Introduction
The fact that tourism has become one of the essential branches of the Czech economy is now indisputable. The increase in the popularity of tourism is connected with its increasingly important position in the world economy. Tourism has become a global phenomenon that overlaps several dimensions of our lives, whether in continuity with the mentioned economy or the environmental, social, and cultural environment. It is associated with self-education, self-improvement, and self-realization. More precisely, “the growth of education as the realization of the need for knowledge” thus becomes “the immediate cause of modern tourism” (Jakubíková, 20, p. 21).
Europe, in the “center” of which the Czech Republic (CR) is located, increasingly represents an actual entity in the political, economic, and socio-cultural sense. It has been ranked among the most popular continents for all tourists in the world, as well as being home to some leading multinational companies from tourism, proving that people are increasingly focusing on places that have a lot to offer them. They are more informed, more experienced, more demanding, and expect more and more value for their money. “Entrepreneurs, managers, and, simultaneously, employees should always follow new trends, hobbies, and requirements and be responsive in fulfilling them. If they cannot recognize changes in time and prepare for them, they will not succeed in the market (Jakubíková, 2012, p. 11).”
In the theoretical part, the presented study approaches tourism in continuity both with a historical perspective and especially in reflecting the specifics of the Czech environment. Subsequently, based on the analysis of secondary data, it presents the state of tourism in a comparison of values reflecting the essential criteria of the state before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and in the post-pandemic period, namely in the continuity of finding an answer to the primary research question, whether Czech tourism has succeeded after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic to overcome the enormous problems that it brought with it, or on the contrary, it is a state of decline and stagnation, which presents the current state of tourism in the CR.
Theoretical Framework
Tourism: Specification of the Concept in the Continuity of the Historical Overview
Tourism, “a complex socio-economic phenomenon that affects a whole range of economic and non-economic (social, psychological, ecological, geographical) areas of society” (Palatková, Zichová, 2014, p. 11), presents a multidisciplinary and cross-sectional phenomenon in continuity with the case of determining the exact definition. The given situation thus directly reflects the issue of one-sided anchoring of the concept “from the point of view of one paradigm or through one scientific field,” which “is related to a whole series of interactions between diverse groups of actors,” whose actions are guided by “different motivations and interests, which are reflected in a complex system with a varied structure of ties both within tourism and in connection with its external environment” (Šauer et al., 2015, p. 9).
The beginnings of scientific research at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries focused mainly on defining the essence of tourism, whether individuals or international organizations tried to verbally describe the content of the term. The initial scientific approach directed attention to the differentiation of tourism from the broader concept of travel (Stratdner, 1905; Schullern, 1911; Morgenroth, 1927, etc.; in Malá, 2002, p. 7). It was only subsequent specifications that aimed at a particular social or economic aspect of the given phenomenon when tourism was conceived in the form of “an economic phenomenon associated with the consumption of material and immaterial goods paid for from funds obtained at the place of permanent residence” (Ogilvie, 1933; Norval, 1936). Fedor (1937) subsequently conceptualized tourism as “the periodic inflow and outflow of people to a particular place or state from another place or state.” Tourism was thus presented as “a summary of relations between people temporarily staying in a certain place and residents” (Malá, 2002, p. 8).
One of the first scientific interpretations presenting tourism from the point of view of a theoretical discipline defines tourism as “a collective designation of relationships and phenomena arising based on the journey and stay of non-residents if the stay is not followed by settlement and if no gainful activity is associated with it” (Hunziker, Krapf, 1942, p. 21). In 1971, the specified specification became the starting point for the so-called St. Gallen’s definition of tourism that speaks about it as “a set of relationships and phenomena that result from the travel and stay of persons for whom the place of residence is neither the primary place of residence nor the place of a gainful activity” (Kopšo, 1979, p. 10). This simultaneously became the official definition adopted by the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism (AIEST). From a conceptual point of view, we can thus specify tourism in continuity with the following attributes: it is a summary of relationships and phenomena (1); resulting from the movement of people and stay in different destinations, containing a dynamic (travel) and static (stay) element (2); which take place outside the usual living or working environment (3); having a temporary character (4); while they are not connected with the performance of a gainful activity or the participant of tourism is not remunerated from the visited place (5) (Burkart, Medlik, 1992).
