Author: Janis Vanags
Source: A/S Air Baltic Corporation
Latvian national airline airBaltic hosted 675 international journalists on media trips in 2010. The airline’s business and its main destination – Riga, Latvia – proved to be a big draw for media interest.
Janis Vanags, Corporate Communications Vice President of airBaltic: “Media are important in attracting tourists, who spend money in local restaurants, hotels, museums, events and thus create jobs. airBaltic had some 700 media visits, appeared in 15000 publications globally last year, and ranked among Top 10 airlines in social media – this has reinforced the world’s attention to Riga, Latvia. We thank our numerous partners – restaurants, hotels, museums, theatres, opera, event organizers, and many others, who co-host and welcome media.”
Most of the visiting international journalists came from Russia (22%), Germany (14%), Finland (11%), Sweden (9%). They also represented Denmark, Israel, Canada, China, Australia, USA, UK, amongst other countries. A number of tourism development organisations worked alongside airBaltic in co-hosting part of the media trips, with LiveRiga being the most active partner.
The media travelling on airBaltic and visiting its destinations represented many globally respected titles, including Die Welt, The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, Handelsblatt, CNN Traveller, Forbes, Airliner World, Air Transport World, Borsen, Metro, Elle, GQ, Itartass, Helsingin Sanomat, Kauppalehti.
airBaltic serves 80 destinations from its home base at Riga, Latvia. From every one of these, airBaltic offers convenient connections via North Hub Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East.
airBalticin brief:
AIR BALTIC CORPORATION (airBaltic) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. The primary shareholders are the Latvian state, with 52.6% of stock, and SIA Baltijas aviācijas sistēmas, with 47.2% of stock. The airBaltic fleet consists of 34 aircraft – six Boeing 737-500, eight Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 757-200, ten Fokker 50 airplanes and eight Bombardier Q400Next Gen. airBaltic offers nonstop flights from three Baltic capital cities – Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn. airBaltic received the title of Airline of the Year 2009/2010 (Gold Award) from the European Regions Airline Association. airBaltic is the winner of Air Transport World Phoenix Award 2010 – a global recognition of excellence in restructuring business. In summer 2010, airBaltic was chosen for anna.aero ANNIES Award as Europe's largest flag carrier by new routes. airBaltic won a special Pacesetter Award 2010 from the Jury of the Budgies World Low Cost Airline Awards, recognising achievements of airBaltic as a hybrid airline.
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