RIGA, Feb 18 (LETA) - 2024 was the best year for tourism in Riga since 2019, Rita Petersone, head of the International Marketing Department at Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA), told LETA.

In 2024, 1.1 million foreign tourists stayed at accommodation establishments of Riga, which was 15.8 percent more than in 2023, according to the Central Statistical Bureau. The total number of guest nights in Riga hotels amounted to 2 million, 10.8 percent more than in 2023.

According to RITA, the actual number of tourists who visited Riga last year is estimated to be at least 20 percent higher than in 2023 as the data do not include short-term rentals.

The largest number of tourists in Riga in 2024 arrived from Lithuania, and it was 7.4 percent higher than in 2023. The number of German tourists increased the most, by 30 percent. The number of Estonian tourists visiting Riga remained unchanged from 2023, while the number of tourists from Finland increased by 6.9 percent, from Poland by 16.2 percent, from Sweden by 27.7 percent, and from Norway by 20.3 percent.

This year, RITA will continue work on the development of new tourism offers, emphasizing sustainability, cultural events, and development of a modern urban environment to ensure that Riga remains one of the most sought-after destinations in Europe.