From 16 to 18 January, the Liepāja Region Tourism Information Office (Liepāja Travel), in cooperation with the Tourism Department of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA / Latvia Travel), took part in the international Nordic travel fair “MATKA 2026” in Helsinki. Together with Latvia Travel, Liepāja Travel was part of the national stand, where international visitors were introduced to the tourism offerings of Liepāja, the Kurzeme region, and Latvia as a whole.
Special attention at the fair was given to Liepāja 2027, inviting international audiences to follow Liepāja’s journey towards the title of European Capital of Culture and to start planning a visit to the city in 2027. Visitors showed strong interest in the city’s creative atmosphere and unique character.
We would like to thank the Liepāja Travel team for their focused cooperation and enthusiasm in promoting Liepāja 2027 on an international scale. Together, we continue to share the story of Liepāja as an inspiring and diverse travel destination.
“MATKA” is the largest tourism fair in Northern Europe, attracting more than 56,000 visitors each year, including industry professionals, media representatives, travellers, and other tourism enthusiasts. Participation in the fair provided an excellent opportunity to meet tourism professionals, establish new contacts, and strengthen Liepāja’s visibility in the Nordic market.
The aim of the competition is to select a strong and well-developed exhibition concept that presents the work of Liepāja artists in a contemporary and multivocal way, while also putting it into a bigger European and global picture.
The aim of the project is to foster creative collaboration between LMMDV students, local craftspeople, and international designers, resulting in design prototypes based on locally sourced, environmentally friendly materials and traditional techniques, while exploring their contemporary interpretations.
The Liepāja 2027 Foundation has concluded its cultural tourism co-financing competition “Land of (un)rest, Tell Us Stories!”, announced in October 2025 and aimed at developing innovative and sustainable cultural tourism offers. Following the evaluation, nine projects have been awarded a total of EUR 87,012 in co-financing.