Juris Zudovs, president of the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association, says that at least seven hotels will open in Latvia this year, adding that competition in the Latvian hotel sector is very tense. Janis Enzis, general director of the Europa Royale Riga, says that hotels should have a strong and identifiable maket niche to survive. According to data from the Central Statistics Office, the number of the guests in Latvian accommodation in Q4 2007 rose by 12 percent compared to Q4 2006.