Foreign tourists cancel or postpone holiday in Slovakia due to new anti-Covid measures. (source: TASR)
Visitors from abroad are re-assessing their holidays in Slovakia. Some are cancelling or rescheduling their holidays in regions throughout the country following the latest border measures adopted by Slovakia. Several regional destination management organisations have registered this trend.
“We can say with certainty that foreign tourists are reacting to the change in measures on the border and re-evaluating their trips to Slovakia,” said Martin Pižem from the destination management organisation (OOCR) Slovenský Raj & Spiš, as cited by the TASR newswire.“We can say with certainty that foreign tourists are reacting to the change in measures on the border and re-evaluating their trips to Slovakia,” said Martin Pižem from the destination management organisation (OOCR) Slovenský Raj & Spiš, as cited by the TASR newswire.
They were also interested in changes in holiday plans made in Liptov.
“Given that Slovaks still make up the largest share of visitors, it was not dramatic, but, unfortunately, it did not contribute to the good image of the holiday in Slovakia,” said Katarína Šarafínová, spokesperson of the Liptov OOCR.
The reassessment of stays in Slovakia was also confirmed by the executive director of OOCR Malá Fatra, Štefan Vančík.
“The interest of Czech and Polish tourists, in particular, has decreased,” said Vančík. “They are cancelling stays or moving reservations, respectively.”
Due to this development Slovaks make up the majority of visitors, accounting for more than 90 percent. Šarafínová added that the share of Slovaks in the Liptov region has long been significantly higher than the share of foreign tourists. In the pre-pandemic period, 65 percent were domestic visitors. Thus, according to her, the structure continues to increase in favour of Slovaks.
Šarafínová identified constant changes in regulations as the biggest problem when travelling.
“Our visitors are planning a holiday abroad, so Czech or Polish visitors suddenly found themselves in uncertainty,” said Šarafínová, adding that due to the changing conditions, there are no extra bookings from abroad. “However, this does not mean that foreigners are not coming. They are coming, but there are fewer of them.”
OOCR Slovenský Raj & Spiš has focused on domestic tourists this season.
“The arrival of every single foreign visitor who comes to our region despite the restrictions is, of course, very pleasant,” said Pižem. “But we are aware of the unstable development of the situation in connection with anti-Covid measures, as a result of which visitors of Slovak Paradise and Southern Spiš will not bring the season closer to the numbers from the years before the outbreak of the pandemic.”
