TOURISM POLICY IN LATVIA - FROM A TOP-DOWN TO A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17770/sie2020vol6.5034Keywords:
collaborative approach, destination cooperation, implementation, tourism policyAbstract
In 2019, Latvia drafted a National Development Plan [NDP 2027] for the next period, which also comprises actions for the development of the tourism sector. Unlike previous practices, approaches to drafting a common plan and developing and implementing tourism policy have changed significantly.
The aim of the research is to describe the process of developing a tourism development plan, analyse the use of the latest planning and policy implementation approaches and evaluate the framework of the plan.
A qualitative research strategy - a case study was used. The main research methods are document analysis, in-depth interviews and participatory observations.
The process of drafting a new tourism policy and action plan, its main stages, tasks, methods, key stakeholders and discussions and the various documents elaborated has been summarized as a result of the research. The main problems related to the implementation of a bottom-up collaborative approach - lack of competencies of individual stakeholders, dominance of municipal interests, conviction that problems can only be solved from above, centrally, using state budget resources - have been identified.
The document analysis shows that the tourism policy document drafted differs significantly from previous documents. It incorporates the need for collaboration between tourism destinations, local municipal organizations and defines productivity as a transversal criterion for action.
References
Altinay, L., & Paraskevas, A. (2008). Planning research in hospitality and tourism. 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Council of the European Union [Council]. (2019). Council conclusions on the competitiveness of the tourism sector as a driver for sustainable growth, jobs, and social cohesion in the EU for the next decade. Brussels: Council of the European Union. Retrieved from: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/39512/st09707-en19.pdf
Dredge, D. & Jamal, T. (2015). Progress in tourism planning and policy: A post-structural perspective on knowledge production. Tourism Management, 51, 285-297. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2015.06.002
European Commission [EC]. (2010). Europe, the world’s No 1 tourist destination – A new political framework for tourism in Europe. COM (2010) 352 final. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Brussels: European Commission.
European Commission [EC]. (2018). Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, COM (2018) 375 final. Strasbourg, European Commission.
Hall, C. M. (2008). Tourism planning: Policies, processes and relationships. 2nd ed. London: Prentice-Hall.
Hall, C. M. (2009). Archetypal approaches to implementation and their implications for tourism policy. Tourism Recreation Research, 34(3), 235-245.
Hall, C. M. (2011). A typology of governance and its implications for tourism policy analysis. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(4-5), 437-457. DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2011.570346
Koshy, E., Koshy, V., & Waterman, H. (2010). What is action research? In E. Koshy, V. Koshy, H. Waterman (Eds.), Action research in healthcare. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Liu, C.-H., Tzeng, G.-H., & Lee, M.-H. (2012). Improving tourism policy implementation and the use of hybrid MCDM models. Tourism Management, 33 (2), 413-426. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2011.05.002
Manente, M., Minghetti, V., & Montaguti, F. (2013). The role of the EU in defining tourism policies for a competitive destination governance. In C. Costa, E. Panyik, D. Buhalis (Eds.), Trends in European tourism planning and organization (208-219). Bristol: Channel View Publications.
Ministry of Economics [MoE]. (2014). Latvijas turisma attīstības pamatnostādnes 2014-2020. Riga: Ministry of Economics. Retrieved from: https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/nozares_politika/turisms/dokumenti/politikas_planosanas_dokumenti/
Ministry of Economics [MoE]. (2017). Informatīvs ziņojums par Latvijas attīstības pamatnostādņu 2014.-2020. gadam īstenošanas 2014.-2016. gada starpposma novērtējumu. Retrieved from: https://www.em.gov.lv/files/turisms/EMZin_181217_TUR_pamn_novert.pdf
Ministry of Economics [MoE]. (2019a). Latvijas tūrisma nozares analīze. Retrieved from: https://www.em.gov.lv/files/turisms/Latvijas_turisma_nozares_analize_%20BrandTour_%20final.pdf
Ministry of Economics [MoE]. (2019b). Esošo atbalsta instrumentu situācijas analīze un konceptuālu priekšlikumu izstrāde tūrisma nozares politikas pilnveidošanai. Retrieved from: https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/nozares_politika/turisms/statistika_un_petijumi/ekonomikas_ministrijas_petijumi_turisma_joma/
Ministry of Economics [MoE]. (2019c). Latvijas tūrisma attīstības rīcības plāns 2021. - 2027. gadam. Retrieved from: https://www.em.gov.lv/files/turisms/Turisma_ricibas_plans_2021_2027%20BrandTour_final%20.pdf
O’leary Z. (2004). Essential guide to doing research. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Panasiuk, A. (2019). Tourism management by public administration institutions. Scientific Journal of the Military University of Land Forces, 51(2/192), 364-376. DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0013.2610
Panyik, C., & Anastasiadou, C. (2013). Mapping the EU’s evolving role in tourism: implications of the new EU tourism competence. In C. Costa, E. Panyik, D. Buhalis (Eds.), Trends in European tourism planning and organization (189-207). Bristol: Channel View Publications.
Saeima of the Republic of Latvia [Saeima]. (2010). Sustainable development strategy of Latvia until 2030. Riga: Saeima of the Republic of Latvia.
United Nations [UN]. (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. NY: United Nations.
Winter, R. & Munn-Giddings, C. (2001) A handbook for action research in health and social care. London: Routledge.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
