Increase in hotel visitors in Latvia during April by almost 9%
In the first four months of 2025, Latvia has become a popular destination for both resident and non-resident travellers. Lithuania holds the title of the country with the highest number of non-resident visitors, with 15.8 thousand tourists, followed closely by Estonia with 14.2 thousand. Other notable non-resident visitor countries include Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, the United States, Norway, and Poland.
The data indicates a significant year-on-year increase in foreign visitors to Latvia, with a remarkable 18.5% rise in early 2025. This growth can be attributed to improved air connectivity and a broader regional recovery. The strong regional context suggests that Latvia is likely receiving a significant number of visitors from nearby states such as Lithuania, Estonia, and possibly Finland, consistent with historical travel patterns in the Baltics and Northern Europe.
In April 2025, resident visitors spent 126.9 thousand nights at the tourist accommodation establishments in Latvia, marking a 6.9% increase compared to the same month in the previous year. Riga was the city with the highest percentage and number of resident arrivals, followed by Jurmala and Liepaja.
The average duration of a resident stay at tourist accommodation establishments in Latvia remained the same as the previous year, at 1.7 nights. A total of 342.1 thousand nights were spent by both residents and non-residents at the establishments, representing a 12% increase compared to the previous year.
The data combined suggests that Latvia’s tourism in 2025 is driven mainly by nearby European countries plus some long-haul market growth, consistent with broader trends of off-season travel and recovering regional mobility. Central and Eastern European countries, including Latvia, saw over 14% annual growth in arrivals, supported by strengthened connections and renewed demand after pandemic-related contraction.
Latvia is also attracting attention from growing markets such as China and the United States. While the exact 2025 origin countries' ranking for Latvia is not explicitly detailed, historical and comparative data from Baltic neighbours (e.g., Estonia) show Nordics like Finland and Baltic neighbours as key sources, alongside rising visitors from Germany, the UK, and Asian countries in the region. Hence, for Latvia in 2025, the top non-resident visitor countries very likely include Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Germany, and increasingly broader international markets.
In the first four months of the year, 652.6 thousand Latvian visitors stayed at tourist establishments, which is a 9% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This aligns with the overall European tourism context where Latvia is performing strongly with a 16% year-on-year increase in tourists, one of the highest growth rates in the region.
- Latvia's lifestyle, with its rich history and improved air connectivity, has increasingly drawn travelers from general-news worthy international markets such as Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Germany, and the United States.
- In addition to being popular among nearby European countries, Latvia's unique offerings and regional recovery have sparked interest in off-season travel and recovering regional mobility, attracting visitors from more general-news worthy broader international markets as well.
