Promotion Strategy

of the Czech Republic in 2004 2010

Compiled by:
Czech Tourist Authority CzechTourism
Vinohradsk 46, P.O.Box 32, 120 41 Praha 2
Tel.: +420 221 580 111, fax: +420 224 247 516
www.CzechTourism.cz
www.CzechTourism.com

Promotion Strategy of the Czech Republic in 2004 2010

1. Vision
Our vision is that the Czech Republic will be the destination number one in
Europe within the framework of comparable countries in the year 2010.
The comparable countries are understood the ones, which have the conditions
for tourism objectively comparable with ours, thus they have neither the Alps
nor the Mediterranean Sea. There are 18 such countries in Europe (Germany,
Hungary, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and others).

specific association. This is the fact we want to take advantage of at creating

an association with the Czech Republic.
The examples in the table document a lot of information, which human
memory is employed with.
Information source

Number of words

The Ten Commandments

228

The Declaration of Independence

300

One page of MF DNES (Daily)

The next vision of ours is that Prague will be European city destination
number three in the year 2010.
We consider only London and Paris the metropolises, which will in the long
term continue to be more required tourist destinations than Prague. We can
outdo other cities (such as Vienna, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Budapest
and others).
We are certain that our country, its culture, historic sights and significant
towns objectively represent such an interesting tourist product that the abovementioned vision is reachable. The only fact, which could preclude our vision
from its realization, is our insufficient activity and inefficiency.

2. Targets
The basic measurable target is to maximize the revenue from tourism, which
can be reached in three mutually non-excluding ways:
by higher number of tourists coming to the Czech Republic;
by longer stays of tourists in the Czech Republic;
by higher expenditures of tourists in the Czech Republic.
The success of reaching the target is measurable by means of a satellite
account, statistical methods of the Czech Statistical Institute and the Czech
National Bank and by selective inquiries. With regard to the contemporary
possibilities, mainly the inquiry at the border crossings, proceeding
periodically, will be used during the first years.

3. Theoretical resources for forming the strategy

In order to define the strategy, we first must answer the question: When will
people decide to visit the Czech Republic?
The answer is: By the time they associate the Czech Republic with the
values, which correspond with their actual needs.
We have to establish a connection between the Czech Republic and suitable
values in the minds of people. The established association must be projected
into all the communication of CzechTourism and other subjects in relation to
foreign countries.
People from all over the world see one or more concrete associations
connected with a certain brand or an object. Such a generally shared
association is automatically bound to the given product and people do not
speculate on about its verity. Typical examples are: Mercedes = prestige; Volvo
= safety; Porsche = wild drive; Croatia = holiday at the seaside; Nepal = the
Himalayas; Kenya = safari.

2 400

Invention Law

8 700

One Issue of MF DNES

43 200

Number of products in TESCO

over 8 000

Number of www domains

over 100 000

How long would we read a MF DNES?

3,5 hours

In order to prevent immoderate overload with information, we have to simplify

the communication to one strong association, which the tourists will connect
the Czech Republic with. By simplifying and continual repeating of specific
information the minds of visitors will develop an automatic association, which
will subsequently make their decision about visiting our republic easier.
At developing a brand, in this case the Czech Republic, we also take into
consideration other marketing findings:

a. Perception is more important than reality

One of the examples is the saleability of Coca Cola, although Pepsi Cola
always wins in gustation tests. Despite of that its saleability is constantly
lower. Also more people go to the safari in Kenya, although the conditions
are comparable with Tanzania.

b. Lets not search for the success in the product, lets search for it in
the minds of clients
An association rooted in the mind of a consumer has a bigger influence at
deciding than the reality that the man meets.
For pushing oneself to foreign markets one must select maximum briefness
and simplicity of the formulation.
At the same time, this association should not be altered, because human
thinking is very inertial and conservative. Developing an association is a longtime procedure, requiring an intensive impact on potential clients and
considerable financial means.

