At the end of January, the World Tourism Organization (WTO), announced the results of the travel industry for 2002. Forecasts of a crisis didn't materialize as the number of international border arrivals recorded a growth of 3.1% compared with 2001, with central and eastern Europe seeing an increase of 3.9%.
However, this growth did not relate to all regions, as Poland and the Czech Republic recorded a decline of over 5%. According to the Czech Travel & Tourism Center, 4.6 million foreign tourists visited the Czech Republic last year, which is 400,000 less than in 2001. Another drop is expected for this year. There are differing opinions as to why less tourists are coming to the Czech Republic - some insist that it is a consequence of such global problems as the economic recession and the political situation in the Middle East (which is affecting all destinations, not only this country), while others say that Prague, and thus the whole country, undervalued its promotion abroad and lacks any coherent marketing strategy for the future.
At the end of January, the World Tourism Organization (WTO), announced the results of the travel industry for 2002. Forecasts of a crisis didn't materialize as the number of international border arrivals recorded a growth of 3.1% compared with 2001, with central and eastern Europe seeing an increase of 3.9%.
However, this growth did not relate to all regions, as Poland and the Czech Republic recorded a decline of over 5%. According to the Czech Travel & Tourism Center, 4.6 million foreign tourists visited the Czech Republic last year, which is 400,000 less than in 2001. Another drop is expected for this year. There are differing opinions as to why less tourists are coming to the Czech Republic - some insist that it is a consequence of such global problems as the economic recession and the political situation in the Middle East (which is affecting all destinations, not only this country), while others say that Prague, and thus the whole country, undervalued its promotion abroad and lacks any coherent marketing strategy for the future.
