On 14 July 2026, Krustpils Castle hosted an event for tourism professionals and guides as part of the Interreg project “Know the Park in the Dark”. The lecture, entitled “Guiding Tours and Maintaining Visitor Engagement at Jēkabpils History Museum”, brought together tourism specialists from Latvia and Lithuania, promoting cross-border cooperation and the exchange of professional experience.
The lecture was delivered by Armands Muižnieks, a professional tour guide with more than 30 years of experience in the tourism sector.
The programme covered a range of topics related to delivering high-quality guided tours and improving tourism services. Participants explored effective techniques for maintaining visitors’ attention, communication approaches for working with different target audiences, and the latest trends in the tourism industry. Discussions also focused on the impact of staff turnover on service quality, the importance of knowledge transfer within organisations, and the role of guides and tourism professionals in building visitor loyalty and encouraging repeat visits. Throughout the session, the lecturer shared practical examples and solutions based on extensive professional experience.
The practical part of the event gave participants the opportunity to explore the Krustpils Castle Museum exhibition while completing tasks prepared by the lecturer in the museum environment. This hands-on approach enabled participants to apply newly acquired knowledge in practice and encouraged active engagement.
Participant feedback confirmed that the event was both valuable and relevant. Survey responses highlighted strong interest in future professional development activities, including initiatives promoting cooperation between municipalities and tourism stakeholders, experience-sharing events, ideas for affordable souvenir development, masterclasses on digital marketing for tourism, museum management strategies, and regular lectures and practical workshops aimed at enhancing the professional skills of guides.
Knowledge-sharing activities such as this form an important part of the “Know the Park in the Dark” project, strengthening the competencies of tourism professionals and fostering cross-border cooperation.
