“The most exciting part was the wait, just guessing what I was going to get,” says Inga, one of this year’s avanTourists. She is one of hundreds of Kaunas locals and visitors who, for the second year running, took on the “Kaunas IN” challenge to dive into a surprise adventure on World Tourism Day.
AvanTourists are people who aren’t afraid to choose a ‘cat in a bag’. The idea is simple but intriguing: after filling out a special form, participants are assigned a secret activity prepared by one of 40 project partners. The surprises ranged from coffee with a view of an aerodrome to an exclusive overnight stay, and from a clown museum to a behind-the-scenes look at the zoo.
This year, 358 curious people signed up to test their avanTourist spirit. However, nearly twice as many gifts were given away, as many of the experiences were designed for two people or even the whole family.
“The huge increase in the number of avanTourists this year shows the initiative is becoming more and more popular, with everyone from returning participants to first-timers, aged 8 to 87. We also received more feedback than ever, and it’s been incredibly positive. The whole team is delighted that our hard work creates meaningful moments for locals and visitors, taking them to places they might never have visited on their own,” comments Agnė Kriaučiūnienė, head of the tourism and marketing department at “Kaunas IN”.
So, what kind of adventures did the participants get up to? “I’d never been to this museum; I always thought it was more for men, definitely not for me! But when I got the email from the organisers, my curiosity won. I went on the tour of the Lithuanian Sports Museum and was absolutely blown away!” says Gerda, another avanTourist.
She says the biggest impression was made by the museum guide, who managed to convince someone with little interest in sports just how fascinating the Lithuanian sports world really is. “Throughout the project, I followed other people’s experiences too! There were so many interesting things going on, so if I get the chance, I’ll definitely take part again next year,” she added, happy to have made a new like-minded friend during the tour.
For another participant, Inga, the best part was the anticipation. “I found out about this initiative by chance and was intrigued. The most exciting part was the wait, just guessing what I was going to get,” she says. After receiving an invitation to visit the “Zoopark”, she was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and thinks initiatives like this are a great way to brighten up everyday life.
“We also attracted more partners this year, and they have been incredibly supportive and flexible. It’s great to see that they also find meaning in these initiatives, joining in and becoming part of the tourism community,” adds A. Kriaučiūnienė. According to her, this year’s avanTourists were offered a huge range of experiences, from unique adventures to unexpected flavours.
The Lithuanian Aviation Museum invited participants to a terrace with a view of the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Aerodrome, an area not yet open to the public. While sipping on a lovely morning coffee prepared by the museum, they could watch planes taking off and landing.
One of Kaunas’s oldest restaurants, “Miesto sodas”, treated avanTourists to a signature cocktail. “It symbolises the tasty modernity of the city, intertwined with Kaunas’s authentic history and the garden itself, green and fresh. It’s fun to be part of a living city,” said Inga, a representative from the restaurant located on Laisvės Alėja, right next to the Kaunas State Musical Theatre.
One of this year’s most spine-tingling experiences was the night-time and early-morning tours of the Kaunas forts, led by guide Rimutė. “The surprise was the most important thing we wanted to give those who dared to choose a ‘cat in a bag’. Many people don’t even dare to visit the forts during the day, but after dark, the old tunnels reveal their secrets,” the guide explains. She says that seeing the participants’ reactions, it was clear there were no losing tickets in this lottery.
Adventures awaited the avanTourists in Kaunas thanks to the partners of “Kaunas IN”: Military Heritage Museum “Atomic Bunker,” Lithuanian Sports Museum, “Radisson Hotel Kaunas,” Dessert Shop “Saldu,” “Trip Guru,” Lithuanian Zoo, Green Smoothie and Juice Bar “Gaivigaiva,” Public Institution “Zoopark.lt,” “Višta Puode restaurant,” UAB “Vanduo Marse,” “Poco,” “Angelų takais,” UAB “Cinamon Operations Lithuania,” UAB “Algirdas Hotel,” “Hexa Cinema,” “Mamma Pizza,” “Mamma Kitchen Stories,” Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, UAB “Senjorai,” Kaunas Cinema Center “Romuva,” National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum, Kaunas City Museum, UAB “Kauno viešbutis,” Restaurant “55,” UAB “Miesto sodas,” Restaurant PYO, Cafe “Dailė,” Family and Friends Restaurant “Žaliukė,” Lithuanian Aviation Museum, “Stay in Kaunas,” Entertainment Space “Ka-ringas,” Escape Rooms DP60, Cafe “Vice sushi&pizza,” and “Baltijos cirkas.”
