Tourism Development
The year 2003 was very important to Lithuanian tourism. Lithuania was the first of the Baltic States to become a member of the World Tourism Organisation. A lot was done to shape national tourism policies. Legislation for implementation of the Law on Tourism was drafted and approved, the Government approved the National Tourism Development Programme 2003-2006 and development of the most modern Lithuanian Tourism Information System began.
In 2003, the composition and rules of procedure of the Council on Tourism were changed substantially. Special tourism commissions were established at the Council to work on specific issues such as: Resort Development, Seas and Inland Waters, Local and Rural Tourism, Incoming Tourism, Foreign Ties and Air Tourism. The Council held four sittings to debate the activities of the national tourism sector, the draft National Tourism Development Programme, development of the Lithuanian tourism image, the marketing plan for 2004, classification of accommodation services, consumer rights protection, National Tourism Information System development and other issues.
The project for the marking of Lithuanian tourism landmarks was wrapped up in 2003. Information signs were installed on motorways and other roads indicating directions to tourist landmarks (201 signs), rural tourism farmsteads (454 signs) and tourism information centres (107 signs). Thirty-five large information stands were installed.
Three Phare funded projects continued: National Tourism Information and Pilot Tourism Infrastructure in Utena County , Development of a Pilot Bicycle Ring in West Lithuania and Pilot Development of Infrastructure of the Nemunas River Tourism Path.
Participation in the work of international tourism organisations became more active. In June 2003, the World Tourism Organisation representative to Europe , Luigi Cabrini, visited Lithuania for the first time.
On 20 October 2003 , in Beijing during the XV General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Lithuania became a full member of the organisation. It is expected that membership in the intergovernmental body will speed up the development of Lithuanian tourism and encourage international co-operation of tourism business representatives. WTO develops strategies for the development of world tourism focussing on the development of tourism in individual regions or countries. Upon becoming a true member of the WTO Lithuania will have more opportunities to introduce modern marketing principles in tourism, learn from the tourism statistics of other countries, analyse their legal framework and continuously improve the quality of its own tourism services.
Co-operation with neighbouring countries was active in 2003. Lithuania discussed the prospects of closer co-operation with a delegation of the Polish Tourism Organisation. Co-operation protocol was signed by four countries: Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia and Poland .
On 19 September 2003 , the first sitting of the Joint Tourism Committee was held in Vilnius . (The committee was founded in 2002 after the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian governments signed an agreement for co-operation in tourism. The committee works on co-operation opportunities in tourism and implements joint marketing projects). Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian representatives participated in the sitting. A working group of marketing experts from the three Baltic States was created on 19 September 2003 to liven up activity and implement marketing projects. The working plan of the Baltic States for 2004 as well as co-operation guidelines for 2004-2005 was approved during the 2 nd sitting of the Joint Tourism Committee in Tallinn on 29-30 January 2004.
In 2003, Lithuania , Latvia and Estonia jointly sponsored the Baltic States ' presentation in international tourism exhibitions in Stuttgart , Hamburg and Milan . During these exhibitions all three countries and their tourism potential were introduced in the Baltic States ' exhibition stand.
In December, the representatives of the State Department of Tourism visited the headquarters of the World Tourism Organisation in Madrid to find out more about the work, structure of the organisation, and to sign a joint plan of actions for 2004.
In 2003, the State Department of Tourism signed tourism co-operation agreements with Cyprus Peris Michael Tourist Agency LTD, Greek Mediterranean Partners Travel LTD, and the Work, Industry, Commerce and Tourism Department under the Catalan Government.
International treaties on co-operation in tourism were worked out with Slovakia , Croatia and Ukraine .
To implement the National Tourism Development Programme and to encourage the planning of development of tourism in priority regions and preparation for assimilation of the European Union Structural Funds, 10 tourism development feasibility studies were done in 2003.
The studies measured the existing tourism potential in different municipalities, analysed the activities of tourism service providers, submitted proposals on solving tourism development issues on a local level and established development prioirities for public tourism infrastructure. The materials drafted could be used to prepare municipal application for support of Structural Funds under the measure of the Single Programming Document “Public Tourism Infrastructure and Services.”
The State Department on Tourism provided favourable terms for the in-service training of national tourism experts. Sixteen training seminars were held for 640 participants.
In 2003, the State Department on Tourism held three international conferences. Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Polish tourism and municipal representatives debated the development of international tourism through the Via Baltica motorway; suppliers of rural tourism services and municipal officials were invited to the conference Rural Tourism as the Most Prospective Alternative Activity in the Countryside; tour guides discussed guide activities and dissemination of information when introducing Lithuania to foreigners.
In order to improve the work of tour operators and co-operation of different organisations, the State Department on Tourism held a number of important meetings. In January, a meeting was held with Lithuanian tour operators to introduce the Law Amending the Law on Tourism. Tour operators were presented the analysis of complaints concerning travels received by the State Department on Tourism. Two meetings were organised along with the State Road Transport Inspectorate for outgoing tour operators concerning the INTERBUS in Lithuania . A seminar held by the State Department on Tourism for travel operators and the news of the 2003 season of carriers (air, railway, road and sea transport) was presented, along with a discussion of the Rules for the Implementation of Obligations by Tour Operators and the Convention on the International Trade in Extinct Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) .
