MEMBER STATES' ANNUAL TOURISM REPORTING TEMPLATE

Transcription

1 MEMBER STATES' ANNUAL TOURISM REPORTING TEMPLATE Article 3 of Council Decision 86/664/EEC 1 of 22 December 1986 establishing a consultation and cooperation procedure in the field of tourism stipulates that: "...each Member State shall send the Commission, once a year, a report on the most significant measures it has taken and, as far as possible, on measures it is considering taking in the provision of services for tourists which could have consequences for travellers from the other Member States. The Commission shall inform the other Member States thereof". The following reporting form aims at facilitating compliance with this Council Decision. SECTION 1 TOURISM ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE This section is aimed at reporting on the following: Administrative organisation Territorial organisation Organisation and links between the national tourism authority and the provinces / regions Organisation and links between the national tourism authority and industry associations, stakeholders and customers 1.1. Please provide a short description of the administrative and territorial organisation of public bodies responsible for tourism, indicating the relationship and cooperation between national, regional and local bodies of the core responsibilities and competences of each department (Max characters) Since 1 November 2010, responsibility for tourism has rested with the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic (MoT). The Tourism Section of the MoT is divided into two departments the Tourism Strategy and Policy Department and the Tourism Co-operation and Co-ordination Department. Responsibilities include mainly: preparation of legislative regulations, strategy formulation, implementation of the Tourism Support Act (development of destination management), processing statistical data, and administration of the register of regional tourism organizations. The Slovak Tourist Board (STB) is a government agency responsible for promoting the Slovak Republic as a tourism destination and providing information on travel opportunities. It has nine regional branch offices and six foreign offices located in the Czech Republic, 1 1&pgs=10&hwords= 1

2 Germany, Poland, Austria, the Russian Federation and Hungary. The Slovak Convention Bureau (SCB) was established in 2010 to promote Slovakia as a conference destination. It is an affiliate association of STB and works in partnership with key service providers in the meetings, incentives, Convention and events segment (MICE). At the regional level, tourism responsibilities were devolved in 2001 to self-governing bodies in the eight regions (Bratislava, Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Prešov and Košice) and municipalities. Local governments in municipalities and towns also play an important role in the development of tourism in their areas Please provide an organisation chart reflecting the above described administrative and territorial organisation Please list and describe briefly the relationship and main areas of cooperation between national/regional public tourism bodies and the most significant / active private organisations / stakeholders / industry associations /unions / consumer organisations. (Max characters) Through the Act on Support of Tourism the MoT builds a system of destination management 2

3 organizations (DMOs) in Slovakia, whereby local and regional tourism organizations are created on the basis of voluntary public-private partnership (PPP), with financial support from the government. Currently there are 35 local and 5 regional tourism organizations created under the above-mentioned Act and responsible for the development of tourism and creation and promotion of competitive tourist products within a respective region or defined territory. Tourism associations contribute at local and regional levels, primarily in the fields of quality improvement, professional training, the application of quality standards and the communication of best practices. Representatives of the seven most important nationwide tourism associations founded The Slovak Tourism Association in 2011 as a voluntary, non-political organisation of employers in tourism. The Association is seeking greater coordination in the sector, involvement in legislative changes and more intense cooperation with STB in promoting Slovakia and supporting domestic tourism. The founding members are the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Slovak Republic, the Slovak Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents, the Bratislava Hotel Association, LAVEX cableways and ski lifts, the Historical Hotels of Slovakia, the Slovak Association of Rural Tourism and Agro Tourism and the Slovak Tourist Guides Association What is the existing national/regional specific legislation on tourism? (Max. 500 characters) Act No. 91/2010 Coll. on Support of Tourism Act No. 281/2001 Coll. on package tours and conditions for business of tour operators and travel agencies Decree of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic No. 277/2008 Coll. establishing classification symbols for categorizing and ranking accommodation establishments Act No. 561/2007 Coll. on Investment Aid as amended, entitling the Tourism Section of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic to provide investment aid to tourism projects. Decree of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic No. 11/2013 Coll. setting a template for investment aid for regional development in tourism, specifying the requirements for the submission of annual reports on the implementation of the investment plan, the final evaluation report and the annual report on the use of investment. SECTION 2 - MEMBER STATE ECONOMIC DATA AND TOURISM BUDGETS This section is intended to provide an overview of the key statistical information about the general tourism economic environment of the Member States. Data marked with green is also collected by Eurostat. Data marked with orange is equally collected by the OECD. The data categories match the templates of these two organisations, therefore data reported to the Commission can be transferred / used when reporting to Eurostat and OECD and vice-versa. The statistical data provided in the tables below shall cover the year 2012 and, if available,

