拉脱维亚首都里加打造欧洲商务活动“隐藏明珠”：聚焦高性价比场馆与米其林体验

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The capital of Latvia is celebrating its 825th anniversary with an event offering stronger than ever before. In mid-August, around 300,000 residents and visitors filled the 11 November Embankment and central streets for the city’s milestone festival, in a vivid display of the scale and energy Riga is capable of.

As the region’s meeting and event industry continues to expand, the current priority is ensuring the international market takes notice. Positioned as a compact European hidden gem where key venues, historic neighbourhoods, and hotels sit within comfortable walking distance, Riga is actively seeking the spotlight.

A city that carries a nation Serving as Latvia’s economic and cultural engine, Riga welcomes 75 per cent of the country’s international visitors. Reaching the city centre from the airport requires just a 15-to-20-minute drive, bringing delegates directly to a compact layout where major hotel inventory, conference venues, the historic Old Town and iconic Art Nouveau districts sit side by side.

According to Šarlote Līduma, Head of Meetings & Events at the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), the sector has navigated both pandemic recovery and regional geopolitical turbulence, and is now “sailing forward with confidence and ambition towards new horizons.” The city’s convention bureau, Meet Riga, encapsulates this shift succinctly: “Meet in Riga – the New Nordics.”

A primary driver of that ambition is competitive value. While daily meeting packages per participant in Western European capitals routinely double in price, Riga offers daily rates around €70–80 without compromising on delivery. “The quality organisers receive – in terms of venues, catering and technology – is often superior to elsewhere in Europe, but at a significantly lower investment,” Šarlote Līduma notes.

A diverse venue Heading the city’s large-scale infrastructure, the ATTA Centre stands as the Baltic region’s largest conference facility. Having hosted major events such as the 5G Techritory Forum, the Baltic Capital Markets Conference and the Riga Aviation Forum, its main hall accommodates up to 3,500 delegates.

For mid-sized and character-rich gatherings, Hanzas Perons, the former freight terminal warehouse transformed into a striking contemporary event hall, and Rīgas Cirks offer distinct architectural backdrops. Dating back to 1888, the historic circus complex recently completed a comprehensive modernisation, opening several characterful spaces for hire between performances. Meanwhile, Radisson Blu Latvija anchors major hotel-based events, offering conference capacity for up to 2,500 guests.

A flagship venue reimagined The venue landscape is set for further evolution following a decision by Latvia’s parliament, the Saeima, to establish a new national concert hall on the site of the current Riga Congress Centre. Developed under the winning ’Baltic Shine’ architectural proposal, the project involves a €61.3 million refurbishment and expansion designed to elevate both cultural programming and international event capacity.

A meal worth the journey Beyond the capital, incentive itineraries benefit from nearby options such as the seaside resort of Jūrmala, the boardwalks of the Ķemeri Marshes and the adventure trails of Sigulda. However, food has increasingly become a primary calling card for Latvia since the arrival of the Michelin Guide.

The 2026 edition recommends 34 restaurants nationwide, with 27 located in Riga. Two venues hold a Michelin star – JOHN Chef’s Hall at the A22 Hotel and Max Cekot Kitchen – making them ideal for executive gala dinners. For mid-range group dining, the Bib Gourmand selection highlights high value, featuring traditional fare at Milda, Japanese flavours at Shōyu, modern Italian at Snatch, and Smør Bistro, whose chef Kaspars Barsukovs captured the guide’s New Opening of the Year award.

For an immersive group dining experience, 3 Pavāru restorāns in Old Riga’s 18th-century St James’ Barracks offers a renowned interactive concept. Founded by prominent chefs Mārtiņš Sirmais and Ēriks Dreibants, the open-kitchen restaurant features seasonal Baltic ingredients like venison tartare with spruce mayonnaise. Its signature bread course, where chefs paint edible berry and vegetable sauces directly onto the table linen for guests to dip dark rye bread, delivers the kind of quirky and innovative touch that leaves a lasting impression.

