Lithuanian Tourism Policy Overview
Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
December 2002
Lithuanian Tourism Policy
is reflected in:
Law
on Tourism
- Passed by the Seimas of the
Republic of Lithuania on the 19th March, 1998
- Came into force on the 1st
September, 1998
- New edition of Law on
Tourism is passed in December 2002 and will come into force
from 1st April, 2003
Law on Tourism
establishes:
- Priorities of tourism
development
- Principles of tourism
development
- Requirements to tourism
services
- Competence of public
administration related to tourism
- Terms of tourism resources
utilisation
Priorities
- Inbound tourism (tours of
inbound visitors to Lithuania)
- Local tourism (tours of
Lithuanian inhabitants around the country)
Principles
- Rational and efficient use
of tourism resources
- Promotion of activities of
tourism clubs and other tourism social organisations
- Favourable visa and customs
regime
- Information and statistics
systems
- Tour packages to foreign
tourists are regarded as Export of services
- Introducing certification
of tourism services
- Introducing set of tourism
services regulation
- Introducing Hotel type
accommodation services Classification system
Requirements to tourism
services
- Abolishing the Licensing
system
- Introducing the
Certification of tourism services
- Establishing the system of
Minimal requirements to tourism services
Minimal requirements to:
- Tour operators
- Travel agents
- Tour guides
- Tour escort
- Tourism information centres
- Hotel type accommodation
services
- Special type accommodation
services
- Rural tourism
Tourism Administration
- Government of the Republic
of Lithuania
- Lithuanian State Department
of Tourism
- Tourism Council
- Lithuanian Tourism Fund
- Counties Administration
- Local authorities
Government
- Presents to the Seimas
National tourism development programme for approval
- Approves territorial
tourism and recreation schemes and projects of state significance
- Provides funds for
implementing National tourism development programme and establishing the
tourism information offices abroad
- Approves Statute of
Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
- Approves Statute of Tourism
Council
Lithuanian State
Department of Tourism
- Suggestions to the
Government on state tourism policy and its implementation
- Strategic tourism planning
and National tourism development programme, regional tourism development
programmes, projects, schemes
- International agreements
- Co-ordination of all
institutions activities in tourism field
- Legitimate acts
- Tourism information offices
abroad
- Marketing
- Register of StateTourism
Services and Tourism Resources
- Lithuanian Tourism Fund
Tourism Council
- At Lithuanian State
Department of Tourism
- 15 members: 7 –
Governmental institutions, 8 – Tourism business representatives
- Suggestions and
recommendations on tourism development
Tourism Resources
Utilisation
Tourism resources should be used taking into
account:
- benefit to the Society
- benefit to the Business
- requirements of
environment protection
- requirements of heritage
protection
National
Tourism Development Programme 1999-2002
Approved by the Government of Lithuania in
September 1998 and by the Seimas of Lithuania in July 1999
- Preconditions fo tourism
development
- Tourism resources and
services
- Tourist flows
- State income of tourism
- Tourism Administration
- Education and training
- Standards of tourism
services and the supervision
- International aspects of
tourism development
- Marketing
- Investment attraction
Preconditions of tourism
development
- General :
- convenient geographical location
- numerous tourism resources
- ethnic interest
- improving image of Lithuania as tourism destination
- neighbouring huge tourism markets
- Logistical
- Legal
- Organisational
Tourism resources and
services
- Natural-recreational
resources
- Cultural resources
- Human resources
- Accommodation services
- Transportation services
- Leisure and entertainment
services
- Countryside tourism
services
Tourist flows in 2001
- 4.2 mln foreign visitors
(plus 2.5 % to 2000)
32
% Latvia
28 % Russia
15 % Belorussia
7 % Estonia
6 % Poland
3 % Germany
- 1.27 mln tourists (plus
15.2 % to 2000):
29
% Russia
22 % Belorussia
7 % Latvia
7 % Germany
7 % Poland
5 % Estonia
34
% - private
37 % - recreational/leisure
21 % - business
8 % - other (countryside, medical, transit)
State income of tourism in
2001
- 425 mln USD foreign
tourist receipts
- 7 % of goods and services
export
Tourism Administration
Education and training
- 6 Universities
- 4 Colleges
- 5 Higher Technical Schools
- 6 Vocational Schools
- Programmes:
Tourism
Administration
Hotel Administration
Rural Tourism Organization
Standards of tourism
services and the supervision
International aspects of
tourism development
-
12 existing (Belarus, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland,
Portugal, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)
- planned (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain)
- International Organisations
-
ETC
- BTC
- WTO
- Approximation of EC
Directives
Marketing
- Tourist Information
Centres
- 31 in
municipalities and 5 in National Parks of Lithuania
- 3 abroad (Germany, Russia, USA)
- Publications
- Tourism fairs
- Informational tours
- Special events (workshops)
- Market research
Investment attraction
-
investments into general country infrastructure
- counties’ and local tourism information centres
- marketing and information
- education and training
- preparation of regional tourism development programmes (projects)
-
Export promotion
- SME development
- Rural development