4 The data collected through these sections will also feed into the future Virtual Tourism Observatory. Please use the Excel templates provided below in order to facilitate coherence and comparability of the data. Please note that you are only requested to fill in data that is available in your country. Please insert "N/A" for those that you are not able to provide. Slovakia_tourism data_2015_ x SECTION 3 NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY AND STRATEGIES This section aims at collecting information on the Member States general strategic vision as well as the specific objectives of their tourism policies Please provide information in bullet points on the key mission, main medium and long-term objectives and the main targets of your national tourism policy. (Max characters) In its Manifesto, the Government of the Slovak Republic committed to fostering the competitiveness of tourism and using its potential to eliminate regional disparities and create new jobs. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to: - Reform the management and co-ordination of activities related to the development of tourism at all levels; - Develop a new strategy to revive tourism, increasing quality and competitiveness; - Further exploit the tourism potential of the Slovak Republic; - Improve effectiveness and transparency in the use of public resources for the support of tourism, including more effective use of EU funds; - Foster the development of air transport as an essential component of the tourism industry Do you have a multi-annual national tourism strategy specific / relevant for tourism in place? If yes, please describe in bullet points the main medium and longterm objectives of the strategy as well as who is responsible for its implementation. How is the implementation monitored and how often? (Max characters) On 10 July 2013, the Government of the Slovak Republic approved the Tourism Development Strategy until According to the Strategy, the strategic goal of tourism in Slovakia is to increase the competitiveness of the tourism sector, to make better use of the potential of Slovakia with the aim to balance regional disparities and create new jobs. The strategy focuses on two key areas: the quality of the tourism offer and the presentation and promotion of the Slovak Republic as a tourism destination. Sub-objectives: a) Focus the attention on the innovation of the existing products based on the trends in the demand for tourism; b) Better use of natural, cultural and historical potential of the Slovak Republic by promoting destinations, places, where there is already a steady demand for the key markets; 4

5 c) Promote destinations with natural and historical potential in lagging regions with high unemployment rate, hence create new jobs. Slovakia in terms of competitiveness in the short term should focus on better tourism capacity utilization and in the long term it should focus on quality which is a major requirement and prerequisite for the tourism development. The Strategy is implemented by the MoT in co-operation with other ministries and selfgoverning regions depending on the particular tasks. The Government instructed the MoT to submit information to the Government on the implementation of strategic objectives arising from the Strategy until 29 February 2016 and 31 March The Slovak Tourist Board has also drawn up a new marketing strategy for this period. 4. TOURISM CHALLENGES, MEASURES AND INITIATIVES This section aims at collecting information on the challenges the Member states and the tourism industry has to deal with as well as the measures put in place to tackle them Please identify the key challenges for the tourism sector in your country and indicate their importance /priority in the table below. CHALLENGES Diversification of the tourism offer Protection of the cultural heritage Protection of the natural heritage ICT and innovation Connectivity and transport Employment in tourism Improving education and skills in tourism Combatting seasonality Demographic changes Improving accessibility of tourism Improving socio-economic data in tourism Economic crisis and recovery Improving the sustainability of tourism offer Combatting climate change Improving the quality of tourism offer Developing responsible tourism practices IMPORTANCE / PRIORITY HIGH MEDIUM LOW 5

6 Competition against other destinations Administrative / regulatory burden, bureaucracy Other, please specify Tourism Destination Management Development 6

