"As long as we are afraid to go to Latgale ourselves, we will not wait for tourists from Berlin" – under this headline, the president of the Latvian Restaurant Association, Janis Jenzis, writes in Latvijas Avīze about the "regional tension and negative impact on the tourism and hospitality sectors" caused by reports of drones flying into Latvia.
In the first quarter, foreign tourism in Latvia decreased by 7%. "Reservations are being canceled, creating millions in losses for entrepreneurs and the state. However, it must be understood that unclear and alarming messages cause greater damage than actual incidents in the airspace. The situation is significantly negatively affected by chaotic and intensified communication."
"Although we are safe in a military sense, the 'narrative of hybrid warfare' prevails in the media space," notes J. Jenzis. "Our tourism sector suffers most from the inability to convincingly demonstrate the real situation. Of course, everyday life continues as usual in Latgale and throughout Latvia – people go to work, events are taking place, hotels and restaurants are open and ready to welcome guests. So far, this message has not been effectively conveyed either by local residents canceling reservations in the border areas or by the international audience."
The head of the restaurateurs' association calls on the government to support the industry and finally reduce VAT – negotiations on this have been ongoing for 9 years. Additionally, it is necessary to promote our tourism in neighboring countries: "Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are in the same boat."
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