Liepāja in Latvia concludes record cruise ship season — LSM English
The cruise season has concluded in Liepāja, Latvia, during which the port received seven cruise ships — a record figure in recent years. The final vessel of the season was the 180-metre liner Insignia of Oceania Cruises, which brought 600 passengers to the city in early September, mostly from the United States.
As LSM English reports, more than 4,000 cruise ship passengers from Europe, the United States, Australia and other countries visited Liepāja this year. Tours, tastings and musical performances were arranged for tourists, while they also explored the city on their own.
Impact on local business
According to approximate estimates, the economic effect for Liepāja from cruise tourists during the season amounted to about 400,000 euros. Agita Vucena, a representative of the Liepāja Region Tourism Information Office, noted that it is possible to calculate the income of tour guides, transport providers and sites included in organised tours. At the same time, it is more difficult to assess the spending of travellers who explore the city independently.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
An employee of the Latvis dara shop reported tourists' interest in ceramics, clothing, sweets and candied fruit. A waitress at the Romas beķereja café said that the establishment received information in advance about the arrival times of liners and the expected number of visitors.
Plans for upcoming seasons
The Liepāja Special Economic Zone believes that the promotion of the city by tourism offices has produced results. The port received its first cruise liner in 2007. Eleven cruise ship calls have already been booked for the 2027 season.
Uldis Hmielevskis, head of the Liepāja Special Economic Zone, said that the port's goal is to receive between 20 and 30 cruise ships annually. According to him, this should help the tourism sector develop permanent technical infrastructure, train guides and develop excursion programmes.