Despite all the specifications that tried to capture the concept as precisely as possible on a scientific basis, it became necessary to unify concepts from the field of tourism to create a framework for its statistical monitoring. The conference of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in Ottawa (1991) presented a modified definition of tourism, which, together with the Standard International Classification of Tourism Activities (SICTA), in the form of an official definition adopted in 1993: “Tourism presents the activity of a person traveling for a temporary period to a place outside of his normal environment, for a period shorter than that specified (international tourism/1 year; domestic tourism /6 months), while the primary purpose of the trip is other than performing a gainful activity in the visited place.” The Recommendations on Tourism Statistics (1993) thus became the first comprehensive international material from the point of view of terms, definitions, classification and indicators in tourism. In 2008, the definition was revised and was included in the amendment of the fundamental recommendations for tourism statistics in the new document International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS) (Kotíková, 2013; Palatková, Zichová, 2014).
Czech Republic and the History of Tourism
In the same way, as the previous text prefaced, we cannot even talk about a uniform approach from the perspective of historical aspects of travel since the development of tourism itself cannot be followed without the context of the overall socio-economic development, which differs in different parts of the world. The modern history of tourism in the Czech Republic is primarily connected with the boom in spas. Tramping at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, when the construction of the first large hotel complexes began, companies with a direct specialization in tourism were created (ČEDOK/travel agency, 1920), as well as various voluntary groups (Czech Tourist Club, 1888; Czechoslovak Tourist Club, 1920). All efforts were aimed at strengthening tourism promotion beyond the borders in continuity with arousing interest in travel with an orientation to publishing, promotional, and printing activities (Tourist Journal, 1889).
However, it was political measures after the Second World War that led to a violent transformation of the set goals of tourism. It was mainly the change in socio-political conditions after 1948, which was reflected in the current forms and types of tourism, which meant the end of “free-spirited” business activity (nationalization of property, abolition of the Czechoslovak Tourist Club, etc.) and the development of a “socialist” oriented tourism (closing of “western borders” forced orientation to neighbor socialist countries, etc.) – persisting until the 1980s. The characteristic feature of tourism was the creation of facilities for rest and recreation without capital formation and innovation.
A radical change in the field of tourism occurred after 1989 (after the so-called Velvet Revolution). The most significant turnaround can be noted in the privatization of the material and technical base of tourism, in the emergence of a competitive environment in related fields. However, the opening of borders and the removal of passport and visa obligations can be considered an important factor, which was reflected not only in the development of the travel agency market in continuity with the change of foreign passive and active tourism but especially in modern democratic management replacing directive management and the organization of the development of tourism on a central, regional, or local level in continuity with new tools, which opened the door for the CR to return to the level of other European states (Lejsek, 2011; Šauer et al., 2015).
Indicators of Tourism Statistics
Tourism statistics are in full compliance with Act No 89/1995 Sb on the State Statistical Service, the European Statistics Code of Practice, the Commitment on Confidence in Statistics in the Czech Republic and other Key Documents of the Czech Statistical Office. Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics on tourism is valid within the European Union for the field of tourism statistics. Under this Regulation, the Member States of the Union are required to provide data on capacity and attendance in collective accommodation establishments and domestic and outbound tourism. The indicators and definitions in the field of tourism statistics are fully internationally comparable and correspond to the valid international methodological recommendations.
In most EU countries, residents’ trips abroad are monitored through sample surveys in households, while foreigners’ arrivals are mainly based on information in collective accommodation establishments. According to the EU, when speaking about trips, only those made by persons over 15 years of age, regardless of the type of accommodation, are compulsorily monitored; for arrivals, only the so-called collective accommodation establishments must be monitored without regard to age (i.e., including children). Only when following all the rules will each statistical source have its value, and quality, and be adequately analytically usable. The specific features of the Czech environment include monthly surveys in households in the form of a Tourism Sample Survey (TSS) with the extrapolation of data to the total population with an indicator of the structure and number of trips in the classification for domestic and outbound tourism (CZSO 2021).
