| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 14/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 32 |
| Copyright: Other |
Marketing strategy by Brian Richards
Tourist office encourages UK visitors to Czech out regions
Authority moves to divert spotlight away from Prague
The Czech Tourist Authority is stepping up its marketing of the Czech Republic’s regions outside Prague in an effort to relieve pressure on the capital in the peak summer months.Latest figures show that 57% of the 256,553 UK visitors to the Czech Republic in 1998 stayed in Prague, spending on average 2.8 nights in the city.
The remaining 108,694 British visitors were spread around the country, with the regions of East Bohemia and South Moravia seeing slightly higher than average numbers.
The rapid rise in Prague’s popularity – it now ranks in the top five of most UK city-break specialists – is causing the CTA to renew its efforts to spread the tourism load more evenly.
While visitors from the UK, Italy, France and the US overwhelmingly favour Prague, those from markets nearer the Czech Republic are already attracted in volume to other parts of the country.
Czech Tourist Authority Prague-based director Karel Nejdl said: “We aim to show the Czech Republic is not only Prague – there is some beautiful countryside in the regions.
“Our policy is to promote our regional tourist product in international markets and 65% of our promotional budget is being devoted to that end.
“Central Moravia, for example, has an excellent tourist product. There are marvellous historic centres, with castles, chateaux and abbeys – and plenty going on to attract visitors.”
However, Nejdl acknowledged a need for more tourist hotels. “Heritage towns like Cesky Krumlov have good hotels but Central Moravia needs more beds to attract foreign visitors,” he said.
The Czech Republic has 1,808 hotels, of which 701 are three star and 124 four star; all nine of the country’s five-star hotels are in Prague.
The country’s total bedstock is 172,000.
The CTA has budgeted £2m for marketing abroad this year, a 12% increase on last year. “This figure is still too low and we hope to increase it next year,” Nejdl said.
Meanwhile, the Central European Countries Travel Association is to act as marketing consultant for South Moravia, helping in the creation of an educational programme.
Chief executive Gill Wilson said:”This is a pilot project for the regions of central Europe. The initial focus of CECTA was on countries and their capitals; now it’s the turn of the regions.”
The medieval South Moravian border town of Mikulov, just 75 minutes from Vienna, is cited by CECTA as a good example of a community that stands to benefit from cross-border tourism.
Prague: the tourist authority is seeking to show that the Czech Republic has more to offer than just its capital
operator view
Karel Zarsky, director of Czech Republicspecialist tour operator Cedock Travel
Besides Prague, which is the most visited and best known city in the Czech Republic, there are many other beautiful historical cities and areas of natural beauty waiting to be discovered.
Just 80 miles west of Prague, the world-famous triangle of spa towns – Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne and Frantiskovy Lazne could be your next stop. Spa guests can enjoy a comfortable stay complimented by a wide range of cultural events on offer. The surrounding beautifulcountryside is full of sights related to the area’s rich Bohemian history.
South Bohemia is a beautiful region featuring traditional folklore architecture, thousands of ponds and numerouspicturesque historical cities, castles and chateaux.
The capital, Ceske Budejovice, is home to the original Budvar (Budweiser) beer. Its town square is one of the largest quadratic squares lined by arcades in Europe.
Cesky Krumlov, sometimes called ‘pearl of Renaissance architecture’ is just 12 miles southeast of Ceske Budejovice. This United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation listed historical town with its unique complex of hundreds of historical houses and buildings attracts growing number of visitors every year.
Other places well worth a visit are the towns of Jindrichuv Hradec, Holasovice, Telc and Trebon in South Bohemia. The northern part of the Czech Republic is a traditional centre for winter sports. The mountain region called Krkonose (The Giant Mountains) offer good skiing conditions and in summer becomes a popular centre for hiking and mountain biking.
Cedock Travel can be contacted on tel: 020-7839 4414; fax: 020-839 0204 or e-mail: travel@cedok.demon.co.uk
Budvar beer: made in Ceske Budejovice, the capital of South Bohemia