Rural tourists in Latvia spend on activities but cut back on food
A rural tourism association survey on the summer season shows guests keep visiting the Latvian countryside but save on dining. Hosts with high-quality offerings are doing better.
Rural tourism operators in Latvia generally rate this summer season as decent, but guests have been watching their spending, especially on food. This is the conclusion of a survey by the rural tourism association "Lauku ceļotājs", in which about 30 businesses took part. Association head Ziemele said most respondents had noted guests' wish to save money.
Saving on food, spending on activities
Food prices have risen significantly, and people prefer to spend money on activities they enjoy rather than on meals. One response from a Latgale operator said a single portion is shared by two or even four people.
Hosts raise catering prices in line with rising costs to avoid heavy losses, yet the service does not always pay off. It is offered mainly to attract guests and encourage them to stay overnight, since dining options in the Latvian countryside are limited. Accommodation prices have risen slightly, but not enough to cover higher costs, as hosts raise them very cautiously given guests' ability to pay.
Quality is decisive
Ziemele stressed that hosts with a very high-quality offering fare better and can charge more. Simple cabins are no longer enough, as people are demanding. Operators' observations suggest Latvian tourists can be even more demanding about quality than foreign visitors.
Booking habits and regions
The responses did not confirm the assumption that guests no longer book ahead and prefer spontaneous trips. Regular guests booked accommodation in advance, while few travellers dropped in to stay overnight. There were fewer foreign guests this season, but they continued to visit the Latvian countryside.
A more cautious assessment came from Zemgale, though only two operators from that region responded. Some hosts also reported a recovery in demand for weddings. One operator who hosts guests only in warm weather called the season very successful, and next season is already fully booked. Overall, however, hosts admit that events have become smaller.
