Riga has a lot to offer for meetings and events of all kinds. The city is, among others, affordable, reliable and safe. MEET RĪGA Convention Bureau has put a lot of effort in promoting and establishing Riga and Latvia as an excellent meeting destination. MEET RĪGA can function as a role model for a modern city convention bureau.

Veitshöchheim/Germany, November 28, 2016 – it was only in 2011, when MEET RĪGA, the official Convention Bureau of the city of Riga was founded. Thanks to the focus of the Convention Bureau, led by MEET RĪGA Director Aigars Smiltans, the Latvian capital has gradually earned recognition as an excellent meeting and event destination.

Riga is still a very young MICE destination – this is evident, among others, from its infrastructure being very new and modern. Historical venues have been renovated, new venues built and the number of hotels is steadily increasing. Thus, more hotel rooms are available as well as more meeting spaces. This year, 360 new hotel rooms have been added to the 7,000 existing ones. In the upcoming two years, the number will rise by another 2,100 rooms. The hotels to be opened in 2017 include the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, the INN by Radisson Valdemara Park, the SemeraH City Center Hotel and the Wellton Minstereja Hotel. Both the existing and the planned large hotels, as well as most of the venues, are located in the city center. Everything is within walking distance. As a result of the new openings, the competition among the large hotels is increasing. The consequence: reasonable prices. For example, if you are planning an event in the Latvian capital in November or February, you can stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel in a double or two-bed room for between 60 and 90 Euro per night per room (including breakfast, free Wi-Fi, taxes).

The city has a great number of excellent venues, where planners can organize events and meetings at affordable prices. They can choose from a variety of possibilities, be it traditional, historical locations such as the Splendid Palace and the National Library of Latvia, or rather unusual places like the Aldaris Beer Museum and the roof terrace of Latvian University. The professional services in the venues and high technological standards are convincing.

Politically stable and secure destinations are very important for planners in the present times, – and this applies to Riga and Latvia in general. From January 1 to June 30, 2015, Latvia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union: more than 200 official meetings took place, as well as further 450 other events – smaller ones but also large international congresses and conferences with several thousand delegates. During the Presidency period, there was not a single disruption case, which affected any of the meetings.

For a professional meeting destination, easy accessibility is indispensable. And here Riga can score points as well. Riga International Airport is the largest airport in the Baltic States and recently opened its new North Terminal with 19 gates, together with more relaxation areas and restaurants for the travelers. More than 65 destinations are served during the winter months, more than 80 destinations during the summer months. And Riga is not far away: From Frankfurt a. M., Munich, Vienna and Zurich it takes about two to three hours to fly to Riga. And: the airport is located only nine kilometers from the city center.

MEET RĪGA’s task is among others to help meeting and event organizers to find the most suitable local suppliers in the region. In order to simplify this and to offer the customers even more service, the Convention Bureau has relaunched its website www.MeetRiga.com/en in April this year. You can find detailed information about 250 local service providers (hotels, venues, exhibition centers, unusual venues, restaurants, transportation companies, etc.) available in Riga and surroundings. A special service in the new portal: it is possible to make a single request via the portal, which is sent simultaneously to different service providers. The handling is very simple, uncomplicated and fast. You can add different hotels, DMCs etc. to your request list, “Add to inquiry list”. As in an online shop, you will find a “shopping cart” on the upper right corner of your website – and there you will find your list. You can then send your request to all selected Venues “Send inquiry to all venues”.

About MEET RĪGA:
MEET RĪGA is the official convention bureau of Riga city and a department of Riga Tourism Development Bureau. The main task is to promote and establish Riga & Latvia as a perfect meetings and events destination in Northern Europe by assisting and helping meeting and event organizers to find the most suitable local suppliers in the region. For more information, please visit www.MeetRiga.com/en portal.

About tmf dialogue marketing:
tmf dialogue marketing enjoys international recognition as specialists for dialogue marketing in the meetings market. With a unique range of expertise, the company supports leading convention bureaus and destinations as well as top-level suppliers in the development of mutually beneficial relationships with planners. Services include content marketing, market research, communication (marketing, sales and pr) and consulting services. tmf also delivers content and copywriting service for corporations and associations around events and conferences. The agency has offices in Germany and India. tmf newsroom Europe: www.tmf-dialogue.net, tmf newsroom India: www.tmf-dialogue.in. The Experiential Planner – brand in India: www.experientialplanner.com.

Contact at MEET RĪGA:
Aigars Smiltans
Marketing Director
MEET RIGA convention bureau
aigars.smiltans@liveriga.lv
tel. +371 2232 0416
www.MeetRiga.com/en

Contact at tmf:
Ulrike Kiesel
Project Manager Content & PR
u.kiesel@tmf-dialogue.com
tel. +49 (0) 931 9002 114