Ethics of travel

Aldis Kušķis has been involved in the travel industry for more than 20 years. Starting with managing an around-the-world sailing project at the turn of the century, to defending the interests of the European tourism industry and its citizens on the Committee on Transport and Tourism as a Member of the European Parliament 2004–09, he is now an extremely well-connected travel designer creating tailor-made itineraries for cultural adventurers and sophisticated travellers.

Aldis was born in 1965 in Riga, the capital of Latvia. His structured and logical thinking was nurtured and polished at Riga’s 1st Gymnasium (the oldest school in the Baltic states, which traces its origins to the Riga Dom School, founded in 1211), renowned for its specialisation in mathematics. The heady revolutionary times, when Latvia regained its independence in 1991 were also very creative times. Together with other DJs, Aldis formed the first pirate radio station in Latvia. Producing and managing music and arts festivals was a natural progression. Other projects followed, including publishing the first “city magazine” in the Baltics and managing the production company that produced Latvia’s most popular TV talk show of the 2000s. As founder and owner of a number of marketing communications businesses, he managed numerous projects in transatlantic locations from Chicago to London to Stockholm, and helped transform a single advertising agency into a network of thirty companies in five European countries.

Aldis’ process management and oratorical skills proved very useful when he entered politics and was elected to the Latvian Parliament – Saeima – where he specialised in relations with the European Union and the OSCE. After election to the European Parliament, he served on the Environment Committee, worked for the sustainability of  maritime transport, and was active on the Transport & Tourism Committee where he worked in close cooperation with the tourism umbrella organisation ECTAA – The European Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

Returning to private business in 2009, he established a successful destination management company, which has since designed countless tailor-made itineraries for American, Brazilian, British, and European travellers to the Baltic States and Scandinavia. At the same time, he also served as the Vice President of the Latvian Association of Travel Agents and Operators and the Chairman of the National Tourism Board of Latvia, leading one of the best tourism destination brands – “Latvia – Best enjoyed slowly.” His most recent venture, STAGINGS Travel Design, serves Latvia’s top travelling families as well as many other demanding travellers from all over Europe. He attributes part of his success to strong partnerships with the world’s leading hospitality and travel business brands, like Belmond, Aman, A&K, etc.