Methodology
Problem Formulation
Europe is the world’s leading tourist destination, and the tourism sector is an integral part of the European Union (EU) economy, accounting for 10% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the smooth development was significantly affected by the impact of the global health crisis, based on which a drop with subsequent stagnation of the growth of European tourism is expected, which will thus remain below the level of 2019 until 2023. Europe recorded a dramatic decrease in foreign tourists during the first four months of 2020 by 44% compared to the same period in 2019, presenting a decline in line with global performance. Likewise, the loss of jobs in tourism reached unprecedented proportions in Europe in 2020, even by 14.2 million to 29.5 million jobs (Pernice, Debyser, 2023).
The post-pandemic period also represents an even more complicated part of the long and challenging journey for tourism in the CR – the question is how the CR will cope with the given situation. It is the already mentioned year 2020, which, in the reflection of the pandemic, was most pronounced, especially in tourism, which thus became one of the most affected sectors of the economy. The share in the creation of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country fell to 1.48%, which in financial terms represented 84.3 billion crowns, and the share of tourism in the creation of gross added value in the national economy was 1.45%. This was a dramatic year-on-year reduction, as in 2019, the same share reached 2.76%.
In the same year, 10.3 million foreign visitors visited the CR, which represented a year-on-year decrease of 72.4%. On the other hand, Czech citizens made almost 63 million trips domestically and 5.4 million trips abroad. The total volume of tourism expenditures thus reached 135.8 billion crowns. This is a summary indicator of the demand of all visitors who spent their vacation in the CR. In 2019, however, this indicator was 127% higher in a year-on-year comparison. Likewise, we recorded a decrease in employment in the field (222.0 thousand persons), with a year-on-year decrease of 7.3%. The share of tourism in total employment in the national economy (NH) decreased to 4.16%. Every twenty-fourth Czech worked in tourism (Cieslar, 2022).
Problem Solution
Objectives and Methodology
The aim of the study is based on the analysis of secondary data based on statistical indicators (see 2.4) mapping tourism area in the CR in a comparison of values reflecting the primary criteria of the state before the pandemic, during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic period, in continuity with finding an answer to the basic research the question of whether, after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Czech tourism managed to overcome the enormous problems that the crisis in tourism brought with it, or whether, on the contrary, it is a case of decline and stagnation, which presents the current situation of tourism in the CR. Attention will be directed to the comparison of data from the point of view of specifics as a result of the impact of the pandemic on the area of the CR reflected.
Results and Interpretation
Indicators of Domestic and Outbound Tourism in the Czech Republic (2019–2020)
The primary focus of the study is on indicators of domestic and outgoing tourism in the continuity of short trips/ST and long trips/LT trips of residents in the confrontation of the problematic “pandemic” year 2020 (in thousands): (ST/13,361 × LT/9,275) with the significantly successful year 2019 (pre-COVID times) on the one hand: (ST/19,970 × LT/13,515), on the other hand with the year 2022: (ST/18,773 × LT/13,313) already presenting a period of stagnation in the area of tourism development in the CR (Table 1a: CZSO-ST, 2023; Table 1b: CZSO-LT, 2023).
Table 1a: Short trips (1-3 overnight stays) of the Czech residents in tourism and abroad (thousands) – number and purpose
Short trips domestic stays/STD; short trips abroad/STA (Source: Adjusted according to CZSO-ST, 2023)
Table 1b: Long trips (4 and more overnight stays) of the Czech residents in tourism and
abroad (thousands) – number and purpose
The comparison of data (Table 1a × 1b) in the comparison of the years 2020/2019×2022 confirmed a significant decrease in the “pandemic” year 2020 both for STD (12,776/18,391×17,454) and with a milder impact for LTD (7.636/8.412×8.059). On the contrary, we are experiencing a significant impact of the pandemic thanks to the set restrictions, especially in STA (586/1,669×1,319), even with a continuing downward trend in 2021 (497) and also in LTA (1,639/5,103×5,263). However, the year 2022 surpassed 2019. Holiday and leisure time (ST: 7,043/10,387×9,763) × (LT: 7,501/10,400×10,367), with a significant deviation in the visit of relatives or friends (ST: 6,158/9,083×8,663) × (LS: 1.615/2.598×2.549). Omission is associated with inadequate reliability (IR) due to small numbers and sample size, with IR affecting other private stays for ST and medical stays for LT (Table 1a: CZSO-ST, 2023; Table 1b: CZSO-LT, 2023).
