Издания

Hiking tourists are in close contact with the region in which they are and find it particularly important to feel that they are welcome and understood. This emotion is primarily created by visual information such as information stands, directional signs, appropriate information materials, thematic books and guidebooks. Hikers are expecting to find necessary products at local shops, as well as knowledgeable and helpful people who want to assist them. In many places where hikes are popular, there are signs or stickers which read “Hiker-Friendly”. This may be a part of a certification programme, and the signs are only received by venues which meet the relevant criteria. The signs may also be used by responsible tourism organisations, with businesses being free to choose whether or not they want to post the sign. In other cases, this can be the initiative of businesses as such. The “Hiker-Friendly” sticker or sign is an effective way of demonstrating that the target audience is welcome. The signs are well-known all over the world, and travellers who spot them clearly understand that their needs will be understood and that there will be someone who will be prepared to share valuable information. If a tourism product is to be successful, involved parties must have the same hospitality quality principles. The criteria can help tourism companies to orient themselves. General criteria are appropriate for any tourism service provider, while criteria for accommodations only apply to accommodations.

The “Hiker-Friendly” sign is available to any service providers for tourists in the Baltic States that want to be “friendly” toward hikers and to offer the relevant services to the target audience. The sign is not linked to any specific pathway or route. The “Hiker-Friendly” criteria are guidelines for tourism companies. Some of them are mandatory, while others are recommended. A company which wants to get the sign must satisfy at least 75% of the mandatory criteria.

The brochure introduces the long-distance hiking route FOREST TRAIL, which passes ~ 1060 km through the forests of Latvia and Estonia, from Riga to Tallinn. In Latvia, FOREST TRAIL runs through the Gauja National Park, the Northern Gauja Forestlands and Veclaicene. In Estonia, FOREST TRAIL runs through the Haanja uplands, the Setomaa un Peipsimaa regions and further along the coast of Northern Estonia - to Tallinn. The route along the Estonian part includes the Lahemaa National Park and the coast of Northern Estonia, which is the land of the most impressive rocks, waterfalls and clints in the Baltic States. You will recognize FOREST TRAIL as Mežtaka in Latvia and as Metsa Matkarada in Estonia.
The FOREST TRAIL includes all the typical forest types and wildlife elements of the Baltic States - plants, beasts, fungi, etc.
The FOREST TRAIL is divided into 50 one or two-day hiking sections, each of which is ~ 20 km long. You can choose any section of the hike. The brochure includes a map of the hiking route.

In the tourism map "Kihnu Reesuratas" (Kihnu Travel Wheel) there is available the round route for discovering the cultural and natural sights on Kihnu island by foot, with a bicycle or even with a nostalgic sidecar. Kihnu Travel Wheel introduces the cultural space, landscapes and sea views acknowledged by UNESCO to the visitors. 

Latvijas lauku tūrisma mītņu un saimniecību nacionālā ekosertifikāta atbilstības kritēriju skaidrojums

Zaļais sertifikāts  ir vides kvalitātes zīme, ko piešķir tām lauku tūrisma mītnēm un saimniecībām Latvijā, kurās tiek saudzēta apkārtējā vide un ainava, racionāli izmantoti ūdens un enerģijas resursi, organizēta videi draudzīga atkritumu apsaimniekošana, bet tūristiem tiek piedāvātas videi draudzīgas aktivitātes, veselīga vietējā pārtika un pilnvērtīga informācija par vietējiem dabas, kultūras un vēstures objektiem.

Lai iegūtu Zaļo sertifikātu, nepieciešams novērtēt tūrisma mītnes atbilstību noteiktiem kritērijiem, kuru skaidrojumi ir atspoguļoti 1. – 11. nodaļā.

Šis materiāls ir domāts kā informatīvs palīglīdzeklis lauku tūrisma mītņu un saimniecību īpašniekiem, darbiniekiem un citiem interesentiem, lai palīdzētu izprast kritēriju mērķus, iedalījuma principus, izpildes nosacījumus. Paskaidrojošais materiāls veidots pēc vienotas shēmas. Kritēriji ir sagrupēti pa tematiskām nodaļām un katram kritērijam ir dots skaidrojums par prasībām kritērija izpildes novērtēšanai un piedāvāti ieteicamie risinājumi prasību izpildes nodrošināšanai.

Zaļā sertifikāta saimniecību vērtēšana notiek ar LVAF atbalstu.

The Forest Trail is a long-distance hiking route from Rīga, Latvia, to Tallinn, Estonia, passing through the most afforested territories in both countries. The route is split up into approximately 50 one-day routes, each of them around 20 kilometres long. Some of the routes are more difficult than others, so please choose the ones that are most appropriate for you.  The Forest Trail is planned as part of the E11 European long-distance hiking path. 

The programmes allow visitors to experience four unique and different ethnographic regions where authentic traditions are still part of peoples’ everyday life. They are: Setomaa region (Estonia), Kihnu island (Estonia), Suiti cultural space (Latvia) and the Livonian coast (Latvia) presenting UNESCO heritage in the following ways:

• UNESCO proclaimed Intangible Cultural Heritage:
  • SETO LEELO, Seto polyphonic singing tradition;
  • KIHNU cultural space;
  • SMOKE SAUNA tradition in Võromaa; - SUITI cultural space.
• On the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latvia:
  • the LIVONIAN Cultural space. Livonian community has made a commitment to prepare a nomination for UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Grāmatā ir sniegts īss pārskats par četru etnisko grupu – setu, kihniešu, suitu un lībiešu – tautastērpiem. Setiem, kihniešiem un suitiem, salīdzinot ar kaimiņiem, savu tautas tērpu valkāšanas un darināšanas tradīcija ir ļoti labi saglabājusies un joprojām tiek turēta vērtē. Ievērības cienīgi ir arī tas, ka visu četru kultūrvēsturisko novadu tradicionālie tērpi stipri atšķiras no kaimiņu tautastērpiem. Par iemeslu uzskatāma būtiski citāda kultūra vai vēsturiskais fons.

Cultural spaces are special places where traditions passed down from generation to generation are concentrated in an environment that relates to the origins of such traditions. In Latvia and Estonia, multiple cultural spaces can be found which are promoted by UNESCO granting international recognition.

Would it be sklandrausis, a traditional pie baked with love alongside Suiti women, or a moment of admiration observing Līvi men carrying out the catch of the day in the wind- swept shores of the Livonian landscape, the humbleness and wisdom sounded out in the polyphonic singing of Seto people, or the inspiration found in the cheerful colours of crafts developed by Kihnu island people; every single one of these experiences is an expression of tradition concentrated in time and space, which we can receive in an extraordinary tourism product that helps us travel meaningfully and to become more aware, skilful and inspired.