Developing Senior Tourism in Remote Regions (TOURAGE)

Vidzeme planning region is one of the most Latvian region in Latvia due to the fact that 85% of citizens are Latvians. With different traditions which are still strongly alive in almost every Latvian family Vidzeme region shares also with its tourists. 12th June 2012 project “Tourage” partners visited the most significant touristic sites in Vidzeme planning region, focusing on senior tourism.

Staying in one of the most beautiful hotels in Vidzeme - Dikļi palace - project partners from Tuesday, 12th June, got to know one of the destinations of foreign and local senior tourists. During the Study visit day partners visited Līgatne rehabilitation center and learned about the local Nordic activists as well as got an impression about the special requirements, procedures and offers for seniors.Afterwards watching opera “Baņuta”, in Opera “Baņuta” Museum study visit participants together with the museum representative Guntis Gailītis discussed midsummer celebration and patriotic tourism from senior tourism point of view. To get acquainted with the region' s republic city - Valmiera - offers for seniors, the project partners met with representatives of the Valmiera museum. Valmiera museum for their tourists offers the possibility to get know better Latvian traditions in tea making process as well as preparing ecological cosmetics from the plants which can be found in Latvia. As representative from Valmiera Museum admitted: “There are a lot of senior tourists, who are enjoying this tea drinking procedure before theater or other activities in Valmiera city.” Study visit day was finished when all the project "Tourage" partners took a small ride with river Gauja tram.

After the day full of new impressions all partners gave their feedback to Vidzeme planning region, how to develop senior tourism offer in the places they visited as well what could be other possibilities how to improve senior tourism in Vidzeme in general.

Next Study visit is planned in Granada, Spain during the project Annual Conference.