News

The first meeting of the joint working group that aims to improve procedures of visa issuance for tourists was held on 21 October at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This working group was formed by the order of Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis.

At the meeting, Minister A.Ažubalis stressed the importance of inbound tourism and invited to employ all the means, which were permitted by the Schengen acquis. The Minister asked the participants of the meeting to solve the problems good-willingly and through continuous consultations.

Head of the joint working group, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė said that the promotion of inbound tourism was a complex activity, and its success depended only on concerted effort in improving the quality of consular and tourism services, developing infrastructure (as well as ensuring convenient communications with Lithuania), and providing as much as possible information about Lithuania and its recreational possibilities.

The group discussed the results of 2010 summer tourism season, current problems and possible solutions. The participants of the meeting stressed the need to optimize the work of visa services and to strengthen the cooperation of all interested institutions and companies at the time of the year when the flow of tourists increased significantly.

During the meeting, the participants decided that the group would meet regularly, and, if necessary, representatives from other institutions and companies would be invited.

The next meeting of the working group, to which representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Communications will be invited, is scheduled for mid-November. The meeting will focus on appropriate preparation for the issuance of visas and logistic aspects during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The first meeting of the group was attended by representatives from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Interior, their subordinate institutions, the State Security Department, the cities of Palanga and Druskininkai, the Lithuanian Tourism Association, the Lithuanian Hotel and Restaurant Association and by member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas (Parliament) Rokas Žilinskas.