The tourism promotion strategy for southern Gran Canaria in the Baltic markets continues to move forward steadily despite the delicate liquidity crisis and financial difficulties facing the airline airBaltic. Gran Canaria Tourism and the airline itself recently held a professional meeting in the Latvian capital specifically aimed at local travel agents. The primary objective was to strengthen the marketing of the direct air connection between Riga and the archipelago and to provide tourism intermediaries with solid sales arguments to boost bookings to the hotels and holiday resorts in the south of the island, thus consolidating the flow of visitors in a highly challenging economic environment for the European airline.
This promotional campaign in Latvia coincides with a period of great uncertainty regarding the company's financial viability, marked by cash flow problems and operational difficulties. However, the airline maintains a seasonal base on the island and, on paper, plans to expand its route network for the winter season with connections to Warsaw, Poznań, Katowice, and Liège. Thus, southern Gran Canaria and iconic areas like Maspalomas are seeking to secure their leading role in the company's operations, serving not only as a final holiday destination but also as a key hub for sustaining demand from the Baltic region, despite the doubts surrounding the airline's stability.
To foster greater engagement among Latvian professionals amidst this climate of financial uncertainty, the Riga event adopted a dynamic format, departing from traditional conventions by organizing a team competition. Participating travel agents competed by answering blocks of questions about the islands' tourist attractions and the airline's network of connections, receiving detailed explanations after each round to assimilate practical information applicable to direct sales to their clients. The top performers won company gift cards, reinforcing a commercial alliance based on direct contact—an essential factor in the Baltic markets where specialized agencies continue to lead the way in recommending international sun and beach destinations despite concerns about the liquidity of their strategic airline partner.
