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MagazineMagazine
The latest fad in the Czech Republic: seven mile boots. Tomato battles in
the town of Radvanice and the summer exhibition Sculpture Grande has one
exhibit less - a six meter walking stick for the blind got stolen from
Wenceslas Square. Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
More
SpecialCroatian seaside flooded by Czechs again this summer
On hearing cicadas, most Czechs recall Croatia. Last summer, around 1 000
000 Czechs travelled there to enjoy summer vacation. In other words, one
tenth of all citizens of the Czech Republic including newborns and the
elderly crossed the Croatian border during the high tourist season. I
asked Goran, who has worked in tourism here on Rab Island in Croatia for
15 years, which nationality of tourists he considers the most numerous, in
Goran's words the most "populated".
More
Current AffairsSharp decline in visitor numbers prompts Okamura to speak out
Last year was a record year for Czech tourism, with over 6.4 million
tourists visiting the Czech Republic. So far this year, visitor figures
have been down by ten percent on last, prompting speculation that tourism
in the Czech Republic has reached its peak. But Tomio Okamura,
spokesperson for the Association of Czech Travel Agencies, has a different
view. He believes that the potential for tourism here has been left largely
unrealised, and last week launched a blistering attack on those who, he
said, were watching Czech visitor numbers fall and doing nothing about it.
Rosie Johnston has the story:
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Current AffairsVacations abroad more affordable than ever for Czechs
As the summer approaches many Czechs have begun planning their holidays,
and those keen on travelling abroad couldn't choose a better time than
now. The weakening US dollar, dropping tour prices, and above all higher
spending power have all had an impact. In short, many vacations abroad for
Czechs have never been cheaper.
More
Current AffairsGrowing number of Czechs buying holiday homes abroad
"Chalupareni" which loosely translates as "a country-cottage
lifestyle" is a Czech term coined in the second half of the 20th
century when Czechs could not travel and when all their time and money was
invested in their country cottages. As a result Czechs now top the European
statistics in the number of country-homes owned per head.
"Chalupareni" is still going strong but as Czechs get richer
many are looking around for a different kind of holiday home.
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One on OneTomio Okamura - between two cultures
In today's One on One Jan's guest is successful Czech-Japanese businessman
Tomio Okamura. Today in his mid-thirties, Tomio moved to Prague from Tokyo
in
1994 and within a number of years found his passion in the travel
industry. Gradually, he has become a household name here in the tourism
business, bringing thousands of Japanese visitors to the Czech Republic
each year. But, Tomio makes clear success didn't come easily. More
Talking PointForeign investors expected to put millions into new four- and five-star hotels
A recent headline in the Czech newspaper Mlada Fronta Dnes put it
succinctly: "More hotels than streets" indicating the number of
hotels in Prague 1. Shortly afterwards, numbers released by the Czech
Statistical Office confirmed that the number of guests staying in hotels
in 2006 - especially four- or five-star establishments - went up
year-on-year. In short, there is now more demand for luxury hotels in the
Czech capital than ever.
More
Business NewsBusiness News
In Business News this week: the number of Czechs with a private pension
plan rises by almost ten percent to 3.6 million; the second phase of the
Czech Republic's truck tolling system will mostly use satellite
technology; Industry and Trade Minister Martin Riman wants to extend the
mining limits for brown coal in two mines in north Bohemia; the Czech food
production industry sees record sales last year, but is nevertheless in
difficulties; and the number of Czechs buying a second home for
recreational
purposes is on the rise. More
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