Dates

The Congress will be held from Saturday 30th August (arrival) to Saturday 6th September, 2008 (departure) at the Hotel Jūrmala Spa in Jūrmala, Latvia.

The WCSC will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd of September 2008.

Venue

Hotel Jūrmala SPA is a newly opened modern Spa resort and conference center. It is just a couple of hundred meters from the golden beaches on the shores of the Gulf of Riga. The hotel is situated on a central pedestrian only street, on which most of the shops and recreational buildings are situated. You can enjoy complete relaxation and regain your vitality in the recreation center — Wellness Oasis, with pools of different temperatures, bubble baths, five different saunas, a modern solarium and the Aqua bar. The Wellness Oasis entertains its guests throughout the year. There is a well-equipped and modern gym complex, offering personal programs with professional staff.

Getting there

Hotel Jūrmala Spa is located in downtown Jūrmala, satellite resort city of capital Riga, just 10 km from the airport of Riga. The code for Riga airport is RIX, and it is well connected by number of major airlines, including discounters such as RyanAir, EasyJet, and Latvian home company airBaltic. Taxi fare from Riga airport to the hotel is about 10 lati (about €14, if you will be paying in Euro, warn the driver in advance. Credit cards are accepted too.) You can also get to Jūrmala by car, possibly combined with ferry service to Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja, or Klaipėda.

Accommodation

Prices for the Hotel Jūrmala Spa are as follows:

• Single Room: €78 per person per day
• Twin Room: €60 per person per day
• Triple Room: €52 per person per day (twin with extra bed)
• Extra bed for children under 6 years free of charge
• Extra bed for children under 14 years: €15 per day

Prices include: buffet breakfast and dinner; entrance to Wellness Oasis saunas and pools center (daily until 16:00 except arrival day, on the departure day until 12:00); free WiFi internet connection in public areas, closing banquet, as well as all regular congress activities (congress materials, PCCC sessions, participation in the composing and solving competitions, solving show, minilectures, final bulletin, etc). All payments should be made to the organizers, upon arrival, in Euro or US dollars cash. If you wish to pay by bank transfer, please contact us. If you would like a double room, a suite, or a "Superior" room, please contact us early. The number of extra beds is limited.

It is also possible to extend your stay few days before and after the event, getting lower room prices for these days (but no dinner, as it is not normally served in the hotel). Contact us early if you desire to do so.

The participation fee for those not staying in the hotel or not making their reservation through the organizers is €120. This fee includes registration, the congress material and participation in the solving and composing tournaments. Excursion is extra and is at the discretion of the participants. And access to Jurmala sandy beaches is free everywhere.

Alternative accommodation

There is no official alternative accommodations provided, however, you are free to choose from a number of other hotels and guest houses in Jūrmala, making your own reservations. You may refer to Jūrmala tourist information site: http://jurmala.lv/en/home/turistiem/Acc/default.aspx, or to your travel agent.

Basic information

The national currency in Latvia is lats (plural: lati), divided into 100 santīmi (singular: santīms). Although we will accept Euro for the Congress payments, please bear in mind that Latvia is not in Euro zone, and foreign cash is generally not circulated anywhere in Latvia, so you will need to get cash lati, or use payment cards. Cash machines are common, and cards are widely accepted, except in smaller venues. Official exchange rate is 0.703 lati per Euro, commercial rates fluctuate around this value.

Official language in the country is Latvian, English is generally understood, and almost everyone knows Russian.

Visas

Latvia participates in Schengen agreement, if you need support in getting visas, contact us.

Contact

Please send your application before June 1st 2008 to:
e-mail: wccc-2008(AT)vo.id.lv (preferred way)
postal address: LPŠB, Katrīnas dambis 14, Riga, LV-1034, LETTONIE
telephone: +371 2942 0816

On behalf of of Latvia Chess Federation and Latvia Society for Problem Chess,

Alberts Cimiņš
Imants Dulbergs
Iļja Ketris

Riga, February 2008

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