Research: Latvians are drawn to Lithuania by sentiment, while Estonians are only beginning to discover our country

For residents of Latvia, Lithuania is a familiar, convenient, and close weekend destination, although it lacks a sense of exoticism. Meanwhile, Estonians are only just beginning to discover our country. This was revealed by a study on how residents of Latvia and Estonia perceive Lithuania as a travel destination, commissioned by the national tourism promotion agency Lithuania Travel. The study also showed that to attract more travelers from other Baltic countries, geographical proximity alone is not enough – more active communication is needed.

According to the data, as many as 83 percent of Latvians have visited Lithuania at least once, and more than half have either considered traveling here in the past five years or are planning to do so. The figures for Estonia are more modest – 66 percent have visited Lithuania at least once, and just over 40 percent have considered or plan to do so. Although most respondents view Lithuania as a safe, convenient, and nearby country, it is often perceived as too similar to Estonia and therefore not distinctive enough.

The study also revealed an encouraging trend – 65 percent of Latvians would like to visit Lithuania again, and 60 percent would recommend it to others. In Estonia, these figures are somewhat lower – 46 percent and 47 percent respectively.

“The Baltic countries are a priority tourism market for Lithuania, but this study confirmed that we cannot apply the same approach to both neighbors. Latvian travelers consistently have a positive view of Lithuania, seeing it as a close and convenient destination suitable for weekend trips or short holidays. However, the Estonian market, although it has great potential, is still only superficially familiar with Lithuania. We need to work more with our northern Baltic neighbor, emphasizing not only geographical proximity but also the unique and memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression, especially among younger travelers – from adventure activities to distinctive nature and well-kept resorts,” said Olga Gončarova, Director of Lithuania Travel.

Lack of advertising for Lithuania

The study data also show that Latvians are more familiar with Lithuania – as many as 45 percent say they know quite a lot about our country, while in Estonia that figure is only 22 percent. In Estonia, information about Lithuania usually reaches people through social networks or friends’ recommendations, while respondents said they almost never see official advertising campaigns. The situation in Latvia is somewhat better – some respondents recalled seeing advertisements, but most emphasized that Estonia’s tourism promotion in their country is much more active.

For Latvian travelers, Lithuania is associated with familiar places, traditional cuisine, and summer vacations by the seaside. For Estonians, it is most often associated with Vilnius, Palanga, or the Curonian Spit, although many would still struggle to name what else there is to see or experience here.

“Latvians associate Lithuania with emotional memories – from childhood trips to summer holidays by the sea – which makes our country’s image feel warm and familiar to them. Estonians, on the other hand, rely more on isolated pieces of information or random impressions. They know that Lithuania is a convenient, European destination, but say that they see little advertising for Lithuania in their country and that information is difficult to find,” notes Lithuania Travel’s Chief Analyst Jogilė Miežienė.

Both a challenge and an opportunity

The study highlighted Lithuania’s clear competitive advantages in both markets. For Latvians, the most important factors are good accessibility by car or bus (59 percent) and suitability for short weekend trips (54 percent). These aspects are also important to Estonians, though to a lesser extent (51 percent and 43 percent, respectively).

It is noteworthy that Estonians are much more likely than Latvians to see Lithuania as a destination that can be combined with visits to other Baltic countries (37 percent compared to 16 percent in Latvia). This can be seen as both an opportunity and a challenge – on the one hand, Lithuania can be promoted as part of a broader Baltic region route; on the other hand, it is important to ensure that travelers spend sufficient time in Lithuania rather than just making a short stop on their way to other countries.

“This means that Lithuania’s communication in Estonia must take this nuance into account. We need to present ourselves as a country offering a variety of experiences where visitors can spend plenty of time,” emphasizes J. Miežienė.

Among the reasons mentioned for not traveling to Lithuania, respondents in both countries often cited the “lack of exoticism” – 24 percent in Estonia and 17 percent in Latvia.

“This so-called lack of exoticism doesn’t actually mean that there’s nothing to see in Lithuania. It’s rather a communication challenge – we are not presenting our uniqueness vividly enough. We need to highlight what sets us apart from other Baltic countries – from UNESCO-protected cultural sites such as Kernavė and the Curonian Spit, to distinctive gastronomic traditions and active tourism opportunities. Each of these elements can become that ‘wow’ factor that changes perceptions,” says Lithuania Travel Director Olga Gončarova.