Nature, cultural heritage and tourism innovations in Sigulda,

LATVIA

Gunta ZaķīteHead of Sigulda District Tourism Information Centre

08.10.2008.Workshop TOURISM INNOVATIONS: SHARING EXPERIENCES

Open Days 2008

www.sigulda.lv

LATVIA

Tourism in Latvia is getting bigger every year

PERSONS CROSSING LATVIA’S BORDER. Non – residents.Year Number of border

crossings, thsd

1997 1842

1998 1788

1999 1738

2000 1882

2001 2061

2002 2297

2003 2524

2004 3033

2005 3774

2006 4644

2007 52350

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007

pers., thsd

www.sigulda.lv

Data from The Central Statistical Bureau in Latvia

• Changes of tourism structure• New local destinations• Competition among destinations• Examples of innovations in Latvia

www.sigulda.lv

The Naval Port prison/ Liepaja• The Naval Port prison or guardhouse. The building was erected about 1900 and until 1997 it has served as a place where military persons

served their terms for breach of discipline. Ever since the first years of its existence it has been a place to break people’s lives and suppress their free will.

• With powers changing, its prisoners changed as well – among them there were revolutionaries, seamen and non-commissioned officers of the tsarist army, deserters from the German Wehrmacht, enemies of the people in Stalin’s times, soldiers of both the Soviet army and the Latvian army and other rebels.

Mysterious and inexplicable things are noticed in the guard house – rumbling footsteps, self-unscrewing of electrical bulbs, unaccountable opening of closed doors of the cells … but the appearance of impossible images has come as the most unpleasant surprise to many a visitor.

www.karostascietums.lv

WHAT EXPECTS YOU IN THE NAVAL PORT PRISON:

Tours of the prison and the museum

Surprise tour Show “Behind the Bars”

Extreme night 24 hours

VIP programme

North forts

For special occasions

Tours of Naval Port and Liepāja

Cinevilla/ Tukums• Cinevilla Backlot is the only open air film decoration in Baltic States with many possibilities for filmmaking. The

decoration is built so that it can be used and adjusted for various filming projects.

• The decoration was started to build in May 2004 for the needs of the historical drama "Rīgas sargi" (Defenders of Riga). The story of the film takes place in Riga in 1919, therefore film sets are consisting of historical buildings and objects thus creating the sense of reality of the beginning of the 20th century.

www.cinevilla.lv

Excurssions

Soldier’s tour

Historical costume rental

Making of own film

Backlot pub and accomodation

Spaces for events

Photostudio

WHAT EXPECTS YOU IN THE CINEVILLA BACKLOT:

SIGULDA DISTRICT

• Established in 2003. Sigulda + Sigulda parish + More parish

• Population – 16 422

• Territory – 204.5 sq.km

• Distance from Riga – 54 km

• River – Gauja with an excellent valley

• 2007 = 1207 800 anniversary

• 2008 = 1928 Sigulda = city

Sigulda – one of the oldest tourist destinations in Latvia

Gūtmaņa ala –Gutmana cave

1794

1813

www.sigulda.lv

Unique values of Sigulda

• Nature

• Cultural-historical heritage

• Innovations

www.sigulda.lv

Mežakaķis

www.mezakakis.lv

Opened – 2001 – first in Latvia. Is high wire forest adventure course of rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip slides. All set high up in the tree tops. Ropes and boards have been used to create four courses of varying difficulty and are meant for people of all ages.

www.sigulda.lv

Tobbogan, chairlift and others

www.rodelis.lv

Opened – 2007. This is a dry land or ice free bobsled course and chairlift.

On course there are twelve curve, two small jumps, and one “compression”.

A max speed of 40 km/hr can be reached.

Adventure park “Tarzans” opened – 2008.A network of rope zip slides in the forest of Gauja National Park.

Aerodium

www.aerodium.lv

Opened – 2005. Aerodium is the free flight simulator - first vertical wind tunnel in Eastern Europe . It breaks gravity rules and allows you to fly with the help of newest Technologies!

Aerodium base is where the spirit of adventure is combined with security guarantee delivered by new technologies. It is a place for professional athletes, as well as just adventurous friends and colleagues. Goal is to create a popular practice environment for skydivers, teams representing different kinds of sports, and military units, as well as any other team-building programs and part of open-air entertainment among groups of friends.

www.sigulda.lv

Bungee-jumping

www.lgk.lv

Cable car opened in 1969, it is the only one aerial cable-way in the Baltic States. It was built on cooperation between Sigulda and Georgia city Chiatura specialists. The length of the cable-way from one station to another is 1200m, height (in the mid-span over the River Gauja) is 40-42m.

At the weekends the ones who are the fans of extreme feelings have a possibility to do bungee jumping from the carriage.

A beautiful sight of the River Gauja primeval valley is seen from the cable-way

www.sigulda.lv

Observe Sigulda upside down by bungee jumping from the cable-car!

www.sigulda.lv

Bobsleigh and Sleigh Run “Sigulda”

Only one in the Baltic States. It was erected in 1986 using plans designed by the Leipzig sports science centre and built by specialists from Sarajevo. It is 1200 m long with a 220 m braking zone, has 16 turns, and maximum speed is 125 km/h. Foreign as well as local teams use the track. Many Latvian bobsleigh, luge, ans skeleton athletes come from Sigulda. The track has also hosted several international races.

Possibilities for tourists - rides with winter and summer bobs.

www.taxibob.lv

www.sigulda.lv

Magnetic card “Siguldas’ stick 24 h”

• City card “Siguldas spieķis” - new tourism product by Sigulda Region Tourism Association.

• The City card “Siguldas spieķis” is the key to unique Sigulda experience for the individual travelers.

• City card gives for one free entry to all main sights, museum and attractions along with wide variety of discounts in accommodation, restaurants, bicycle rent and other places in Sigulda District.

• City card is valid for 24 hours.

www.sigulda.lv

Welcome to Sigulda!

www.tourism.sigulda.lv