Prague will launch the Be at Home campaign in support of tourism | Company News Pražská Drbna
The city company Prague City Tourism (PCT) will launch the Be in Prague at Home campaign aimed at Czech tourists during the holidays. After the possible opening of the border, it will also be extended to tourists from the surrounding countries. The cost of the campaign should be about 25 million crowns. A special points system will be prepared for tourists, during which they will receive vouchers for selected services. PCT chief František Cipro said this in an interview. In tourism, a fall of up to 100 billion crowns is estimated due to measures against coronavirus.
Decline of tourists
The metropolis recorded a decrease in tourists in the first quarter of the year, although anti-coronavirus measures came into force around mid-March. 1,104 million guests stayed in Prague hotels, camps and boarding houses, ie 27.4 percent less than a year ago. The number of nights they spent in the Czech capital included 23.7 percent to 2,621 million.
City Hall already in support of entrepreneurs, it forgives restaurateurs the rent for restaurant front gardens, hoteliers charge a residence fee and merchants can use the occupation of public space for the display of goods free of charge. The city also postponed rent payments to entrepreneurs or waived penalties for late payment.
“The effort is solved by the Czech tourism to Prague, not only now, but also in the future. We want to target those outside Prague who will use the same services as the people of Prague. A large number of people work in tourism in the capital, “ he said of the planned campaign Cyprus.
PCT wants to focus most of the campaign on the Internet and also focus on radio stations outside Prague. For cooperation, it also wants to address the so-called local influencers in relation to the region. Outdoor advertising on posters or billboards will make up only a very small part.
Waiting for borders to open
With the next phase of the campaign, the PCT is waiting for developments around the pandemic and possible opening of the borders. It will depend on when and from which surrounding countries it will be possible to travel. The assumption is that the campaign could extend to Slovakia and Austria.
Representatives of hoteliers also agree with the focused campaign on domestic tourists. “Attracting domestic tourists to Prague at the moment is the only opportunity to at least partially catch the blows of hotels and other entities in the tourism sector. In addition, fears of crowded streets and high prices, which used to discourage Czech visitors from visiting, are disappearing this year. “ she stated Hana Krausová for the Hero Hotel project, which, with hotels across the country, is looking for a way to help smaller accommodation establishments.
The municipality has set aside 100 million crowns to support tourism affected by measures against coronavirus. About 25 million of them will go to the promotion of Prague, the remaining amount for the so-called points, ie vouchers for tourists.
Vouchers for tourists
The system will work in such a way that the tourist buys accommodation in a hotel involved in the system and receives points for it. One point has a value of 200 crowns. They will be able to buy tickets or other services for them. The voucher will then be reimbursed by the municipality, thus supporting two entrepreneurs at once. “The city company Operátor ICT has already prepared a system, now security is being fine-tuned to prevent abuse. “ Cipro said.