CULTURE HERITAGE AS IMPORTANT PRODUCT OF RURAL TOURISM

Processes of reduction of the dominating share of agriculture industry in the employment structure, having occurred in the Western Europe as far as in the 60s of the previous century, have taken place in the last decades in the rural areas of Latvia as well. The land owners, who are not able to survive on agriculture production, have involved in multifunctional economic activities, such as tourism, craft, construction, various technical, and social services thus maintaining rural communities and their lifestyle. The research is devoted to the inclusion of the culture heritage in the rural tourism product in order to promote its successful development as diversification of rural economy.