7 4.2. Please describe briefly the main measures in your country aimed at tackling the key high-priority challenges indicated above. (Max characters) ICT and innovation The MoT announced in 2014 for the first time the competition for the best innovation in tourism. Its aim is to promote positive new changes in the tourism development leading to the increased interest of consumers in Slovak destinations and products offered. The competition should contribute to improving the quality of services and boost interest of businesses in innovation processes in the field of product development, marketing and service quality. 12 projects were submitted for the competition in Connectivity and transport The Slovak Government approved on 7 May 2013 the National Strategy of Development of Cycling Transport and Cycle Touring in the Slovak Republic. The basic vision of the cycling strategy is recognition of cycling transport as equivalent transport mode and its integration with other transport modes, and improvement of perception of cyclists as full-fledged road users. The vision includes a significant strengthening of cycle touring as an important segment of tourism with large potential, particularly for rural areas, their development and the increase of employment and competitiveness, i.e. their sustainable development. In line with the basic vision of the Cycling Strategy and in the effort to move closer to the neighbouring European countries it is important for us to achieve a 10% share of cycling transport on the total division of transport labour by In 2015, the existing Slovak Technical Standard STN Cyclo-touristic marking was amended. The standard has been valid since 1 April 2015 and it corresponds to European standards. Cycling signs in individual regions of Slovakia with a total length of 1432 km were restored in 2015 and almost 100 km of cycle routs were built of a total length of nearly 250 km in the framework of the project the Historical, cultural and nature trail around the Tatras within cross-border cooperation with Poland. In addition to the existing international cycling routes EuroVelo 6 and 13, which cross the territory of Slovakia, the MoT prepares the project EuroVelo 11, which will connect Poland and Hungary and will pass through Slovakia. Improving education and skills in tourism In 2014, the implementation of the project National System of Qualifications (NSQ) started with the aim to increase the competitiveness of Slovakia's economy. So-called sectoral councils have been created with the aim to prepare NSQ. Tourism representatives from the field of employers, state administration, and educational institutions have started working intensively in the sectoral council for trade, marketing, gastronomy and tourism to prepare qualifications cards for about 100 occupations. NSQ is a publicly accessible register containing a description of partial and full qualifications required for performance of work activities for a given profession. The project finished at the end of In 2015 the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic adopted the Act on Vocational Training and Coaching that aims to implement into the Slovak education system the dual education system. This specific approach combines the vocational education of students with apprenticeship in companies. As the system is promising a significant influence on the quality of graduates, the Slovak tourism industry with the help of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of the SR launched an intensive promotion campaign among the schools and potential employers in order to engage them into the process. This particular measure will need further activities to bridge the administrative and financial burden related to dual education system. 7

8 Improving socio-economic data in tourism The MoT signed in 2015 an agreement on cooperation with the aim to intensify collaboration with the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic in the field of establishment of tourism satellite account and collection of necessary input data on inbound tourism in Slovakia. The MoT supported financially the Statistical Office in this work. Improving the sustainability of tourism offer Slovakia is engaged in activities for sustainable tourism development in the Carpathian region. Slovakia is a party of so-called Carpathian Convention (Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians) and its Protocol on Sustainable Tourism adopted in Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention adopted in 2014 the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development of the Carpathians to the Carpathian Convention (so-called Carpathian Strategy). The Strategy aims at the implementation of relevant paragraphs of the Protocol on Sustainable Tourism. The main goal of the Carpathian Strategy is to make the geographical region of the Carpathians active competitive tourism destination. Implementation of the Carpathian Strategy on the Carpathian as well as national levels will bring new sustainable tourism products and improved services in accordance with the protection of natural and cultural values. The MoT elaborated a plan for the coordination and implementation of this document in Slovakia. Improving the quality of tourism offer In the field of quality the MoT is working on the establishment of a national system of quality of the tourism services as a systematic voluntary tool to enhance the quality of services provided in tourism and to increase the competitiveness of this sector. The standard of the Slovak system of quality of tourism services was developed in 2015, as well as the analysis, branding of the project and an accredited training programme were elaborated. Developing responsible tourism practices The University of Economics in Bratislava elaborated for the MoT a study - a manual to determine the social value of tourism as a very important tool for decision-making, evaluation and approval processes in the sustainable and responsible tourism development. The next step is to put this manual into practice. Tourism Destination Management Development The MoT builds a system of destination management organizations (DMOs) by implementing the Tourism Support Act, whereby local and regional tourism organizations are created on the basis of voluntary public-private partnership, with financial support from the government. Through this act, the MoT supports local and regional tourism organizations, which are responsible for the development of tourism and creation and promotion of competitive tourist products within a respective region or defined territory. The MoT supported tourism organizations created under the mentioned act in 2015 in creating and selling the tourism products, media campaigns, public relations, issuing promotional materials, building and maintaining tourist infrastructure, participating in domestic and foreign tourism fairs as well Please identify if any of the above mentioned challenges relate to any legislative measures at EU level, and how. (Max characters) Connectivity and transport - National Strategy of Development of Cycling Transport and Cycle Touring in the Slovak Republic: 8