Tour operators of incoming tourism from CIS countries were invited to join two meetings on the existing and planned procedure for visa granting. The meeting between tour operators and the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Migration Service was held as well.
In 2003, the Department issued nearly 100 certificates to tour operators and travel agencies. Tour operators were monitored on a continuous basis to see if they were insured for tour operator obligations. Over 200 insurance policies were received from tour operators. Along with the Ministry of Finance the State Department on Tourism initiated comments of Article 11 of the Law on Value Added Tax concerning intermediation of travel agencies when selling accommodation services in the private sector.
More work was done to make the domestic and Lithuanian tourism opportunities more attractive. The year 2003 was declared the Year of the Disabled by decision of the Seimas. With regard to this parliamentary resolution recommended by the World Trade Organisation, the State Department on Tourism held a series of events to introduce tourism opportunities for the disabled in Lithuania . Children with impaired eyesight were taken on hotel tours, deaf children visited rural tourism farmsteads, school children with motor disabilities were brought to the Baltic Sea and acquainted with the Amber Road , while adults with motor impairment visited the Druskininkai balneology resort.
To improve the quality and presentation of information disseminated among tourists, development of the Lithuania National Tourism Information System (NTIS) was launched in Lithuania . In 2003, the terms of reference were drafted for the Phare project of 2001 related to the NTIS. Technical specifications, provisions and a pilot NTIS project were prepared as part of project implementation.
A lot was done in 2003 to create a positive state tourism image. The work was done under a joint Lithuanian tourism-marketing plan funded by the state, municipalities and tourism business representatives. The State Department on Tourism published information and advertising publications, participated in international tourism exhibitions, business missions, concluded international agreements and implemented other active marketing projects.
In 2003, the State Department on Tourism issued nine publications: a Tourism Map of the Baltic States ; “ Lithuania . Millennium in the Centre of Europe” (in Esperanto); “Pilgrimage Itineraries” (in Polish); “Visit our Lithuanian Neighbours” (in Latvian); “See you in Lithuania ” (in English); “Ecotourism in Lithuania ” (in English); “Events in Lithuania in 2003 ” (in English); “Culture Tourism in the Baltic States ” (in German); “Lithuanian Tourism Manual” (in English).
The State Department on Tourism presented the opportunities offered by Lithuanian tourism in 19 international tourism fairs in Utrecht (the Netherlands), Lilestrom (Norway); Helsinki (Finland), Stuttgart (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Hamburg (Germany), Riga (Latvia), Milan (Italy), Tallinn (Estonia), Berlin (Germany), Paris (France), Goeteborg (Sweden), Moscow (Russia), Kiev (Ukraine), Geneva (Switzerland), Warsaw (Poland), London (England), Minsk (Belarus) and Vilnius (Lithuania). Lithuanian tourism was introduced in the Baltic States Days in Athens ( Greece ).
Tourism business missions went to St Petersburg , Moscow ( Russia ), Brussels ( Belgium ), Riga ( Latvia ), Warsaw ( Poland ), Bad Salzufen ( Germany ) and Minsk ( Belarus ). In 2003, the first business missions were organised for foreign tour operators in Lithuania . Business missions as an effective means for activation of tourism flows to Lithuania were supported by the Ministry of Economy and Lietuvos Avialinijos AB. A total of three missions were held in 2003: “Buy Lithuania” (March 2003, with participation of 101 representatives from 21 countries), a business mission for Scandinavian and Baltic tour operators and journalists (October 2003, 57 tour operators and 13 journalists from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Russia, Germany and Poland participated), a business mission for UK tour operators and journalists (December 2003, 32 tourism businessmen and journalists from the UK took part).
Tourism information centres abroad coordinated by the State Department on Tourism supplied information to those interested in Lithuania : in Munster ( Germany , along with Estonia and Latvia ) and Moscow ( Russia ).
On invitation of the State Department on Tourism 193 foreign journalists from 16 countries writing or doing TV programmes on travel visited Lithuania in 2003.
In order to find out the expectations of tourists coming to Lithuania and satisfy their needs the State Department on Tourism initiated surveys of incoming tourists. Three surveys of visitors were held in May, August and November of 2003 by the State Department on Tourism. The surveys were done at the Vilnius Airport and Railway station, Klaipeda International Sea Ferry and on the borders with Latvia , Belarus , Poland and Russia . A total of 3,100 questionnaires were collected. The data of the surveys and Statistics Lithuania was used to prepare and publish the publication “Lithuanian Tourism Statistics 2002.” By the end of the year the lack of Lithuanian tourism statistics was eliminated both in the World Tourism Organisation and European Travel Commission website Tourmis.