New research suggests that with effective marketing and investment, the Czech Republic has the potential to become one of Europe’s leading tourist destinations.
Following a decline in total tourism output between 2007 and 2010, economic recovery in major tourism source regions such as Europe and America contributed to a recovery of the Czech tourism sector in 2011, with direct tourism output increasing by 3%. Whilst this growth is healthy, it seems that the tourism sector of the Czech Republic is set to go from strength to strength, with new research released by Timetric suggesting that with effective marketing and investment, the Czech Republic has the potential to become one of Europe’s leading tourist destinations.
The country already boasts an established accommodation industry and a good transportation infrastructure, with the capital Prague standing as the focal point for tourism activity. Furthermore, its excellent overseas reputation of its health and wellness facilities has already contributed to the 2011 growth of the Czech tourism industry, having a positive impact on accommodation, entertainment and sightseeing, retail and transportation sectors.
Perhaps one of the most promising avenues for growth in the Czech tourism sector however, lies in its twelve historical monuments that are listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) heritage list. These include chateaux and monuments, historical towns, spa towns, resorts, mountain ranges and national parks, and represent the excellent potential for the continued expansion of the tourist industry in the Czech Republic, extending tourists’ horizons beyond Prague’s city limits, and ushering in a new wave of growth for the nation as a broader whole.
Key highlights
- In its travel and tourism competitiveness index for Europe in 2011, the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranks the Czech Republic 22nd.
- The WEF also ranks the Czech Republic first in terms of presence of major car rental companies, 10th in terms of quality of ground transportation network, 16th in terms of number of world heritage cultural sites, and 17th in terms of quality of air transport infrastructure.
- The Czech Republic recorded a total of 6.8 million inbound tourism trips in 2011, an annual growth of 7.9%. Germany was the primary source country, accounting for approximately 1.4 million inbound trips; followed by Poland, with 373,864 trips.
- The number of households in the Czech Republic is increasing at a steady annual growth rate of 0.47%, and stood at approximately 4.6 million households in 2011, while the country’s mean household income stood at US$23,357.1 in the same year.
- The total number of inbound tourists arriving in the Czech Republic declined from 6.7 million in 2007 to 6.3 million in 2010, a decline that was primarily caused by the impact of the global financial crisis in key source markets such as Poland, Slovakia, Austria and Germany.