4. Factual basis of the strategy

For determining the strategy built on exact information, we use the following
bases:
The research on the motivation for the arrivals of tourists to the Czech
Republic and competitive countries (1800 informants from 20 countries,
autumn 2002-summer 2003);
The research of the European Travel Commission;
Marketing strategies of other countries (mainly Hungary, Poland, Austria,
Spain, Holland and others);
Programmes for the travel development of the regions of the Czech
Republic.

Such a strong association has not been established for the Czech Republic yet.
Strong motivation factors for a visit
The association is to be established because of the following facts:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

It makes the decision easier and automatic;

It increases loyalty of the clients and helps to forget occasional mistakes;
It allows asking a higher price;
It prevents from competition;
It makes the development of new services easier;
The brand replaces the sales clerks.

The factual aim of the new strategy is to build one truly strong association
connected with the Czech Republic by the year 2010.
Also from the marketing point of view, creating only one association is the
most advantageous.
Today, human brain is glutted with information. It reacts on this reality by
developing filters and evolves the ability to connect each product with one

II

The Czech Republic

Hungary

Austria

Croatia

The capital city

is the most
beautiful in Europe

Stay in open
nature

Winter sports

Water sports

Many interesting
castles and chateaus

Agro-tourism

Mountain tourism,
mountain-climbing

Adventure,
adrenaline sports

Galleries and
museums

Shopping

Adventure

Night life

Many interesting
sights, which
are worth visiting

Abreaction

Many interesting
Boating
museums and galleries

Many beautiful
towns

Golf

Many sports actions

Shopping

www.CzechTourism.com

The research on the motivation of foreign tourists arrivals to the Czech

Republic orientated among others towards determining the motivation factors
for a visit of the Czech Republic (other three countries are stated for the
comparison).
At developing the marketing strategy, the motivation factors were considered
in a maximum way.
Week motivation factors for a visit
The Czech Republic

Hungary

Austria

Croatia

Golf

Many interesting
sports actions

Learning about
culture

Winter sports

Adventure, adrenaline
sports

Adventure,
adrenaline sports

Purchasing souvenirs
worth visiting

Many sights,

Agro-tourism

The capital city

is one of the most
beautiful ones

Water sports

The capital city

is one of the most
beautiful ones

Relaxation, recovery

Mountain tourism,
mountain-climbing

Shopping
castles and chateaus

Many interesting

Cycle-tourism

Winter sports

Relaxation,
recovery

Many galleries and

museums

This thesis can be documented on the fact that the tourists visiting the Czech
Republic:
a) are next most interested in visiting Austria, less Croatia and the least
Hungary;
b) have the biggest liking for Austria, the least for Hungary;
c) from the monitored countries they have the biggest experience with
Austria, less experience with Croatia and the least with Hungary.

Motivation of foreign tourists for visiting the Czech Republic

Admirers of sights and history together with leisure visitors of towns and
holiday sportsmen create the biggest part of tourists coming to the Czech
Republic. These are people seeking calm, comfort, pleasant environment and
unpretentiousness. This fact forms our strategies. By the year 2010, we want
to attract more tourists right by these attributes of the holiday spent in the
Czech Republic.
The so-called average tourists represent approximately one third. These are
characterised by their neutral reason for the visit and therefore the motivation
devices introduced in the strategy can also influence them.

