Central Europe Trying to Get Tourists from Urals

The tourism forum brought together managers of tourist representations of the four countries and representatives of over 10 tour operators of these countries. Within the workshop holiday and health resorts of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Czechia have been presented to people of the Urals. Regardless of their cultures and gastronomies being alike each country tried to emphasize its uniqueness. 

Hungary positioned itself as a health tourism country boasting more than 1200 unique hot springs. Andrea Szegedi, the Tourism Counsellor to the Hungarian Embassy in the RF, stressed that the springs give 30 million litres of warm and 40 million litres of hot water suitable for treatment of the locomotor system and rheumatism.

Slovakia counts on the promotion of family tourism offering active outdoors as well as relaxation. Outdoors activities offer cycling, rafting, golf, and all types of extreme tourism from rock climbing to diving.

Poland makes efforts to promote historical and unique architectural landmarks. The Czech Republic is most serious about conquering the hearts of the Urals tourists. On 19 May a representative office of CzechTourism is opening in Ekaterinburg; this office will be working exclusively on the promotion of the Czech tourist product. The goal of the office is to get the numbers of tourists from Russia to the levels achieved in the nineties when about 450 thousand Russians came to Czechia annually. Pavel Franěk, the director of the Ekaterinburg representative office of CzechTourism, stresses that his country where tourism is responsible for 4.5% of the GDP is interested in all categories of tourists - from young people to pensioners.

As well as its traditional resorts - Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazně, Frantiskovy Lazně - the Czech Republic presented the numerous castles, palaces, churches, and parks which can be used for recreation and celebration events. For those who like active leisure there are special offers - golf tourism and cycling tourism.

Connoisseurs of culture, according to Mr Franěk, can come to Czechia during music festivals Prague Spring and Prague of Antonin Dvořak.

Congress tourism has not been forgotten either, more than 200 conference halls which were used during the Czech Republic chairing in the EU are offered for conducting forums.

On the one hand all conditions for travelling to the Central Europe have been established as visas for travel to Czechia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Austria are issued in Ekaterinburg. Serghey Buzko, the Vice President of the Urals Tourism Association, points out that this year due to a small price correction a trip to Europe may cost the same as a break in Turkey.

However, people in the Urals may decide against the Central Europe when choosing the destination. One of the causes for this is the reduction of the number of direct flights between the Urals and this part of the European Union. The crisis has introduced some changes. Before there were regular scheduled flights between Ekaterinburg and Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Now the number of "air bridges" is three times smaller. Austrian Airlines stopped flying to Ekaterinburg not long ago. A year ago Malev, a Hungarian carrier, stopped flying here as well. Dr. Istvan Torzsa, the Consul General of Hungary in Ekaterinburg, pointed out that this situation is unlikely to change for the better in the next 5 years due to financial difficulties being experienced by the Hungarian air carrier.

As a result the only point of entry into the Central Europe now is Prague. This may hinder the efforts of the Visegrad Four to establish the well deserved demand among the tourists from the Urals. The latter when choosing the destination for a break in Europe will give preference to the more traditional holiday locations in Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, and Italy. More so since a daily scheduled flight From Ekaterinburg to Rome starts operating in May.