In 2021, tourist accommodation establishments in Latvia welcomed 1.3 million foreign and resident visitors, which is 10.7 % fewer than in 2020 and 54.2 % fewer than before the pandemic in 2019.
The number of nights spent by visitors at tourist accommodation establishments comprised 2.4 million nights, down 17.6 % compared to the previous year.
Number of visitors hosted at accommodation establishments by months in 2019–2021 (thousand)
In 2021, 33.8 % of all visitors in tourist accommodation establishments, or 442.2 thousand, were foreign, down 38.2 % from 2020 and 77.3 % from pre-pandemic period in 2019. The number of nights spent by foreign visitors decreased by 42.6 % compared to last year and amounted to 863.4 thousand. The average length of stay of foreign visitors in tourist accommodation establishments was 2 nights.
The largest number of foreign visitors came from Lithuania (83.9 thousand), Germany (60.1 thousand), Estonia (53.7 thousand), the United Kingdom (23 thousand), Poland (22.4 thousand) and Russia (20.2 thousand).
Of the foreign visitors, 36.7 % or 162.1 thousand were from neighbouring countries - Lithuania (19 %), Estonia (12.1 %), Russia (4.6 %) and Belarus (1 %).
The highest share of foreign visitors was recorded in Riga - 72.3 %, Jūrmala - 9.3 %, Liepāja - 3.4 %, Ventspils - 1.8 % and Sigulda municipality - 1.6 %.
In 2021, 864.4 thousand resident visitors of Latvia were accommodated in tourist accommodation establishments, which is 15.6 % more than in 2020. The number of nights spent by resident visitors was 1.5 million, an increase of 9.5 % compared to the previous year. The average length of stay of resident visitors in tourist accommodation establishments was 1.8 nights.
The most popular places to stay for resident visitors of Latvia were Riga, where 21.3 % of visitors stayed, Jūrmala - 10.1 %, Liepāja - 7.4 %, Cēsis municipality - 5.5 %, Kuldīga and Talsi municipality - 3.8 %, Ventspils - 3.4 %, Tukums and Sigulda municipality - 3.3 %.