Average tourist

Even objectively good conditions for certain tourist activities do not guarantee
that a foreign tourist considers our republic ideal right for these segments of
tourism. The inquiry does not imply that the informants consider the Czech
Republic unfit for agro or cycle-tourism, but they prefer other destinations for
this kind of activities.
If we imagine the countries as persons, how would they be perceived?
The Czech Republic
Friendly

Hungary
Differs, deviates
from the rules

Austria
Is concerned about
the social position

Croatia
Likes to risk

Caring

Cold, abstract,
is standoffish

Traditional,
conservative

Bold, fearless

Woman

Likes to risk

Cold, abstract,
is stand-offish

Acts young

Considerate

Acts older
and sober

Respects traditions

Enjoys life,
amuses oneself

Educated, intelligent

Modest

Educated, intelligent

Differs, deviates
from the rules

11 %
Sights and history

10 %
33 %

Holiday sportsman
12 %
Leisure visitor of
towns
34 %
Amusement and
night life

5. Promotion strategy of the Czech Republic

in 2004-2010
New promotion strategy of the Czech Republic answers the three fundamental
questions:

What features the personified country does not have?

The Czech Republic
Bold, fearless

Hungary
Responsible
for the others

Austria
Enjoys life
amuses oneself

Croatia
Silent, reticent

Differs, deviates from

the rules

Carefully fulfils
its duties

Tolerant, without
prejudices

Thoughtful,
meditative

Enjoys risking

Is concerned about
the social position

Friendly
the social position

Is concerned about

Thoughtful,
meditative

Woman

Reliable

Traditional,
conservative

The factors of apprehending the Czech Republic by foreign tourists assessed

in the following order:
Factor of apprehending the country

Position of the Czech Republic

History and architecture

excellent

Comfort

very good

Shopping

very good

Relaxation and recovery

average

Tourism and cycle-tourism

average

Meeting with people and nature

average

Summer sports and amusement

poor

Nature, adventure and winter sports

poor

These tables show in a simplified way the findings drawn from complicated
statistical and graphical data.
The research also set our unambiguous competitor from the monitored
countries Austria, towards which we must definitely form ourselves.
www.CzechTourism.com

1. What are the basic characteristic features of a holiday in the Czech

Republic?
2. What are the main reasons for a visit of the Czech Republic?
3. What are our National products?

Basic features of a holiday in the Czech Republic

Calm and ease are the features most often associated with a holiday in the
Czech Republic.
The following features were rejected from various possibilities:
a. the features, which are significant for all the destinations;
b. the features, which are obvious;
c. the features, which are significant for some other destinations;
d. the features, which do not have any counterpart.
Among the rejected features (associations) stand:
Specific type of tourism
Specific sights
Specific target group
Live, living
Cultural
Magic, absurd, irrational
Real, pure, true, authentic
Diversity, variety

Surprising
Friendly
Cognition
Freedom, space
Density of sights
Efficient utilizing of time
Predictable, reliable, secure
Safe

The strategy defines the basic features of a holiday in the Czech Republic
Comfortable, peaceful, unchallenging, calm, pleasant, get-at-able.

III

It excludes such features as spectacular, monumental, shocking, adventurous,

grand, sophisticated, demanding or snobbish.

Jindichv Hradec
Hlubok nad Vltavou
Litomyl

These are the characteristic features specifying the Czech Republic towards its
main competitors, which are Austria and Germany. These countries are on the
contrary perceived as demanding (both physically and psychically), less
peaceful with less friendly nature of their inhabitants.

Optional trips in the 2 nd wave demanding still the preparation

of the product
Pbram
Loket
Moravsk kras
Triangle of the UNESCO sights in Vysoina (Tel, r, Teb)

Our aim is that by the year 2010 every European would automatically
associate the Czech Republic with CALM and EASE.

Main reasons for visiting the Czech Republic

The main reasons for visiting the Czech Republic are:
a. History and architecture (importance: 55%)
(castles and chateaus, historic towns, Prague, culture)
a. Relaxation, nature (importance: 25%)
(summer and winter mountains, spas, relaxation)
b. Consumers entertainment (importance: 20%)
(shopping, night entertainment, beer, food)
If we combine calm and ease with the main reasons for a visit to our country,
we obtain three basic messages of our marketing. We will thus present the
Czech Republic in the following way:
a. The Czech Republic is the place, where I will spend a peaceful and
calm stay in magic towns, castles and chateaus.
b. The Czech Republic is the place, where I will spend a peaceful and
calm stay in (green) nature.
c. The Czech Republic is the place, where I will have a calm
entertainment.