Table 2a: Short trips (1-3 overnight stays) of the Czech residents in tourism and abroad (thousands) – the type of accommodation
(Source: Adjusted according to CZSO-ST, 2023)
Table 2b: Long trips (4 and more overnight stays) of the Czech residents in tourism and abroad (thousands) – type of accommodation
(Source: Adjusted according to CZSO-LT, 2023)
From the previous data (Table 2a × 2b), it follows that the most minor decrease in the offer of accommodation options during the pandemic period (2020/2019×2022) in comparison with other possible primary types of accommodation was recorded using own recreational facilities both in ST (4.274/5.461×4.778) and in LT (2.648/2.698×2.463). A specific feature is an increase in preference even in 2021, with a gradual downward trend. Statistical data also confirmed that attention is focused almost exclusively on the domestic market for both ST and LT. From the point of view of foreign trips, it was again a case of failure to provide data in connection with insufficient reliability (IR).
A significant reduction also affects the use of means of transport, especially for LT. This is the impact of the restrictions, reflected in air transport, where the pandemic brought a very significant decrease (273/2.057×2.216). However, the decrease was also reflected in bus transport (555/1,244×778), in train transport (753/1,244×610), but also in motor vehicles (7,974/9,432×9,662), even in ST, where the preference for a personal motor vehicle still remains predominant (11,712/16,969×16,538). Also, ST by bus transport (612/1,181×971), as well as by train (967/1,540×1,024), recorded an increased decrease (CZSO-ST, 2023; CZSO-LT, 2023).
Table 3a: Short trips (1-3 overnight stays) of Czech residents in CR and abroad (thousands) – the way of the trip organization
(Source: Adjusted according to CZSO-ST, 2023)
Table 3b: Long trips (4 and more overnight stays) of Czech residents in CR and abroad (thousands) – length and the way of the trip organization
(Source: Adjusted according to CZSO-LT, 2023)
Let us look further at the preference from the point of view of travel organizations (Table 3a × 3b). We can see agreement in the continuing set line of preference for individual travel, especially in ST (13.116/19.338×18.342), but at the same time also in LT (8,232/10,573×10,363), even during the pandemic, where a more significant reduction is evident in ST in continuity with the prevailing number of individual travels compared to LT. The pandemic had a significant impact on the possibilities of using the services of travel agencies, which were forced to cancel many tours due to the dire situation. However, residents could only use the offer of the travel agency to a limited extent to secure accommodation or transport (Table 3a: CZSO-ST, 2023; Table 3b: CZSO-LT, 2023).
If we look at the impact of the pandemic on tourism, comparing the data of the crisis year 2020 and the set successful line of 2019 with a return to the post-pandemic year 2022, it is evident that Czech tourism was also greatly affected. It was primarily a reflection of the restrictions, which harmed the STA and LTA, especially from the point of view of limited air transport, use of hotel accommodations, and organized tours. The difficult conditions, despite the reduced indicators, were reflected in the predominance of domestic tourism over outgoing tourism, namely in the continuity of short-term, individually organized stays. In the period of the pandemic (and consequently also in the reflection of the decreasing standard of living), the reflection of the specifics of Czech tourism prevailed again, which is presented by a return to the pre-revolutionary character of tourism in continuity with a reduced possibility to travel, when the solution became a preference for STD and LTD directed to rural cottages, primarily when using personal motor vehicles, the preference of which continued even in 2021, with a gradual reduction in 2022 in continuity with the possibility of traveling abroad again.
However, the essential findings of tourism development include more than just trips abroad but also the number of foreign guests and overnight stays in mass accommodation facilities in the CR.
Table 4: Guests and overnight stays in collective accommodation establishments by country
* in 2020 (Source: Adjusted according to CZSO, 2023 – Period 2020, Period 2019)
The presented values (Table 4) clearly show that the problematic situation in continuity with the set restrictions was also significantly reflected in the reduction in foreign visitors. Despite the significant drop, it is clear that Germany still clearly and by a large margin retained its lead. There are also Poland and Slovakia, for which the territorial proximity of the Czech Republic did not cause significant problems, especially in the possibility of choosing a means of transport. The most significant drop in the number of guests compared to the pandemic period and before the pandemic (A×B) was seen in visitors from China (38,855×609,727), South Korea (42,414×387,563), Japan (25,301×147,760), as well as Italy (89,050×409,731) and Russia (132,033×564,083), which was also reflected in the post-video period (2022) in a lower number of visitors: China (34,123), South Korea (67,005), Japan (22,283), Russia (49,094), in contrast to the countries standing in the foreground ranking: Germany (1,842,729), Slovakia (776,216) and Poland (612,917) (CZSO, 2023 – Period 2020, Period 2019).
