Restaurant industry figures: Latvians spend more abroad than at home
Representatives of Latvia's restaurant sector explained on a TV programme why Latvia trails Lithuania and Estonia in the Michelin Guide. They pointed to residents' spending habits and Lithuania's reduced VAT rate on catering.
The fourth Michelin Guide for Latvia was announced this week, featuring 35 restaurants. Michelin is an international gastronomy guide that rates restaurants and awards them stars. Latvia signed its agreement with the company in 2022, later than Lithuania and Estonia, so its neighbours currently have broader representation in the guide. The topic was discussed on the programme "Spried ar Delfi".
Neighbours ahead
Lithuania's guide lists 44 restaurants and Estonia's 43. The neighbours also lead in stars: Lithuania has five one-star restaurants, while Estonia has one with one star and one with two stars. This was described on the programme by Vita Balode-Andrūsa, director of the Export and Innovation Services Department at the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).
She stressed that Latvia has its own advantage: nine restaurants in the guide are located outside Riga, whereas in Lithuania and Estonia they are mostly concentrated in the capitals.
Spending habits and taxes
Balode-Andrūsa linked the gap to residents' habits. "The average Latvian will spend far more in Turkey than in Latvia," she said, adding that people in neighbouring countries travel more often and spend more at home.
Jānis Jenzis, board member of the Latvian Restaurant Association and a member of the Saeima (parliament) for the Alliance of the United (AS) party, named Lithuania's reduced VAT rate on catering services as one of its advantages. In his view, it has helped the sector "build up muscle".
The programme also featured Kaspars Barsukovs, head chef of the restaurant "SMØR Bistro". He described how inclusion in the Michelin Guide has changed the restaurant's daily routine and its clientele.