National products

Use of the geographical position

of the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is today a part of those trips, which are directed to
the territory of Central Europe (Budapest, Vienna, Dresden, Krakow,
Bratislava).The tours, which would combine our republic for example with
Bavaria or Switzerland, practically do not exist. This situation does not have
any logic reason (for example to reach Munich from Prague is much easier
than from Budapest); it is rather the still existing psychological iron
curtain, which is concerned.
Our aim is to break this barrier. Therefore we will promote also the corridor
between Munich and Prague, by means of which we will attract a maximum
number of tourists visiting Bavaria also to the territory of the Czech Republic.

How will we push the National Products?

1. The promotion will first aim at Christmas, optional trips around Prague
(Karltejn, Kutn Hora) and the Munich Prague corridor. It will proceed
mainly by the medium of our foreign agencies, which will prepare a
strategy of efficient promotion and a subsequent presentation of these
products to the foreign tour operators.

Today the Czech Republic has only one national product Prague and other
two places aspire to this position Karlovy Vary and esk Krumlov.

2. In the second wave the CzechTourism foreign agencies will promote the
main National products (Prague, Karlovy Vary, esk Krumlov, rock towns,
Olomouc) and to each of the places will be organized only one optional
trip, which will be the most attractive for the specific market. The products
themselves and the optional trips will be prepared by the Regional
Department of CzechTourism in collaboration with the Regions of the
Czech Republic.

Our aim is that by the year 2010 every European would associate the Czech
Republic not only with our capital city, but also with the following products:

These first phases of the promotion will begin in July 2004 and will last
approximately till July 2007.

5 places
Prague
Karlovy Vary
esk Krumlov
Skaln msta (Rock Towns) including esk rj, esk vcarsko
and Adrpasko-teplick skly (Adrpasko-teplick Rocks)
Olomouc

3. In the following period we will promote the remaining National products.

National products are the products famous all over the world in the same
form. France, having more of such products such as Paris, the Eiffels Tower,
the Azure Coast, Brittany, the chateaus on the Loire can be an example.

2 temporal products aimed at covering the so-called

off-season periods
Christmas
Spring festivities
Optional trips are to bring the tourists also to other areas in the
surrounding of the 5 main products. These are star departures from the
places and thus they cover also other tourist attractive places in the given
area. By preparing a certain number of optional trips from 5 National
products, we will achieve repeated visit rate of the spot and at the same
time spending a longer time on the territory of our republic. Mainly the
following optional trips will be purposefully promoted in order to
gradually become other National products.
Optional trips
Kutn Hora
Karltejn
Lednice-Valtice Area
Krom
Marnsk Lzn
Beov nad Teplou
Tebo

IV

Each National product will have its manual, which will contain:

References to the web sites for the given destination;

Photographs in the resolution for print;
Information about transportation and distances;
Information about accommodation facilities;
Description of the given place and the surrounding places of interest;
List of cultural, sports and other interesting actions;
Other detailed information and the places of interest in the region.

Other directions of CzechTourism activities:

The foreign agencies will purposefully contact travel agencies and tour
operators with the presentation and the offer of the National products;
CzechTourism will provide grants to the travel agencies, which will in an
evincible way include the National products and the optional trips
specified by our marketing strategy in their catalogue or Internet sites;
Collective as well as individual press trips will be aimed mainly at the
National products;
The web sites of CzechTourism will change their structure in order to
support the National products;
The National products will be emphasized in all the brochures and maps;
There will be printed a brochure presenting only the National products;
There will be gradually printed posters for each National product.

www.CzechTourism.com

Examples of detailed graphs, which we drew from at developing the strategy:

Talkative, communicative

Characteristic features of an average tourist:

