Compared to corresponding period of the previous year, the number of nights spent by visitors at tourist accommodation increased by 3 %, reaching 1.48 million, and the average length of stay accounted for 1.9 nights. In the first half of 2019, 1.24 million visitors were hosted at tourist accommodation, of which foreign visitors constituted 849.9 thousand.
In the 2nd quarter of 2019, 548.1 thousand foreign visitors were hosted at tourist accommodation, which is 1.8 % more than in the 2nd quarter of the previous year, whereas the number of nights spent by them at tourist accommodation increased by 4.1 %, reaching 1.1 million nights. The majority of foreign visitors came from Germany (75.4 thousand), Russia (67.8 thousand), Lithuania (51.9 thousand), Estonia (42.1 thousand), Finland (35.7 thousand), and United Kingdom (30.1 thousand).
The bulk of the foreign visitors (31.4 % or 172.4 thousand) came from the neighbouring countries – Russia (12.4 %), Lithuania (9.5 %), Estonia (7.7 %), and Belarus (1.9 %).
In the 2nd quarter of 2019, significant increase was observed in the number of visitors from Spain (of 17.2 %), Russia (12.1 %), Poland (9.7 %), Denmark (9.5 %), Ukraine (8.3 %), and Germany (6.2 %). Decline, in turn, was recorded in the number of visitors from USA (of 32.9 %), Japan (30.7 %), Austria (23.5 %), Norway (15 %), and Canada (14.5 %).
The largest share of foreign visitors stayed in Riga (75 %), Jūrmala (9.1 %), Liepāja (2.1 %), Sigulda municipality (1.9 %), Ventspils (1.2 %), and Daugavpils (1 %).
In the 2nd quarter of 2019, 233 thousand Latvian visitors were hosted at tourist accommodation establishments, which is 0.5 % less than in the 2nd quarter of 2018, whereas the number of nights spent by them at tourist accommodation establishments increased by 0.3 %, constituting 418 thousand.
Latvian visitors stayed mostly in Riga (23.3 %), Jūrmala (9.1 %), Liepāja (7.8 %), Ventspils (3.3 %), Daugavpils (2.9 %), Amata municipality (2.7 %) and Jelgava (2.4 %).