With additional hotel venues such as Stage22 at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga and Seasons at the Grand Palace Hotel also featured, planning an itinerary where a world-class dinner sits a short walk from the conference venue is remarkably effortless. For a delegation, the contrast between an evening of Michelin-standard dining and a daily rate of 70–80 euros is a story in itself.

Getting there Accessibility is a more complicated matter. The Baltic region’s largest airline is airBaltic, with flights to over 100 destinations and 5.2 million passengers in 2025. And while currently undergoing Chapter 11 restructuring to reduce debt and navigate regional industry pressures, the company confirms that flights, ticket sales and customer service all operate as usual.

Highlighting the destination’s outlook, industry commentary recently pointed to airBaltic plans for expanded departures on 12 routes from Riga, including Paris, Rome, London and Barcelona, alongside high-frequency Baltic shuttles to Tallinn and Vilnius. Complementing this, Riga is served by a robust roster of international carriers including Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Aegean, Flydubai, SAS, Norwegian, Finnair and Ryanair.

Ground transport, however, offers a longer-term horizon. While Riga’s new central station is largely complete, passenger services will not launch until mid-2028, and the station will initially lack standard-gauge tracks. According to the Ministry of Transport, the first phase of Rail Baltica and a planned airport electric train are not scheduled for completion before 2030.

Competitive value For international event organisers, tapping into that affordability requires confidence in local execution and high hospitality standards. According to Jānis Priede, Director of Sales & Marketing at Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel and Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel, destination awareness and service delivery go hand in hand: “Riga’s strength is not simply that it is more affordable, but that it delivers exceptional value for the investment,” he says.

“International event organisers can benefit from high-quality conference facilities, professional service, excellent catering and modern technology, often at a more competitive overall cost than in many established European meeting destinations. This combination of quality, accessibility and value makes Riga an increasingly attractive choice for international conferences and corporate events.”

Destination first, then the product For Latvia’s meetings industry, international visibility and destination awareness remain key priorities. Jānis Priede, believes attracting international events starts with promoting the location itself.

“Before we can sell a hotel or conference venue, we first need to sell the destination,” he says. “Many international meeting planners and decision makers have yet to experience Riga and Latvia firsthand. Our role is to build awareness, create confidence and demonstrate what the destination can offer.”

While geopolitical perceptions can sometimes influence planning decisions, Priede emphasises consistent communication and long-term engagement. Winning international conferences often requires patience, with cycles extending over several years. “Once international organisers experience Riga firsthand, they are often genuinely impressed by the quality of our hospitality, infrastructure and overall destination experience. Many become enthusiastic ambassadors for Latvia and return with new events.”

Anchoring that capacity, the Radisson Blu Latvija boasts 571 rooms, 16 multifunctional meeting rooms and a spa featuring an 18-metre pool, 20 treatment rooms and a top-floor Thermal Suite. Its flagship Omega ballroom accommodates up to 1,000 guests. With a wider portfolio of seven hotels across the city, the Radisson brand clearly demonstrates its long-term belief in Riga’s development. From the upper floors of the hotel, views stretch across the city skyline to the distinctive silhouette of the National Library.

A growing geopolitical footprint Designed by Latvian-American architect Gunārs Birkerts in collaboration with Modris Ģelzis, the National Library of Latvia draws inspiration from folklore and was inaugurated in 2014. Commonly known as the Cathedral of Light or Castle of Light, it stands as a striking landmark on the city’s horizon.

Beyond culture, Riga is actively building a profile in security and foreign policy. On 10–11 September 2026, the annual Rīga Conference was hosted at the Latvian National History Museum, serving as the Nordic-Baltic region’s premier forum for foreign policy and security. Combined with its role as co-organiser of EuroBasket 2025, the city continues to demonstrate its proven capability to manage the high-pressure logistics of major international gatherings.

Close by, accessible and ambitious For international organisers, the case for Riga is clear. The city is easily accessible, competitively priced, and full of rising ambition. The hotels, arenas, restaurants and ideas are already in place. For those nearby, it’s an effortless short-haul trip to familiar but different ground. For everybody else, it’s an eye-opening discovery of exotic Baltic territory. All that remains is for air links and global recognition to fully catch up, so that more can experience what all of us converts have already come to know and love.

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