Friendly

Inquisitive, is interested in new things

Enjoys life, likes to pleasure
Gives an impression of a young person
I n qu i s i
Courageous, bold
tive/
Enjo
Dynamic, decisive
yin
g li
Creative
fe

EXTROVERT

Tolerant,
without prejudices
Wa

open
rm/

INDIVIDUALISTIC

Commu
nicat
i
ia b
Rel

Reliable

odest
le/m

Responsible
towards the others

Is concerned ab
out the
socia
lp
o
s
itio
n/S
elf

APPURTENANT

Solicitous

ent
pend
nde
i c/ I

Considerate

nam

ve/
soli
ci

Dy

tou
s

Leading type
Likes to risk

Modest

ish
a in

ed ,

ate
assion
disp

Tr

adition
alist
i
c
/
t
hou
gh
tfu
l

Traditional, conservative

str

Gives an older and sedate impression

Hardworking, tenacious
Educated, intelligent

INTROVERT

Silent, uncommunicative

Is different, deviates
from the rules
Individualistic,
self-centred

Re

Carefully fulfils his duties

Is concerned about
the social position

Cold and impersonal, is stand-offish

Thoughtful, meditative

The dotted part inside the circle shows the most frequented characteristic features of an average tourist. The darts illustrate the tendency of prevailing features. The point marks the average.

Characteristic features of a tourist orientated towards sights and history:

Talkative, communicative
Friendly

Inquisitive, is interested in new things

Enjoys life, likes to pleasure
Gives an impression of a young person
Inquisi
Courageous, bold
tive/
Enjo
Dynamic, decisive
yin
g li
Creative
fe

EXTROVERT

Tolerant,
without prejudices
Wa

open
rm/

INDIVIDUALISTIC

Commu
nicat
i
ia b
Rel

odest
le/m

Reliable

Is concerned ab
out the
socia
lp
o
s
itio
n/S
elf

Responsible
towards the others

APPURTENANT

Solicitous

ent
pend
nde
i c/ I

Considerate

nam

ve/
soli
ci

Dy

tou
s

Leading type
Likes to risk

Modest

ish
ate
assion
disp

Tr

adition
alist
i
c
/
t
hou
gh
tfu
l

INTROVERT

ed ,

Silent, uncommunicative

a in

Traditional, conservative

str

Gives an older and sedate impression

Is different, deviates
from the rules
Individualistic,
self-centred

Re

Carefully fulfils his duties

Is concerned about
the social position

Hardworking, tenacious
Educated, intelligent
Cold and impersonal, is stand-offish

Thoughtful, meditative

The dotted part inside the circle shows the most frequented characteristic features of an average tourist. The darts illustrate the tendency of prevailing features. The point marks the average.
www.CzechTourism.com

VI

0%

Many interesting cultural actions

Perfect destination for bathing, water

sports, diving

20 %

Perfect destination
for agro-tourism

IMPLICIT IMPORTANCE

40 %

60 %

80 %

100 %

OPPORTUNITIES
(the secondary priority)

The graph represents general factors considered by a tourist at selecting his holiday. The most
important conditions for a nicely spent holiday are encircled. The declared importance illustrates,
what reasons tourists state for spending their holiday. The implicit importance, drawn from the
real situation in practice, is more important.

Perfect destination for boating

Many interesting museums and galleries,

which are worth visiting

Many beautiful places

CRUCIAL FACTORS
(the main priorities)

Many interesting sights, which are worth visiting (monumental

houses, technical sights, open-air museums, etc.)

Many interesting castles and chateaus

Perfect destination for mountain hiking

or mountain climbing

Perfect destination for winter

sports, skiing, snow-boarding

Many interesting sports actions

Perfect destination for cycle-tourism

Suitable place for buying various

products, which is more advantageous
in the given country than at home

Perfect destination for playing golf

Perfect destination for adventure,

adrenaline sports, etc.

