Print„Opportunities of Culture Tourism Development”, conference in Riga, 26.11.09
Culture Ministry of Latvia Republic in cooperation with Latvian Hotels and Restaurants Association organised the conference “Opportunities of Culture Tourism Development”, where the lectures spoke about the main problems in culture tourism, importance of different aspects and other serious themes.
The goal of conference: to form the understanding about culture tourism to heads of culture institutions, to espouse a birth of culture tourism products, as well to espouse the cooperation between culture institutions and tour operators.
The goal audience of conference: the heads of culture institutions and marketing specialists, tourism professionals, heads of hotels and travel agencies, as well responsible persons which organise culture products.
Lecturers: tourism experts, as well heads and employees of culture institutions.
Culture Ministry of Latvia Republic in cooperation with Latvian Hotels and Restaurants Association organised the conference “Opportunities of Culture Tourism Development”, where were invited professionals from tourism industry and also professionals from culture industry. The lectures were from culture and tourism industries. They spoke about the main problems in culture tourism, importance of different aspects and other serious themes.
Ints Dalderis (LR Minister of Culture) opened the conference and highlighted the importance of cooperation between tourism professionals and culture institutions, advised to develop the offer and the style of thinking to attract new travellers. The most important thing is new qualitative products.
Janis Kalnacs stated, that Culture tourism is one of important section of whole tourism industry, because there are many cultural objects which are visited by travellers. The cultural travellers spend more money than other travellers. Tourism professionals should very carefully think about products and should cooperate with culture industry. As well we should take examples from other countries – for example, Croatia is very good sample. Culture tourism should show real stories about different real or mystic things; tourism should not mystify possible travellers. In the future culture and tourism will be related, therefore we should think seriously about products.
Berthold Flick (president of JSC “Air Baltic”) stated some thesis about tourism: - tourism is not the way of life, but it is complete industry, infrastructure; - culture is product; - culture tourism is production and goods. There is very important to think about the quality of products, different events, conferences, culture as a product! Tourism professionals should change the thinking and they should think about changes, to give up poor quality of products. He presented new tourism product LiveRiga.com, which started to work some days ago, this is only commercial event to sell one destination in Latvia.
Sanita Rancane (LR Ministry of Culture, EU fund department) introduced the public of the conference with different EU fund programs, where professionals of tourism can participate and may use the EU offered money. There are not only the projects for Latvia, but there is possibility to make the co-projects with Estonia, Lithuania and Russia. Her statement was “There is a lot of money; our goal is to use it”.
Dagnija Dilane (Leonardo da Vinci) spoke about different programs which are offered by “Leonardo da Vinci”. The main task of this company is to provide everybody with different lifelong education programs. Therefore every tourism and culture industries professional or company can use these programs. Latvian Nature Museum is already real example, which had used “Leonardo da Vinci” offered programs and the work of Museum is more effective now.
Armands Slokenbergs (director of Latvian Tourism Development State Agency) mostly spoke about marketing – to whom and what Latvian tourism professionals should sell; about the experience which makes the interest to come back and see one more time the concrete destination; Latvian culture offer; special products and some adventures of the trip which make memorable the tour. Tourism industry professionals should think about the hospitality, services, quality, that is very important for each traveller, when he is thinking to come back or not; the impressions of the trip; etc. Latvian Tourism Development State Agency welcomes tourism professionals to identify products requested by travellers and their wishes.
Brigita Stroda (tourism expert) stressed the importance of communication between tourism and culture industries, in each industry, in works, in minds. The industry should think about 10 serious reasons why the travellers must visit Riga and Latvia? The lecturer spoke about different souvenirs and pictures which make sense and express some good motions. There are a lot of ways to advertise Latvia as destination, make different souvenirs, etc. Tourism industry should think about new opportunities.
Ojars Sparitis (Art Academy of Latvia) spoke about the importance of souvenirs. He introduced with Blackhead house and its traditions – such in May Duke Festivity is organised near to house each year in May; Valentine’s Day party, etc.
Andrejs Zagars (Director of Latvian National Opera) stressed the importance of culture and tourism, synthesis and cooperation between those two industries; the importance of unit products; economical aspect. He introduced about the future plans of Latvian National Opera.
Imants Lancmanis (director of Rundale Castle) spoke about the castles and manors, their importance and place in tourism; how better to cooperate with tourism industry. He introduced also about main events and activities of Rundale Castle. In the end of the conference there was a short discussion about the culture tourism products, cooperation between tourism and culture industries. The conclusion of the culture tourism conference is to make better cooperation between culture and tourism, to update the products.
Every speaker and also delegates of the conference accepted that we should change the thinking, to work harder with cooperation between culture institutions and tourism professionals, how to use EU program “Leonardo da Vinci”. The conference demonstrated that we should work more deeply with cooperation.
Dace Gaile
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