Latgalian language in tourism: visitors value it, but written materials lag behind
Tourism specialists in Latgale say visitors often want to hear the Latgalian language, though printed materials are mostly in Latvian. In a survey by the portal lakuga.lv, most respondents said they could converse in Latgalian at tourist sites.
Tourism workers in Latgale, the eastern region of Latvia, say the Latgalian language has become an asset that draws visitors to excursions and tourism offers. The portal lakuga.lv spoke with tourism specialists in the Ludza, Daugavpils and Preiļi areas to find out how the language is used in practice. Around 150 thousand people speak Latgalian.
Ludza municipality
Anita Mortuzāne, who works at the Ludza municipality Tourist Information Centre, says that visitors from other parts of Latvia often want to hear Latgalian, and she begins her tours with a greeting in the language. Written Latgalian is not seen in brochures or information materials, however. In the urban environment the language does appear on signs, for example in Kārsava and in Ludza's old town.
Daugavpils
Līga Rudzīte-Besakirska, head of the Daugavpils Tourism Department, notes that in the city Latgalian is not just a means of communication but an element of regional identity that tourists look for. She cites the culinary heritage centre “Šmakovka”, where guides lead tours in Latgalian, and the guesthouse “Tradīciju sāta”, which offers families an escape-room game.
Preiļi municipality
Zane Pranevska, head of the Preiļi municipality Tourism Development and Information Centre, estimates that about five groups out of a hundred already arrive speaking Latgalian, and guides speak to them in the same way. Larger groups from other regions of Latvia usually enjoy individual phrases, but some are not ready to listen to an entire tour in Latgalian because they do not understand it.
Survey
Māreite Uorniņa, tourism coordinator at the Latgale Tourism Association, stresses that the language is a natural part of hospitality rather than a show put on for visitors. In the portal's survey, about 80% of participants had visited tourist sites in Latgale, and around 95% of answers confirmed that they could converse in Latgalian there.