Skvl destinace pro ozdravn pobyty

Many possibilities for buying souvenirs

Perfect destination for hiking

Perfect destination for night life

visiting bars, pubs, various
nightclubs etc.

Destination with very interesting

history worth learning

Pleasant weather, which suits me well

Many interesting religious

sights, pilgrimage places, which
are worth visiting

Perfect destination for learning about

life, people and culture in the given
country, meeting new people

Perfect destination for relaxation

and recreation

Perfect destination for a stay in open

nature out of modern civilization

Perfect destination for various holiday

sports (other than the mentioned ones)

Perfect destination for abreaction,

for the greatest possible change
compared with the ordinary
stereotype

LESS IMPORTANT FACTORS

20 %

40 %

80 %

80 %

100 %

DETACHED FACTORS

Example of a detailed graph, which we drew from at developing the strategy:

DECLARED IMPORTANCE

www.CzechTourism.com

www.CzechTourism.com

40 %

60 %

70 %

80 %

90 %

100 %

0%

Playing golf

20 %

Agro-tourism

Adventure, adrenaline sports, etc.

Purchasing various products, which is

more advantageous in the given country
than at home

Visiting cultural actions

Cycle-tourism

Visiting sports action

Visiting castles and chateaus

Winter sports, skiing, snowboarding

IMPLICIT IMPORTANCE

40 %

Learning about towns

60 %

80 %

The graph
Graf
znzoruje
presents
vztah
relation
mezi between
oblibou konkrtnch
popularity ofaktivit
various
piactivities
dovolen
and
a skutenost
their ability odvozenou
to increase
z reln situace
motivation
potential
(implicitn
of holiday
dleitost).
destination
Nejoblbenj
(implicit importance)
aktivity jsou zakroukovny.

Visiting galleries and museums

Visiting various sights (memorable houses,

technical sights, open-air museums etc.)

Mountain hiking or mountain climbing

Boating

Visiting religious sights, pilgrimage places

Hiking

Learning about the history of the given country

Night life visiting bars, pubs,

various nightclubs etc.

Learning about the life, people

and culture in the given country,
meeting new people

Spas, curative stays and similar

activities for my health

Buying souvenirs

Stays in open nature out of modern civilization

Sports (other than the mentioned ones)

Suitable place for purchasing various

products, which is more advantageous
in the given country than at home

Bathing, water sports, diving

Relaxation, regeneration, recreation

100 %

Example of a detailed graph, which we drew from at developing the strategy:

POPULARITY

VII

VIII

0%

20 %

40 %

60 %

80 %

100 %

120 %

140 %

0%

Agro-tourism

Adventure, adrenaline sports etc.

20 %

60 %

CONDITIONS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

40 %

Cycle-tourism

Stays in open nature out of modern civilization

Bathing, water sports, diving

Sports (others than

the mentioned ones)

Learning about the life,

people and culture in
the given country,
meeting new people

80 %

Relaxation, regeneration, recreation

Abreaction, the biggest possible change compared

with the ordinary stereotype

Hiking

Night life visiting bars, pubs, various nightclubs etc.

Spas, curative stays and other similar activities for my health
Visiting sports actions

The graph presents relation between suitability of the Czech Republic for various holiday activities
and relative performance of our country on them in relation to other countries (relative positioning)

Golf playing

Mountain hiking or mountain-climbing

Boating

Winter sports, skiing, snowboarding

Learning about the history

Purchasing various products, which is more
of the given country
advantageous in the given country than at home
Visiting cultural actions
Buying souvenirs

Visiting religious sights, pilgrimage places

Visiting various sights (monumental houses,

technical sights, open-air museums etc.)
Seeing towns

Visiting castles and chateaus

Visiting galleries and museums

100 %

Example of a detailed graph, which we drew from at developing the strategy:

RELATIVE POSITIONING

www.CzechTourism.com