LITHUANIA: Lithuania Will Attract Tourists

Four tourism clusters that unite more than 70 Lithuanian enterprises and organisations will represent the country for the first time at a joint stand at the International Tourism Exhibition Balttour 2015 to be held on 6–8 February. What are the distinctions of each cluster and what specific features of their regions will be presented to the world?

It is the first event of this kind when as many as four tourism clusters, facilitated by Enterprise Lithuania, will present themselves at a joint stand to the Latvian public and tourism and travel agencies as well as to companies and organisations of other countries.

Biržai and Anykščiai Tourism Clusters and Žemaitija and Pamarys Tourism Clusters (the latter two established last year) will advertise their activities and services at the stand under the slogan “Made in Lithuania”. The purpose of the clusters is to unite the entrepreneurs, tourism industry enterprises and organisations of the region to join their efforts in order to attract as many local and international tourists as possible.

“Biržai is the land where beer rivers flow”

Biržai Tourism Cluster is the first tourism cluster in Lithuania, uniting 18 tourism business representatives and companies. The northernmost town with a unique landscape rich in sinkholes is famous for its breweries, Biržai Castle and the artificial Lake Širvėna.

Biržai Tourism Cluster starts the year 2015 with new members and the new advertising slogan: “Biržai is the land where beer rivers flow”. The cluster has also renewed the presentation and publicity of its services. Tourists may choose, according to their needs, possibilities and price, a package of services out of 6 categories which are vividly described as follows: “The hungry will eat, the tired will rest”, “The Brewers’ Capital”, “Biržai Castle – history enveloped in legends”, “Recreation and active leisure in nature”, “Unique nature – the land of sinking earth” and “Seminars and conferences from a different perspective”.

This year, the cluster offers new services to tourists: sightseeing and informative flights with small aircrafts allowing to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the town and its surroundings, visits to the museum of old machinery and tractors, the windmill that has been in operation since 1924, a deer farm, and having a good time at the brewery’s tasting hall furnished in an authentic cellar.

Anykščiai offers a tour of the famous grove along a path laid over the tops of trees

Anykščiai is a town situated at both sides of the valley of the River Šventoji, known for many tourist attractions. The vision of Anykščiai is to be a resort of cultural tourism.

Anykščiai Tourism Cluster, established in 2013 and uniting 18 organisations, operates in pursuit of the following goals: to double the number of visitors by 2016, compared to 2012; to create attractive recreation packages; to develop camp and conference arrangement services.

Members of Anykščiai Tourism Cluster include: The Narrow Railroad of Aukštaitija, the Memorial Museum of Antanas Baranauskas and Antanas Vienuolis-Žukauskas, the stud farm, country farmsteads, Anykščiai pool, a sports complex, a shooting-range, an art studio, a traditional pottery workshop, etc.

“We will present active leisure and educational programmes in museums, conference and family tourism, enjoyable trips by the narrow-gauge railway to the visitors of Balttour 2015,” said Sonata Veršelienė, Head of Anykščiai Tourism Cluster.

“We will also introduce our new service – the Tree Crown Path. It is a sightseeing tour around Anykščiai grove along the path laid at the height of treetops that starts at the Stone Puntukas.”

Žemaitija Tourism Cluster will present an event calendar

Žemaitija Tourism Cluster was established at the beginning of 2014 and now unites 14 tourism business representatives and companies.

Žemaitija Cluster is a network of modern companies and organisations that pools and offers virtually all of the tourism services available in Plungė (Gandinga) and Plateliai region: water activities and sports at rivers and lakes, cycling and hiking tours, entertainment centres, accommodation in modernly equipped tourist farmsteads, high-quality catering, route planning and organisation, tours of famous cultural and historical objects: the Palace of Duke Mykolas Oginskis and the Cold War Museum located at a missile base abandoned by the Soviet military.

“We will not only acquaint exhibition visitors with various tourism services, but will also introduce the schedule of traditional events to be held in the territory of Žemaitija all year round,” told Elena Klimienė, Head of Žemaitija Tourism Cluster.

“Combining our forces allows us to organise your sightseeing tour in the form most acceptable to you: kayaking, canoeing, yachting, boating, cycling, fishing, diving or simply enjoying the impressive landscape and the creations of nature and human. For the night stop, you will be welcomed and served hearty meals – at a tourist farmstead you are sure to be offered to taste the traditional Samogitian sour cream butter kastinys that no other nation in the world can churn.”

The Fish Trail – a boat tour lasting 4 hours to several days

The most important project which has become the pivot of Pamarys Tourism Cluster is the Fish Trail service package, offering tourists two options: a recreational and educational large sailboat tour programme, lasting more than four hours, or a small cruise – an exceptional culinary water touring route in four water bodies. If the latter option is chosen, tourists will be able to enjoy the scenery while sailing on the Curonian Lagoon and the Rivers Minija and Nemunas, visit tourist attractions, taste fish dishes, and catch fish.

Regardless of the option they choose, tourists will be encouraged to familiarise themselves with Pamarys region culinary heritage, shipbuilding and history, recreate, learn to kite sail or have a rest in a country farmstead. Tourists will be able to choose between routes of different length and duration: the Fish Trail tour takes 4 hours to several days – everything depends on tourists’ desires and possibilities.

According to Daiva Buivydienė, Director of Klaipėda District Tourist Information Centre and author of the idea of the cluster, Pamarys Tourism Cluster will be presented at Balttour 2015 in a modest and aesthetic manner – visitors will be offered to taste the traditional Lithuania Minor kafija (chicory drink) and cake.

In the meanwhile, it will not be difficult to offer attractive tourism services, because the unique nature of Pamarys region is a tourist attraction by itself.

“We see the potential not only in the local market, but also in the neighbouring countries: Latvia, Poland and Kaliningrad Region. In the future we also hope to capture the interest of German tourists,” Ms. Buivydienė shared their plans.

Pamarys Tourism Cluster, which began its activities only last year, unites 19 members: tourism business enterprises, cultural institutions, museums, two tourist information centres, a folklore ensemble, etc.