LITHUANIAN COUNTRYSIDE TOURISM ASSOCIATION EXPERIENCE Countryside tourism association

LITHUANIAN COUNTRYSIDE TOURISM ASSOCIATION EXPERIENCE Countryside tourism association of Lithuania November 2009

Lithuania is one of the Baltic states in the very centre of Europe. The Territory of Lithuanian is 65200 square km To the north it borders on the Republic of Latvia to the east and south it borders on Belarus, to the southwest - on Poland Russia (Kaliningrad). Population 3482300

NATURE OF OUR COUNTRY There are 722 rivers of 10 kilometres and longer in Lithuania. 21 of them are more than 100 kilometres long. There are over 3 thousand lakes in Lithuania, they take up 1. 5 per cent of Lithuania's territory. Woodlands cover 31, 7 % per cent of Lithuania's territory. Protected territories occupies 12 % of Lithuania territory

LITHUANIAN COUNTRYSIDE

RURAL TOURISM IN LITHUANIA o Rural tourism started in 1997. There were only 17 homesteads. Today we have near 600 homesteads; o Rural tourism is considered as alternative activity in the countryside;

COUNTRYSIDE TOURISM ASSOCIATION OF LITHUANIA It’s an independent non-profit organization uniting people of the Republic of Lithuania involved in rural tourism. Association was established for meeting and implementing common needs and tasks of its members. Association office - K. Donelaicio st. 2 - 201, Kaunas, Lithuania. Website www. atostogoskaime. lt www. countryside. lt e-mail: kaimas@zur. lt

MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION Total number of farmsteads - 392 Number of farmsteads in 4 ethnographical regions: Aukštaitija - 197 Žemaitija - 91 Dzūkija - 85 Suvalkija - 19 Number of farmsteads available throughout the year - 308

ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES • Consulting; • Training; • Publications; • Cooperation with state and public authorities; • Marketing

Association has published: Countryside tourism. ABC Countryside tourism. Legislation Catalogue Lietuva. Atostogos kaime (Lithuania. Countryside holidays) Manages the web site: www. atostogoskaime. lt www. countryside. lt

• Representative catalogue published annually; • Comes out in four languages: Lithuanian, English, German, Russian • Listing every member of countryside tourism association; • Distributed through tourism information centers, in travel fairs, embassies, association it self;

STORK –THE QUALITY BRAND OF LITHUANIAN COUNTRYSIDE TOURISM ASSOCIATION Stork is the sign of quality. It shows the level of the services, which is provided in the homestead. Landmark, which shows the homestead of rural tourism:

RANK OF THE HOMESTEADS All the homesteads of the association members are ranked into 5 quality categories, given them from one to five storks, accordingly to the farmstead level.

QUALITY OF THE HOMESTEADS

Stork homestead -Very basic conditions of accommodation and facilities Very few entertainment possibilities Storks homestead - Minimally equipped countryside homestead or living in the dwelling house with its owners. Minimal offer of the facilities and entertainment Storks homestead - Countryside homestead of the average comfort. Most rooms have the facilities. A variety of entertainment possibilities offered. Mostly self catering. Storks homestead - Comfortable countryside homestead for rest and various events. Good quality of accommodation, catering, services and a wide range of entertainment possibilities Storks homestead - Exclusive countryside homestead. Well managed facilities. Excellent service. Catering provided. A very wide range of entertainment possibilities.

Statistics

Conception of the rural tourism in Lithuania (1997 -2008)

Traditional Lithuanian homesteads

Interior of the homesteads

Looking forward to seeing you in Lithuania! www. countryside. lt kaimas@zur. lt