THE Polish and Czech Republic tourist offices are planning to focus next year’s marketing campaigns on Krakow and Prague after the two cities were designated European Cities of Culture for 2000.
Polish National Tourist Office tourism development manager Ewa Binkin said: “Krakow will be the main thrust of our promotion in the millennium year. Music, drama and art festivals of all kinds will be taking place throughout the year and we will see more plays and musical performances in the city.”
Musical highlights in Krakow next year will include the Beethoven Easter Festival; Encounters 2000, highlighting traditional European folk music; and the Summer Jazz Festival, both in July.
Art lovers should visit in January, when the Lanckoronski Exhibition of pre-16th-century Italian art opens.
In Prague, all musical tastes will be catered for. The year will kick off with an international festival of brass band music from January 6-8, while from July 6-9, the Czech capital stages its first European folklore festival.
These events will be followed by an organ festival in August and September and a jazz festival in October.
Czech Tourist Authority head of UK operations Dagmar Gillespie said: “Prague has an absolutely fantastic cultural history.
“With so much happening next year, we think it could well attract a record number of visitors.”
n The EU has designated nine cities European City of Culture for the millennium year. The other seven are Avignon, Bergen, Bologna, Brussels, Helsinki, Reykjavik and Santiago de Compostela.