27-09-2024

EIMIN: Record growth in travel exports forecast for this year

Today, on World Tourism Day, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation (EIMIN) reports improving results in the tourism sector, with increasing travel exports and tourist arrivals. To further promote Lithuania, EIMIN, together with Keliauk Lietuvoje, launched a competition at the beginning of the summer to encourage everyone to travel in Lithuania. This reached an audience of more than 1.7 million people.

"The first quarter of this year was a record-breaking one in terms of tourist arrivals, and travel exports grew by as much as 35% compared to the first quarter of last year. In addition, Lithuania recorded a significant increase of 137% in the number of tourists from the Netherlands in the first six months of the year, while the number of tourists from Denmark grew by 52% and the number of tourists from the USA by 36%. We therefore expect to end the year with a significant increase in tourist arrivals, supported by the campaigns we are launching to invite and engage people from all over the world to travel to our country. Everyone's contribution is very important and contributes to our country's visibility and economic growth," said Karolis Žemaitis, Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation.  

To promote tourism, EIMIN and Keliauk Lietuvoje launched the LithuaniaCoCreate game on social media in June, inviting participants to post photos of Lithuania's nature, architecture, attractions or other places of interest on Facebook or Instagram, inviting people to visit our country or a specific place in Lithuania.

It is estimated that the posts reached almost 2 million social media users, of which more than 1.5 thousand created content and invited people to visit Lithuania since the launch of the initiative. The highest levels of activity were recorded during the Song Festival, Žolinė and the first weeks of September, when students became more active in sharing their summer memories and images. 

From abroad, the most active diaspora members were from Australia and the USA. Other foreign travellers were also fascinated by Lithuania, with photos coming from Sakartvel, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Singapore, Israel, Greece, India, Nepal and other countries. 

The winner of the competition was drawn by lot - Kathleen Homic Rogan, an actress from New York. Her prize is a tourist package to Lithuania - a return flight for two people from Europe to Lithuania, two nights in a hotel, a 1.5-hour guided tour and a cultural event or activity.

She heard about LithuaniaCoCreate during Lithuanian Days in Pennsylvania, where she was volunteering.  The actress got actively involved and started sharing information and photos about Lithuania, talking about traditional dishes and their recipes, Michelin restaurants, the possibility of filming in Lithuania and discovering national souvenirs. She has already invited her American friends to visit Lithuania. 

"I am very happy to have won and to learn more about Lithuania. Lithuania is so small geographically and so rich in culture. Since I was a child, I have dreamed of learning about my great-grandparents' homeland, so I am grateful for the opportunity to discover and celebrate my heritage," said K. Homic Rogan.

The tourism package for the trip to Lithuania went to Liam Butler, Dubai-based British Airways‘ Sales Manager for South Asia, Middle East, Africa and Pacific markets.

Ramunė Genzbigelytė, who lives in Belgium, won a tour for two of the Žemaitija Tourist Information Centre in Telšiai and Biržuvėnai Manor, accommodation and a tasting of Samogitian food. The Plunge Tourist Information Centre and Oginski Hotel are offering a two-night stay and guided tour of Plunge to Rita Sakus, a Lithuanian-Canadian.

Photographer Almantė Atkočiūtė has won a two-night stay at the Druskininkai resort, a cable car ride and three hours of fun at the water park.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (WTO), the first seven months of the year saw an increase in travel to Europe and the emerging markets of Asia and the Pacific. Around 790 million tourists travelled during this period, an increase of around 11% compared to 2023.