Tourism Sector Starts the Year with Strong Growth: Number of Tourists in Lithuania Up Nearly One-Fifth
Lithuanian accommodation establishments welcomed 935,000 guests during the first quarter of this year, representing a 19% increase compared to the same period last year, according to -+ data from the State Data Agency. The strong growth of Lithuania's tourism sector at the beginning of the year was driven by both rising numbers of international visitors and continued growth in local travel.
According to data from the State Data Agency, compiled using information collected through the e.Tourist system, the number of international tourists visiting Lithuania between January and March increased by 23% year-on-year, reaching 258,000. International visitors accounted for 28% of all guests staying in hotels and other accommodation establishments. Meanwhile, local tourism grew by 17% during the first quarter, reaching 677,000 travellers.
Vice Minister of the Economy and Innovation Guoda Burokienė says the first-quarter results confirm that Lithuania's tourism sector continues to maintain its growth momentum while strengthening its contribution to the national economy.
"These results demonstrate that investments in raising Lithuania's profile in international markets and improving tourism infrastructure are delivering tangible results. Our goal is for tourism to become an increasingly high-value sector that promotes business development and creates new jobs throughout Lithuania," says Vice Minister of the Economy and Innovation Guoda Burokienė.
Olga Gončarova, General Manager of the National Tourism Development Agency, Lithuania Travel, notes that the first months of the year are traditionally a quieter period for the tourism industry, making the preliminary January–March results a particularly encouraging sign.
"The first-quarter results point to positive trends in Lithuania's tourism sector. We are especially pleased to see growing numbers of international visitors, particularly from several of our priority markets. At the same time, it is important to remember that the first quarter has its own characteristics - this period typically sees more business and wellness travel, meaning the overall visitor profile and the most popular destinations may differ from annual trends, which will become clearer later in the year," says Olga Gončarova.
She also welcomes the growing use of the e.Tourist subsystem of the National Tourism Information System (NTIS) by accommodation providers across Lithuania. As a result, the data being collected is considerably more comprehensive, providing not only the number of tourists and their countries of origin, but also information on the municipalities and accommodation establishments where they stayed, as well as the purpose of their visit. Furthermore, the data can now be analysed on a daily rather than monthly basis, offering additional insights - for example, making it possible to assess the impact of individual events on the tourism sector.
Most Visitors Came from Neighbouring Countries and Germany
Preliminary data show that the largest numbers of international visitors during the first quarter came from Latvia (30,000), Germany (28,000), Poland (28,000), Belarus (26,000) and the United Kingdom (16,000).
Among Lithuania's key inbound markets, Germany recorded the strongest growth, with visitor numbers increasing by 62% compared to the first quarter of 2025. Significant growth was also recorded from Italy (57%), Spain (67%), Finland (80%), and Ireland (115%). In addition, the number of visitors from Israel more than tripled.
Overall, the municipalities welcoming the highest numbers of tourists during the first quarter were Vilnius City Municipality (248,000), Kaunas City Municipality (118,000), Palanga City Municipality (109,000) and Druskininkai Municipality (103,000).
Among international visitors. Vilnius remained the most popular destination, attracting 146,000 foreign guests. It was followed by Kaunas (51,000), Klaipėda (13,000) and Druskininkai (11,000).
"We can see that Lithuania's tourism sector continues to strengthen its position. The growing number of international visitors indicates that Lithuania's visibility in international markets is increasing, while the country's cities and resorts are successfully competing for travellers' attention. Data from the coming quarters will show whether this growth develops into a long-term trend, but we already have a strong initial signal that helps us forecast what to expect in the near future and direct our efforts and marketing campaigns even more effectively," says Olga Gončarova, General Manager of Lithuania Travel.