News about renewed threats to the airspace of Latvia and the Baltic states has received wide coverage not only locally but also in international media. This is creating significant regional tension and negatively affecting the tourism and hospitality sectors. Bookings are being cancelled, causing losses worth millions of euros for businesses and the state. However, it is important to understand that unclear and alarming messaging can cause greater damage than the actual airspace incidents themselves, says Jānis Jenzis, President of the Latvian Restaurant Association.
In his view, the situation has been significantly worsened by intensified and chaotic communication.
“Do not misunderstand me — if there is a threat to airspace security, residents must be informed immediately. However, this must be accompanied by clear and confident messages from the government. Society needs to see that the responsible authorities are acting in a coordinated and professional manner and that they are in control of the situation. Internationally, Latvia must send an unmistakable signal that it can respond quickly, ensure security, and make decisive decisions during crises. So far, the opposite has happened — the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing. From the government, we have mainly heard complaints and attempts to find someone to blame. There has been a lack of clear communication and specifics regarding what has been accomplished in terms of security and what further measures will be taken,” Jenzis argues.
“Although we are militarily secure, the hybrid warfare narrative is winning in the media space. The greatest damage to our tourism industry comes from our inability to clearly and confidently demonstrate the actual situation. Daily life continues as normal in Latgale and throughout Latvia — people go to work, events are taking place, hotels and restaurants are open and ready to welcome guests. At present, we are failing to communicate this message clearly enough, both to local residents who are cancelling bookings in border regions and to international audiences.
If we ourselves are afraid to travel to Latgale, how can we expect a tourist from Berlin or Paris to come there?”
Jenzis asks rhetorically.
“This is not only Latvia’s problem. Tourists from Western countries are also cancelling bookings in Lithuania and Estonia because the Baltics are increasingly being perceived as a single unsafe frontline border zone. It would be a mistake to spend our time making excuses and trying to convince people that ‘everything is safe.’ Instead, we need to demonstrate confidence and project Latvia as a stable country. The new government must act decisively by strengthening national security and ensuring strategic, calm communication with the public, without allowing fear to dictate our daily lives,” Jenzis says.
In his opinion, it is equally important to engage with businesses, listen to their needs, and finally take action.
A good example is the reduced VAT rate for the catering industry, an issue that the Latvian Restaurant Association has been discussing with policymakers for the past nine years. Although there is conceptual support for the measure, no positive decision has yet been made. Under current crisis conditions, such a tax instrument is no longer merely a topic for theoretical discussion. It represents direct and critically needed support for every business in the catering sector, especially in the eastern border regions where the decline in customer numbers is being felt most strongly.
According to the latest data from Latvia’s Central Statistical Bureau (CSP)
for the first quarter of 2026, the number of foreign visitors has fallen by more than 7%.
Booking cancellations affect not only accommodation providers but also cause losses for local restaurants, small-scale producers, and entertainment venues. Recent drone incidents near the border have further intensified the situation, and it is already becoming clear that hopes for a thriving tourism season are fading.
The decision by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) to redirect funding toward support measures for Latgale and domestic tourism is a step in the right direction, but more may be needed. Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary solutions. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are in the same boat, and therefore a logical response would be a targeted effort to stimulate tourism within the Baltic region itself. Promotional campaigns in Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland encouraging visitors to travel to Riga to enjoy its cultural and gastronomic offerings, as well as regional tourism initiatives aimed at neighbouring countries, could serve as a safety cushion helping to offset the decline in arrivals from Western markets.
“The airspace threat is likely to become part of the new reality that we must learn to live with. Therefore, Latvia needs decisive government action, confident communication, and practical, predictable support for businesses that form the backbone of our economy. We expect the new Minister of Defence to communicate clearly what has been done, what is being done, and what will be done to ensure that Latvian residents, foreign visitors, and investors feel safe in Latvia. Only by making targeted investments in a stable business environment and strengthening cooperation at the Baltic level will we be able to preserve the vitality of the tourism and hospitality industries and, in the long term, restore the desire of Western visitors to travel to Latvia,” Jenzis concludes.
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