The overall objective of the National Tourism Policy 2014-20 is to increase the competitiveness of the tourism sector at national and regional levels, maintain its economic performance while also achieving a balance between economic, socio-cultural and environmental considerations.
Specific aims of the policy include:
Building sound institutional structures to effectively implement policy.
Enhancing the quality of tourism supply, including measures to assist the business environment.
Improving workforce skills.
Improving access to tourism markets by service providers.
Strengthening the role of tourism in other economic and sectoral policies.
Linked with this, the marketing strategy 2013-20 seeks to expand national product themes and better reflect the potential of regions, including through the promotion of regional products, gastronomy, eco- and agro-tourism, and wellness tourism. A new tourism strategy for the period 2021-30 is currently being prepared.
Current high-priority challenges include raising service quality, improving statistical data and developing a programme to support regional tourism development. Actions to address these challenges include:
Continued implementation of the Czech Service Quality System. This innovative system of certification is primarily aimed at tourism SMEs, to support businesses to improve the quality of their services and gain further expertise. It is undertaken by the Ministry, in co-operation with CzechTourism and different tourism stakeholders.
Implementation of a project on tourism statistics, aimed at improving and expanding statistical data concerning inbound tourism to the Czech Republic. This project includes an inbound tourism survey using mobile derived big data and consists of analysing residual data of mobile operators and thus improving data collection relating to the Czech Republic’s Tourism Satellite Account. It is undertaken by the Ministry in co-operation with the Czech Statistical Office, with results expected in early 2020.
Implementation of the National Support Programme for Tourism in Regions 2017-20, and its sub-programmes: development of basic and supporting tourism facilities, and marketing activities in tourism.
Tourism infrastructure sub-programme has supported a wide variety of small scale projects. These are often of a public nature contributing to making destinations more attractive and improving the quality of tourism products and services in the region. Projects include navigation and information systems relating to tourist attractions, tourist rest areas, public toilets, and infrastructure along hiking trails. Projects that complement and widen the overall offer and improve the attractiveness of destinations are prioritised, with success assessed using a broad set of measures reflecting the small scale of the projects financed and difficulties in evaluating the impact on a purely financial or usage measures, especially for public realm projects developing the supporting infrastructure.
Marketing activities sub-programme is targeted at destination management organisations, and has brought benefits relating to increased awareness among both domestic and international visitors, enabling marketing of the wider offer, as well as promoting specific tourism products in core destinations.
Co-financing grants for tourism facilities and marketing activities under this programme support the development of regional tourism businesses, with a maximum of 50% of project costs supported with the applicant providing the balance. A wide range of grant recipients are eligible, including regional authorities, municipalities, businesses and not-for-profit organisations, while the sub-programme to support marketing activities is targeted towards destination management organisations.