Conclusion
The previous analysis confirmed the significant impact of the global health crisis on Czech tourism as well. Based on indicators in continuity with the crisis year 2020, the forecasts predicted not only a significant drop but also the subsequent stagnation of the growth of European tourism until at least 2023. Are these forecasts fulfilled in a reflection of stagnation, and Czech tourism stagnated in 2022 at almost the level of the pandemic year 2020?
After the two pandemic years, Czech tourism gradually came closer to the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. From the comparison of the data from the pandemic and pre-pandemic period (see 4.1), it is clear that although there is still a lot to catch up on, part of the road to recovery has already been covered. Even though, from the point of view of resident trips, the pre-pandemic level of 4.2% is not reached, compared to 2021, there has already been an increase of more than a quarter. The year-on-year increase in domestic trips also increased by 14.3% (-4.5%/2019), and the number of foreign trips more than doubled year-on-year thanks to the easing of restrictions (-3%/2019). After the two-year restriction of the coronavirus pandemic, the share of foreign trips returned to the previous values (LTA/39%, STA/7%), the majority went to EU countries (LTA/75%, STA/99%), Croatia continued to be in the center of attention for LTA, while Slovakia took the lead for STA.
Compared to before the pandemic, in 2022, domestic trips for recreation or vacation increased slightly (share in LT 73%, in ST 51%) when using a personal motor vehicle (LT + ST 89%). The reduction occurred in trips to visit relatives or acquaintances and in medical stays, as well as trips made mainly by public transport. Although accommodation in one’s recreation facility (LTD/30%, respectively 27%) and spending the night with relatives and friends (LTD/28%, STD/52%) remained the most common method, their share decreased slightly compared to the pre-pandemic period. On the other hand, the share of trips with accommodation in a hotel or similar facility increased (LTD/20%, STD/12%). LTDs shortened on average to 7.0 overnight stays. The length of STD did not change (1.9 overnight stays). The average expenditure for one day of LTD was 554 CZK, and for one STD, 523 CZK; year-on-year, both grew by roughly a quarter.
Also, foreign trips were undertaken in 2022 mainly for recreation and vacation (LTA/86%, STA/64%) with hotel accommodation (LSA/60%, SSA/44%), with the main use of a personal motor vehicle (LTA/47 %, STA/76%), with LTA and aircraft (42%), primarily individually organized (LTA/55%, STA/87%). The average LTA presented 7.7 overnight stays, costs for one day CZK 1,838 (×2021 by 0.8 days shorter, for one day by 22% more expensive), STA corresponded to 2.4 overnight stays, and daily expenses amounted to CZK 1,567. In a year-on-year comparison, it slightly increased (by 0.2 overnight stays), and the average daily expenditure decreased year-on-year (−7.5%).
Demand from foreign clients has also increased, almost doubling year-on-year, but it is still behind by a quarter compared to 2019. About 19.5 million people from all over the world visited the CR in 2022. In addition to residents, most tourists came from Germany/1.8 million (-11%/2019), Slovakia/780 thousand (+4%), and Poland/615 thousand (-8.5%). Subsequently, there were guests from the USA/372 thousand (-36.3%) and from the UK/316 thousand (-35%). Although we can talk about a significant year-on-year increase (by 71%), this is still 12% fewer guests of domestic mass accommodation facilities than before the 2019 covid pandemic (Kovárná, 2023).
What to say in conclusion? The Czech Republic’s income from tourism in 2022 reached approximately 118 billion crowns. Year-on-year, they were about 51 billion crowns higher. However, they have yet to reach the level from the pre-covid year 2019, which amounted to approximately 167 billion crowns. However, we can consider it positive that we can answer the primary question that Czech tourism is not stagnating but is doing everything to return to the original pre-pandemic values.
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