuania on average spent EUR 136.3 per trip last year (increase of 27.5 %), but travellers from Estonia – EUR 123.9 (increase of 22.1 %).
Even though the number of travellers from Norway and Sweden fell by 19.1 % and 55.6 %, total expenditure of travellers from these countries rose. Last year tourists from Sweden stayed in Latvia for a longer period of time – 4.5 days, (3.5 days in 2018), but average expenditure of travellers from Norway per day grew by 12.5 % and reached EUR 97.4.
