Interaction between the number of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments and the economic development in Latvia

The research hypothesis: the economic development of a district affects the number of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments outside Riga region. The research aim is to identify a correlation between the number of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments and the economic development of a district in Latvia. The research was done using data broken down by statistical region and districts (a unit of administrative division of the territory of Latvia until the middle of 2009). The research showed that the majority (more than 60%) of visitors at Latvian tourist accommodation establishments were foreign tourists whose share at Riga tourist accommodation establishments accounted for more than 70%. Outside Riga region, more than 70% of visitors were local (Latvian) tourists, mostly business tourists. In the research period, more than half of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments concentrated in Riga region, while more than 10% – in Pieriga and Kurzeme regions. The share of visitors in the other regions did not exceed 6% of their total number. According to a cluster analysis, an explicit trend of monocentric economic development is specific to Latvia, resulting in significant differences between Riga, the capital city of Latvia, and the other districts of Latvia. The number of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments is higher in the clusters having a high (Riga) and medium (districts of Riga, Liepaja, Ventspils, and Daugavpils) level of economic development than in the clusters with a lower level of economic development (districts of Aluksne, Balvi, Dobele, Gulbene, Kraslava, Ludza, Preili, and Valka). Therefore, it can be concluded that in Latvia, the economic development of a district affects the number of visitors at tourist accommodation establishments