Linguists reject term 'circular tourism' - apparently haven't been to Pētera Street on Saturday

The linguist commission has seriously decided to reject the term 'circular tourism,' claiming it's an artificial word combination without clear meaning. This decision is about as surprising as the fact that Liepāja's wind also blows in winter.

'It's unclear how the concept relates to rolling or circulation,' complain commission members who apparently have never been to Pētera Street on Saturday evening, when all Liepāja residents roll down the main street like balls in a circus. There you can see true circulation - people go in one direction to Rojas Street, then turn back to Graudu Street, and so on endlessly. That's circular tourism in its purest form.

'Perhaps the term is related to circular economy, but it's not clearly enough explained,' note the linguists. While they deliberate about definitions in Riga, Liepāja has long been practicing circular tourism. For example, every summer tourists come to Liepāja, tour all three main streets, then return to the beginning and tour the same streets again, because there are no others.

'What's the difference between sustainable and circular tourism?' asks the commission. The difference is simple - sustainable tourism is when tourists come and stay, but circular is when they come, walk in circles and then come again. As a local vendor on Pētera Street says: 'Tourists are like a tram to us - they go in circles and appear again.'

Let the linguists not worry - in Liepāja we're ready to use any term, if it means more tourists will see our beautiful city. Even if they do it in circles.