The Saxon bar is one of many nightspots blacklisted by the U.S. Embassy in Latvia. Photo by Nathan Greenhalgh.
RIGA — Following a personal tour of some of Old Town’s more notorious establishments this weekend, Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs has vowed to take a hardline stance on bars involved in scams and rip-offs targeting foreign tourists.
Usakovs’ press secretary Anna Kononova said that in one bar the mayor saw a six-liter Martini cocktail offered on the menu for a staggering 1,800 lats (€2,561.17), while other establishments offered wine for up to 350 lats.
The mayor warned steps will be taken to shut down bars and clubs of disrepute if practices are not improved.
Usakovs also called for better self-regulation within the industry itself, saying tourism representatives must develop their own proposals to tackle ongoing problematic issues and improve the quality of services provided.
Usakovs, along with Deputy Mayor Ainārs Šlesers, tourism industry representatives and other members of the municipality took a fact-finding tour through Old Town on Friday night as part of new push to clean up the city’s image.
Usakovs last week criticized the national government’s decision to strike tourism from its priority list as short-sighted, saying the industry was vital to the country’s long-term economic growth.
“Riga municipality will do everything for further development of this industry in Riga and to attract more and more foreign tourists. The action carried out by the government to not tourism in its list of priorities is very thoughtless,” Usakovs said, adding that the boost to the economy increased tourism could bring would be felt in state coffers.
“For the successful development of tourism in Riga and Latvia, support from the state and municipality is needed, and we, Riga municipality, realize that very well,” he said.
In July the U.S. embassy in Riga published a revised black list of bars and clubs reported to be involved in tourist scams.
I am saddened to learn that the national government has decided to remove tourism from the priorities list. Pro-active measures to promote the culture, beauty and liveability of Latvia through tourism is a major key to economic re-development.. Having moved here from England I can tell you that tourism has kept the UK afloat during hard economic times. It is a serious mistake to sideline tourism at any time but especially now.
Does the Mayor of Riga intend also to restrain the expansion of establishements (most, if not all of which are owned by English) catering to Englishmen who arrive for a “sexual experience week-end” in Riga and behave in such a piggishly abject manner on the streets that even the most open minded subject of her Majesty would be ashamed to accept them as fellow countrymen ? Or is this sort of tourisme also most welcome ?
Is my comment to be moderated ? or rather the behavior of the tourists in question ?
On December 25, 2008, we visiting Lord Pub(groks pub). We met two scam artists who are working for the pub and ended up by having to pay 77 Lats (1.100 NOK/110 euro) for two beers and to small drinks for the girls. We didn`t even order the drinks.
Later on the trip some people stolen our Videocamera,digital photocamera,ipod,mobilephone and 90 lats.
We`re not the first ones or the last ones with this kind of bitter experience in Riga, Latvia. Unfortunately!
In our opinion Latvians should be ashamed to have places like this in their own country. We can`t understand why the politicians, the police or the court system is not reacting by closing down such pubs, discoteques or nightclubs.
If they will not react soon then I believe most tourists very soon has to react by boycotting banana republics like Latvia. Monkey business like this should never be tolerated!
Greatings Frode Weholt,Norway
Yes, we are pretty much ashamed, but the fact that the locals are rarely, if ever, victims of such practices leads to reluctance on the society’s part to recognize, raise awareness of, or fight the problem.
I have to say I was looking forward to a holiday in Riga. However it was spoiled by being scammed on the final night in a bar and held captive by the management and bouncers until we paid 300 pounds for drink that 2 women sitting with us ordered.
people should avoid these places until things change
I have been to Riga last summer. A friend of me had e few dribks in the cognac bar (is also on the black list). He had to pay 1500 euro for 5 drinks.