9 White Paper: Roadmap to a single European transport area Green Paper: Towards a new culture for urban mobility COM (2013) 913: A concept for sustainable urban mobility plans 4.4. Please identify and describe any measures implemented in your country to increase tourism flows from other EU Member States and from third countries. (Max characters) Marketing and promotional activities of the Slovak Tourist Board carried out in 2015 to increase tourism flows from abroad: - Presentation of Slovakia's tourism offer during the World Winter Universiade in the Tatras; - Marketing and information support of the European Figure Skating Championships in Bratislava; - Marketing and information support of the FIS Snowboard European Cup in the Tatras; - Marketing and information support of the FIS Ski World Cup in the Tatras; - Information support of the upcoming Slovak Presidency in the Council of the European Union; - Marketing and information support of the Slovak exposition at the EXPO in Milan; - Production of promotional brochures in various language versions and map of Slovakia; - Media campaigns focused on promotion of Slovakia as a tourist destination - in Slovak and Czech TVs and Radios, and TV EUROSPORT; - Communication and presentation of Slovakia as a tourist destination in the international airport in Bratislava; - Targeted campaigns on Google and YouTube (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Great Britain), TripAdvisor (Great Britain, Scandinavia), Booking.com (Finland, Sweden, Norway), AblnDerUrlaub.de (Germany); - Cinema advertising in neighbouring countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland); - Advertising and articles in onboard magazines of Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, WizzAir, Air Baltic as well as railway companies RegioJet and Leo Express; - Participation in 23 tourism fairs and exhibitions abroad with the aim to promote Slovakia as a tourist destination; - Organization of fam and info trips for foreign journalists and touroperators; - Representatives of V4 countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) signed during their high level meeting in Slovakia in 2015 a protocol on cooperation in the field of tourism with the aim to increase joint marketing and promotional activities in overseas markets and thus increase tourist flows from distant markets to V4 countries Please describe how promotional measures implemented in your country make use of / capitalise on the promotional campaigns carried out by the Commission (i.e. Ready for Europe, EDEN, low-season tourism campaigns, etc.). (Max characters) 4.6. Please identify and describe any measures /actions in your country which contribute to maximising the potential of national policies for developing tourism (e.g. ensuring that tourism interests are taken into account in the development of other policies which may have impact on tourism). (Max.1000 characters) 9

10 - Act No. 539/2008 Coll. on the support of regional development - National regional development strategy - Act No. 568/2009 Coll. on lifelong education 4.7. Please identify and describe any measures/actions in your country which contribute to maximising the potential of EU Financial Instruments for developing tourism (e.g. information on main objectives, financing opportunities, training courses, etc.). (Max characters) 4.8 Please describe shortly which EU programmes are used the most frequently and for what purposes of tourism development in your country. (Max characters) Slovakia had the opportunity to use EU Structural Funds through the National Strategic Reference Framework During this programming period, it could use funds totalling EUR million for the support of business activities in tourism, the development of tourism information services, and the presentation of the regions and the country within the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Economic Growth. 10

11 Sustainable and responsible tourism, whether talking about economic, social or environmental sustainability, is a broad concept and may be interpreted in various ways depending on the attributes of a Member State or region. The following questions focus on sustainability and responsibility in tourism as described in the 2007 Commission Communication 2 on an agenda for sustainable and competitive European tourism Sustainable destination: What support is given to strengthen destination management at the national /regional/local level (e.g. supportive policy environment, knowledge networks, training programmes, technological support tools, financial support, promotional activities, etc.)? (Max characters) The MoT builds a system of destination management organizations (DMOs) by implementing the Tourism Support Act, effective in Slovakia from December 2011, whereby local and regional tourism organizations are created on the basis of voluntary public-private partnership, with financial support from the government. Through this act, the MoT supports local and regional tourism organizations, which are responsible for the development of tourism and creation and promotion of competitive tourist products within a respective region or defined territory. The funding of these organizations consists mainly of membership fees and subsidy from the state budget. This financial contribution from the government is provided on regular annual basis in the same amount as is the amount of collected membership fees of particular tourism organization. In 2015, the MoT supported financially from the state budget 35 tourism organizations, of which 31 local and 4 regional with amount of 4,3 mil. EUR Sustainable businesses: What support is given to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism businesses (e.g. supportive policy environment, knowledge networks, orientation of business support services to sustainability, training, financial incentives, promotional activities, etc.)? (Max characters) Responsible tourism: What support is given to tourists and the tourism industry to promote their responsible practices and choices (e.g. awareness raising, sustainability in education, national marketing and media campaigns, promotion of certification schemes, etc.)? (Max characters) Please describe maximum three of the most significant planned / future tourism measures (legislative or non-legislative) which envisage to impact travellers visiting your country from other Member States or from outside Europe. (Max characters) The Government wants to use the upcoming Slovak Presidency in the Council of the European /index_en.htm 11

12 Union in the second semester 2016, as a way of presenting Slovakia as the attractive and safe destination that will attract foreign visitors. One of the tasks will be not only to increase the number of tourists, but also to lengthen the time they spend in Slovakia. 5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 5.1. Please describe maximum 3 best practices of tourism measures implemented at national, regional or local level (any type of activity). (Max characters) 5.2. Please describe, in a concise manner, in your view, what policy developments / actions / activities would you expect from the Commission's tourism team that would serve better (than the current ones) the EU Member States and the industry. (Max characters) THANK YOU 12