The fourth project partners meeting took place on March 11-12 to share progress regarding the joint nature tourism product of Latvia and Estonia – https://balticnaturetourism.com/en.
On the first day, project updates were discussed, where the project participants and involved partners got to know each other and looked back at the year 2023 in tourism. 4 SMEs from Latvia joined the meeting: Lūzumpunkts, Ozolaivas, Daba Laba and Power Journey, as well as several active participants of the project joined remotely, all of whom share a common goal: to promote development and the increase of tourists in the offered offers.
Andy Fairburn and Paul Wagner, representatives from the Nordic Tourism Collective, presented statistics on UK tourists in 2023, revealing important trends and encouraging discussions about what to expect next year. One of the key findings is tourists’ desire for authentic experiences and quality products at reasonable prices.
At the end of the evening, following the discussions, we embarked on an exciting wolf tour under the starry sky, listening to stories about forest animals and spending the night at Jäägri Villa.
The second day provided an opportunity to explore the unique Soomaa National Park and learn more about its history, nature, and services offered during a seminar.
Mari-Liis Pruul, representative of Soomaa Holiday Village, talked about nature tourism offerings in the region and their services, including the sauna ritual project within the district during the Sauna of the year 2023 event.
Guide Mati Kose shared innovative solutions for nature observation sites.
Led by Algis Martsoo, discussions revolved around Soomaa’s fifth season and tourism demand in the area, highlighting what it could mean and what the region and entrepreneurs expect.
The seminar was complemented by an excursion into nature with kicksleds. Although originally planned for canoeing on the floodplains, the frozen ice made outdoor activities quite thrilling. Most participants experienced this activity for the first time, and feedback was positive, with emotions surpassing expectations.
At the end of the day, a pleasant visit to Põnka Guesthouse provided an opportunity to refresh in the ice-hole and enjoy delicious Estonian lunch.
Special thanks to Estonian partners (Estonian Rural Tourism Association, Estonian Nature Tourism Association) for organizing the activities and providing the opportunity to get to know SMEs and their products in person.
All SME products can be viewed on the website – https://balticnaturetourism.com/en. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more news and insights into Baltic nature tourism.
This activity was supported as part of CB0100030, an Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027 project co-funded by the European Union.
