Experts press for clampdown on firms targeting tourists

Following reports that the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat has written an article describing Riga as a dangerous city – Finnish tourists are warned to be especially careful in nightclubs and in taxis as well as when settling payments by credit card – airBaltic president and CEO Bertolt Flick says he is very disappointed that Latvia’s image is being destroyed by dishonest entrepreneurs. He believes that Riga could lose hundreds of thousands of lats because of such fraudulent activities. Ainars Slesers, a former transport minister and now candidate for the post of Mayor of Riga, says that tourism has been set as one of Latvia’s priorities and it should remain that way. He proposes that a special centre be created in Riga where tourists can ask for help and go in case of emergencies.

 

Chas, 2009-04-29