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Maritime Tourism Discovers Lithuania
Vida Borteliene
When the attractiveness of the country
is being presented to the representatives of the world tourism companies, Lithuanians each
time admit that the passenger shipping traditions have just started to be created; the
servicing of tourists is not yet completely balanced, however, Lithuanians are ready to
compensate the lack of conveniences and services by their hearty hospitality.
The majority of Klaipeda citizens have almost forgotten that the first cruise ships came
to the port ten years ago and they used to shelter in the Trade Port harbour. Klaipeda
citizens could not even see the graceful ships berthing behind the walls and heaps of
cargo.
The number of tourists coming by liner ferries and cruise vessels started to grow rapidly
after cruise vessel terminal was opened, and the country was invited to join the EU. At
the same time State Tourism Department, Klaipeda municipality and port administration
summed up their financial resources and teamed up qualified specialists to work out the
tourist image of the country.
In 2004, Lithuania became a member of the EU, joined the initiative of other Baltic states
and started representing Klaipeda not only at the European events but at the most
important cruise business forum in Miami (USA).
Looks towards American market
On March 14-17, this year Klaipeda city
participated in international cruise business exhibition “Seatrade Cruise Shipping
Convention” in Miami for the second time. Head of marketing department of Klaipeda State
Seaport Authority (KSSA) Lina Gudelionyte-Gyliene, Vidmantas Pleckaitis, Vice Mayor of
Klaipeda municipality, Romena Savickiene, director of Klaipeda tourism and cultural
information centre, specialists of private maritime and tourist companies represented
Klaipeda port.
According to R. Savickiene, Klaipeda representatives had prepared for this exhibition
thoroughly - they had special publications, souvenirs and treated exhibition visitors with
“Svyturys” bear.
“Our port was included into regional development program INTERREG III B Baltic cruises
project financed by the EU funds and involving 10 Baltic States and 16 ports. At the
exhibition in Miami the project was recognized as a unique one, and it did not lack the
attention of the organizers. Concrete results of such exhibitions can be expected in the
coming years,” said R.Savickiene.
L. Gudelionyte-Gyliene noted that the exhibition had proved to her that the Baltic region
is of great interest and attractiveness to American people because of its safety. But the
port authority representatives had worries about the border crossing problems for tourists
with Schengen visas coming to Europe from far-away countries.
Norwegians are rare quests
 In 2004 about 50 cruise vessels with 14 thousand
tourists called at Klaipeda port. This year we expect over 60 vessels with more than 20
thousand tourists. Next year the tourist season promises 100 vessels with twice-thrice as
much passengers.
The growth of tourism business is more rapid in Klaipeda than in the whole region and,
according to the specialists, it is a natural phenomenon for the part of the West that had
been closed from Western community for many years and to which travel-lovers step like on
the unknown land. As the number of cruise vessels has increased, the tourism period in
Klaipeda has become longer up to five months.
Never before Baltic cruise vessel called at Klaipeda port as early as this year – it was
on the 14th of April. But the opening ceremony of the season, following the tradition,
will be organized in the end of May.
The first “cruise swallow” from Norway brought spring warmth and the hope for tourist
summer to be interesting and generous financially. At the same time, it once more reminded
that Lithuanians would have to work hard in order hundreds and thousands of guests, coming
for a short time, would get the best impression of our city and would leave it, wishing to
come back.
According to R.Savickiene, Norwegian tourists are rare guests to Lithuania. Therefore, it
is a pleasant and quite a new thing that the vessel Nordnorge from Riga called at Klaipeda
port and 90 tourists left for Vilnius by bus, after 24 hours catching up with the group in
Klaipeda. This way they saw much more of Lithuania.
Number of services increases
Alvydas Butkus, the head of the company Klaipedos
Laivu Remontas, which also manages cruise vessel terminal, paid attention to some
novelties in the terminal – such as taxi services, telecommunications, postal services,
trolley table with information publications. In the beginning of summer they plan to set
the cash dispenser, set up cafй near the berthing place. Though the main activity of the
terminal operator is ship repairing, until maritime leisure centre is created, as A.Butkus
states, the income from services rendered to cruise vessels is a rather strong financial
support.
The potential profit is calculated not only by tourism agencies but also by the port.
According to the data of KSSA, the port dues from cruise vessels exceeded one million
litas last year, with the average figure of 21 thousand litas from each vessel.
The tourists are invited for excursions to the Lithuanian Maritime museum, Klaipeda clock
museum, Neringa, Palanga, country surroundings. The representatives of tourism agencies
say that Germans prefer going to Neringa, other Europeans – to Palanga, Klaipeda
museums, whereas Americans wish rarer and more interesting entertainments.
Novelty –Constellation
 Concerning the reception of Americans Klaipeda
port and municipality heads negotiated several times.
In the beginning of summer the cruise vessel Constellation of the American
shipping company Celebrity will call at the port for the first time, bringing on
board 1950 passengers. The vessel is due to visit Klaipeda three times this year and it
has already made registrations for 2006 for three more times. It is the seventh biggest
cruise vessel in the world. Though it is expected with certain fear due to its unusual
size and passenger service abilities on shore, Klaipeda people are proud of this fact.
Some time ago, when the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the USA Stephen
Donald Mull visited Klaipeda, the Mayor of the city R. Taraskevicius praised on the
expected US tourist vessel coming to Lithuania for the first time and stressed this would
strengthen peoples’ relations of both countries.
Now, even the skeptics admit that three years ago, when the specialized quay was being
constructed and some people spread the idea of the too long term of pay-back, - this
approach was too pessimistic. Though the quay-wall has no platform installations and trade
centre is under project designing, Klaipeda people do not doubt that maritime tourism era
has started in Klaipeda, therefore they are in a hurry to implement the construction of
one more passenger vessel terminal.
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