About Riga Tourism Development Bureau (RTAB)

On October 28th, 2009, foundation Riga Tourism Development Bureau (Rīgas Tūrisma Attīstības Birojs – RTAB) was registered with the Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia, by its founders – Riga City Council, national airline airBaltic, the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association (LVRA), and the Latvian Travel Agents’ Association (ALTA). RTAB will be engaged in tourism promotion and popularisation of tourism opportunities in Riga.

Of the distribution of votes by RTAB founders, 70% belongs to Riga City Council and 10% to each of the other partners: national airline airBaltic, Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association (LVRA), and the Latvian Travel Agents’ Association (ALTA).

The management institution of the foundation is its board which includes President and CEO of the Latvian national airline airBaltic Bertolt Flick, former Chairperson of the Board of Reho Ltd. Vita Jermoloviča, and Maksims Tolstojs, Member of Riga City Council.

With the support of airBaltic, new brand for promoting Riga has already been created: LIVE RīGA. By taking into account currently alarming trends in the tourism industry, several travel industry professionals have acknowledged that targeted action is required for promoting Riga as a travel destination. The letter of support, which is signed by several well-known travel industry professionals (among them Andrejs Žagars, Mārtiņš Rītiņš, Elmārs Tannis, Aleksandrs Čakste and other), provides that considerable decline is currently evidenced in the travel industry. “LIVE RīGA and the planned campaign will become the incentive for readjusting the travel industry and creating tourist-friendly environment,” indicates the letter of support to Riga tourism promotion.