© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Tourism development in Lithuania 23 May, 2007 Presentation by Nijolė Kliokienė, Deputy Director of State Tourism Department under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas According to the analysis of World Tourism Organization, tourism is the major source:  for the foreign currency - in 38 % of world countries  one of five main income sectors - in 83 % of world`s countries. WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION ANALYSIS

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas International tourism development 842 million international tourist arrivals Consolidation of the strong results of 2004 and million tourist arrivals as compared to % Source: World Tourism Organization

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas 36 million more… Europe + 17 million (47%) Africa + 3 million (8%) Middle East + 1,5 million (4%) Americas + 3 million (8%) Asia and the Pacific + 12 million (33%) Source: World Tourism Organization

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas International Tourism in Lithuania International Tourist Arrivals ,18 million : + 10% annual average growth : 11% International Tourism income 2006 € 824 million Income per arrival : € 378 ▲ 2006 Tourists : + 10% Income : +11% Source: World Tourism Organization

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Lithuanian tourism statistics International Tourist Arrivals in Lithuanian (accommodation establishments), by country Source: Statistics Lithuania; Provisional data for 2006

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas EU tourism policy EC 2006 y. Communication A renewed tourism EU policy: towards a stronger partnership for European Tourism Development of tourism sector must help solving  questions of creating new jobs and employment,  problems of local and regional economic growth,  implementation of sustainable development principles,  questions how to use cultural heritage and heritage of nature for tourism while keeping uniquity  forming of European identity and social groups and aspects of international communication.

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Major dates during the years   2009 – celebration of the Millennium since the historical mention of Lithuania, Vilnius is nominated as European capital of culture (   2011 – Lithuania will be holding European Men Basketball Championship. 8 multifunctional sport complexes of National importance are approved by Government of Republic of Lithuania.   2013 – Lithuania will be holding Presidency of the European Union. It is very important to have well developed public tourism infrastructure.

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas  Development of Lithuania’s tourism image  Development of infrastructure  Encouragement competitiveness of services  Effective assimilation of EU structural funds  improvement of accesibility,  improvement of tourism’s business enviroment  improvement of consumers’ rights protection  development of resorts and recreational areas. 4th National Tourism Development program for National tourism development program

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Lithuania’s tourism image development Establishing of Lithuanian’s tourism brand in main markets TEUR 954 was allocated towards Lithuanian tourism marketing activities in the year Ad and PR campaigns  Events: tourism fairs ( fairs, 3 joint stands) and workshops  Publications ( Publications – circulation, 8 languages)  development: information, languagesWWW.TRAVEL.LT  Tourism information centers abroad  International organizations, conferences  Joint marketing activities with Baltic countries  Lithuanian tourism and business brand project (financed by EU) It is planed to allocated EUR ~1,7 mln. towards Lithuanian marketing activities in the year 2007

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Tourist information centers establishment program for TIC operating: Berlin, Moscow, Helsinki, Warsaw, Barcelona, London 2007 France, Paris 2008 Russia, Sankt Peterburg Tokyo, Japan Italy, Rome,

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Planning of Rural Tourism Programme of Rural Tourism and Traditional Crafts Development for (draft)  priority of developing of traditional countryside homesteads and adjusting them to tourism  promoting nurturing of traditional ethnic traditions  encouraging of crafts  developing of professional skills of rural tourism profesionals  improvement of rural tourism information dissemination

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Development of resorts and recreational areas  Resorts Development Implementation Programme for 2005–2008  Resort or Resort Area Status investiture for inhabited locality ( Resolution No. 350, approved by Government of the Republic of Lithuania)  Establishment of Center of Kurortology research (2006)  Resorts cultural activities in order to prolong tourism season (173,8 T EUR for 4 resorts in 2006; same amount planned for 2007)  Preparation of Programme for Resorts and recreational areas development in (2008).

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Development of resorts and recreational areas European Spas Association (ESPA) In 2005 Palanga and in 2006 Birštonas joined ESPA. ESPA represents 25 member federations from 22 European nations, together representing over 1,200 spas and health resorts. ESPA is working towards European standards to improve and/or guarantee the quality of spas and health resorts. National Lithuanian Resorts Association On the 2 nd of March 2007 during the International tourism, sport and leisure exhibition Birštonas, Neringa and Palanga signed up memorandum of National Resorts Association. The main goal of this Association is to arrange Spas and resorts international standards of quality.

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas EU structural funds for tourism ( ) Measure Confirmed objects M EUR Direct support for business (Creation and development of accommodation, conferences and entertainment objects, and adjustment of cultural and historical heritage objects for tourism) 1422,5 Public tourism infrastructure and services 4596,2 Support was given under Single Programming Document of Lithuania 2004–2006Support was given under Single Programming Document of Lithuania 2004–2006 Total support for 59 tourism projects - 118,7 M EURTotal support for 59 tourism projects - 118,7 M EUR Prognosis for : 3,9% share of all Lithuania’s EU structural funds or 264,2 mln. EUR (about 79 mln. EUR for private tourism sector) will be allocated to tourism and culture

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas ES structural funds for tourism : public tourism – 332,2 mln. Lt, private tourism – 77,66 mln. Lt (59 projets at all)

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Projects implemented by the State Department of Tourism STRUCTURAL FUNDS, TEUR 160, : Development and improvement of human resources of municipalities and districts administrations,

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Human resources and quality of services problems  Quality improvement of tourism specialists solutions: stronger partnerships between educational institutions and business structures ; improvement of standards for professional development and educational basis  work force migration solutions: encouraging of workers motivation

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Projects implemented by the State Department of Tourism PHARE PROJECT: 1.Development of the Pilot Western Lithuanian Cycling Circuit. Renovated 24,5 km of cycling tracks, 3,2 MILL. EUROS. The length of the bicycles route on the Lithuanian seacoast is more than 200 km.

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Projects implemented by the State Department of Tourism PHARE PROJECT: Preparation of Special Plan of National Cycling Routes (rout of I priority “Kaunas – Vilkyškiai” – 142 km)

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Projects implemented by the State Department of Tourism PHARE PROJECT: 2. Development of the Pilot Nemunas River Tourism Route 2,67 MILL. EUROS. 13 municipalities 18 piers (12 mobile and 6 stationary)

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Projects implemented by the State Department of Tourism OTHER PROJECTS:   Preparation of Special Plan of National Auto Tourism Routes   Preparation of Special Plan of National Water Tourism Routes

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas development Water tourism –CRUISE SHIPPING development Number of tourists was increasing in Year No. Of Ships Growth, % No. Of Tourists Growth, % % % % % % %

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas Main goals for tourism development in Lithuania  To create a system of national tourism routes  To increase a diversity of tourism products and a level of tourism services  To increase the demand of tourism products

© Valstybinis turizmo departamentas State Tourism Department under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania Thank You for Your Attention!