The Lithuanian State Department of Tourism hosted Scotland's travel trade and media delegates at the Scottish Arts Club on 29 Aprilfor a 'Lithuania Live in Edinburgh' event showcasing the destination's latest tourism products off the back of being ranked 3rd in the Lonely Planet's Top 10 destinations to visit in 2015. Lithuania is still an off-the-beaten-path destination for most tourists in Scotland. However, the situation is about to change because Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, has announced it is to introduce direct flights between Glasgow and the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Wizz Air will operate a year round, twice weekly service starting on 16 September 2015. Ryanair was the first airline to set direct flights twice a week but from Edinburgh Airport to Kaunas in 2010. Kaunas International Airport is the second busiest civil airport in Lithuania after Vilnius Airport.

The first part of the evening began with a welcome speech from Lithuanian Ambassador for the UK, Asta Skaisgiryte, followed by Indre Slyziute, the Lithuanian State Department of Tourism and Inga Pazereckaite, Kaunas Tourism Division delivering short talks and presentations on Lithuania's latest tourism opportunities. Between presentations, guests were given a cooking demonstration with the opportunity to taste cold beetroot soup, a traditional delicacy from Lithuania. 

An art exhibition by Adolfas Skurdelis displayed a selection of his Lithuanian works of art, alongside Lithuania's famous Amber products. Jonas Food provided Lithuanian culinary heritage products including cold meats, breads, cheeses and a tree cake with local beers from the Lithuanian Beer Limited throughout the evening.

The second part of the evening consisted of delegates networking with a delicious buffet of local food and drink, followed by a prize draw bringing the evening to an end. Prize winners included: Katie Wood The Sunday Post and Fiona Bibby The Travel Architect, who both took home colourful Vilnius umbrellas and Melissa Jones I-on Magazine who won a Vilnius T-Shirt. The top prizes went to John W.S. Macfie The Robert Louis Stevenson Club who won a 2-night stay for two people at The Best Western Santaka in Kaunas and Marjo Mclaren Travel Counsellors who won a night's stay for two people at the Crown Plaza in Vilnius.

“This is a fascinating and unique way of understanding and appreciating how much more Lithuania has to offer than the industry realises” commented Jurgita Kazlauskienė, Director, Lithuanian State Department of Tourism “I feel confident that operators and agents will be better equipped to promote Lithuania to their UK clients after they have participated”.

Fiona Bibby – “It was a great event and I learnt so much about your beautiful country.”

-Ends-

For more information please contact: 

Lithuanian Tourism Office in the UK
Alexander Gray

Tel: + 44 (0) 208 877 4502
Email: alexander@representationplus.co.uk  
Visit: www.Lithuania.travel

Lithuanian State Department of Tourism

Indre Slyziute

Tel: +370 706 64964

Email: i.slyziute@tourism.lt

Notes to Editors:

• Visit: www.Lithuania.travel/uk
• Ryanair flies direct from Edinburgh to Kaunas International Airport, twice weekly and WizzAir are launching a new flight from 15 September from Glasgow to Vilnius International Airport.
• Year round events include Mardi Gras in February, Vilnius International Film Festival in March, the International Jazz Festival in April, the International Contemporary Dance Festival “New Baltic Dance” in May, the Medieval Festival in TrakaiPeninsularCastle in June, the Vilnius Marathon in September and the “Christopher Christmas” music concerts in December, with many other notable events throughout the year.
• Lithuania is the southernmost country of the three Baltic States and has a 90km coastline along the Baltic Sea. Summers are generally warm with temperatures up to 30°C. Winters are cold with easterly winds bringing temperatures down to as low as -12°C. Spring and autumn are mild and there is normally snow cover for two months of the year.

 *This project is implemented and financed by the European Regional Development Fund in accordance with the Cohesion Promotion Action Programme.