Lonely Planet, the world-famous publisher of travel guides, has included Latvia in its latest guide Best In Travel 2024. The Baltic hiking trail network, Baltic Trails, has been included in the Sustainability category. Next year will be the 50th anniversary year of Best In Travel and for the first time, Latvia will be among the destinations included in the guide.
“We are pleased that our tourist attractions are being recognised in one of the world’s most prestigious guides, and that the connection to nature that is so important in Latvian culture has been recognised in the context of sustainability. Trails, highlighting our natural values, run throughout Latvia, and with the help of this guide, millions of people around the world will now be able to learn about them,” says Inese Šīrava, Head of the Tourism Department of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.
The aim of Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel guide for 2024 is to continue to inspire travellers, and in celebration of its 50th anniversary, the publishers have compiled and highlighted the Top 50 destinations to include in your travel plans for the upcoming year. The Best In Travel guide assesses its destinations in different categories – highlighting individual countries, regions and cities; the experts have also created two new categories, Sustainability and Values. Latvia has been highlighted in the context of sustainability, alongside its Baltic sisters Estonia and Lithuania. Experts appreciate the natural treasures of the Baltics and the wide range of opportunities to visit hiking trails and go on exciting nature hikes.
Information available to the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia shows that in the first 8 months of 2023, Latvian tourist accommodations have hosted 1.7 million foreign and local visitors, which is 14.2% more than in the same period in 2022. According to the feedback from visitors to Latvian nature trails, what is most appreciated is the opportunity to experience all four seasons, and to test physical strength while emotionally rejuvenating and enjoying the diversity of nature. Foreign tourists highlight the unique offer of Latvian nature trails, such as the popular hiking routes “Forest Trail” and “Baltic Coastal Hiking Route”, as well as the hiking route in Latgale “Ezertaka”, where 134 lakes can be discovered on the route of more than a thousand kilometres. The Camino de Santiago, one of the most popular pilgrimage routes in the world, is also popular, with a length of 562 km in Latvia.
Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel guide is one of the world’s top-rated travel guides, used by millions of people around the world to plan their trips, and reviewed by CNN, Forbes, Vogue, the BBC and many others.
Visit www.lonelyplanet.com for more information on the Best In Travel 2024 guide and featured destinations. Visit the official Latvian tourism portal www.latvia.travel/en for more information on Latvian tourism.