In 2016, the Turaida Museum Reserve welcomed 262 206 visitors. Tourists in the previous year have arrived in Turaida from 73 countries of the world. Independent tourists – 178 570; tourists in groups - 72812, including, school-age students  – 11 490, foreign tourists  – 58 747 and other visitors in groups – 2 575. Increase in number of visitors in comparison with the previous year  2015, when the number of visitors was  258 932 -  1.26 %.

Due to activities of Travel Agencies and successful cooperation between the Turaida Museum Reserve and 88 cooperation partners, as well as promotion of the Turaida Museum Reserve’s offer abroad in International Fairs of Tourism,  the most rapid growth in number of tourists come from  Russia (+2414) – mostly those are independent tourists, then follow tourists in groups from France (+2256), Italy (+1516), Germany (+ 1049), the USA (+1042) and Spain (+996). This year the number of countries, from which the number of tourists exceeds one thousand,  has doubled. In previous years those were about 10 countries, this year – 19. Germany among countries as usually ranks first and in general, the number of tourists has increased in comparison with the previous year. TOP 10 countries according to the number of tourists in groups are: Germany – 14 747, then follow Spain – 9 262, France – 6 536, Russia – 5 761, Lithuania – 5 370, Italy – 5 255, Japan – 5 132, Estonia – 3 797, South Korea – 3 691 and the USA – 2 234.

10 cooperation agreements have been concluded in 2016 with Latvian and foreign travel agencies (Lithuania, Estonia), which attract toursits from different countries all over the world. There was a high demand for guided tours in the Turaida Museum Reserve led by museum specialists. In all, there have been  523 guided tours in the Latvian, English, Russian and German languages, from which 438 tours - in foreign languages.

During the year, in cooperation with Tourism Department of Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) and Sigulda Development Agency (SAA), the Turaida Museum Reserve has provided guided tours and information to  9 journalist groups  from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Lithuania, Turkey and several travel bloggers. A story about the Turaida Museum Reserve for TV broadcasts have been filmed by Canadian and French television. In cooperation with Travel Agencies 31 groups of tour operators have visited the Turaida Museum Reserve  from the following countries: Honkong, Great Britain (2), Russia (3), Spain (2), Lithuania (2), Turkey (4), Latvia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, South Korea, Japan, the USA (2), France, Germany (4), the Baltic States and Austria including tour operators from “Friends Travel Together” and “Con-ex Latvia”.

The Turaida Museum Reserve has been visited also by groups from Africa, New Zealand, Lebanon, Mongolia, Andorra, Fiji Islands, Qatar, Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and Egypt.  Thus, it can be concluded that more and more the Historical Centre of Turaida and Latvian Cultural Heritage  are of interest and captivate tourists from different countries all over the world.

Ilga Korkliša Chief specialist of the Turaida Museum Reserve