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The South Bohemian and Freistadt Mothers have been closely co-operating for years, especially in the fight against the completion of the Temelín nuclear power plant. As part of this co-operation, a study on Temelín NPP's impact on the tourist industry has been written. The study was contracted out to the renowned company Fessel-Institut Vienna which examined the impact of the completion of Temelín NPP on the decision-making of Austrians (from Mühlviertel and Linz areas) as to whether they would undertake trips to the Czech Republic.
The study has two parts. The first part is a survey among coach carriers. From its results it is obvious that the number of one-day coach trips from Austria to Bohemia significantly decreased in 2001 compared to the year 2000. The cause of this trend is largely due to the fear of the Temelín nuclear power plant, which creates a bad image for the whole Czech Republic.
In the second part of the study a representative telephone survey among Mühlviertel and Linz area citizens has shown that the number of one-day trips decreased by 7%, compared to the year 2000 (the number of Mühlviertel citizens who travelled to South Bohemia decreased from 27 to 20%), i.e. 40 000 trips in total. Some of them stopped travelling altogether (e.g. 10% of young families with children) others limited their travels. Financially expressed the damage to the Czech firms is 18 million ATS, i.e. CZK 45 mil. per year. Asked if in case of Temelín NPP's decommission the respondent's trip frequency would increase, 40% gave a positive answer.
The negative influence of Temelín NPP on foreign tourist clientele, the Austrians in particular, is also confirmed by the Czech tourist service providers.
The study by Freistadt Mothers clearly proved the negative influence of Temelín NPP on the tourist industry. Some Czech tourist service providers also confirm this. The question is why this is still ignored by the competent authorities, e.g. the South Bohemian regional development authorities. This document considers tourism and co-operation between border regions as the basis of regional development, though it does not consider the negative influence of Temelín NPP on tourism development.
Mothers Against Nuclear Danger
Freistadt
Written by Fessel-Institut Vienna commissioned by Mothers Against Nuclear Danger Association.
INFLUENCE OF TEMELÍN ON TOURIST INDUSTRY
1. Interviews with entrepreneurs from the Mühlviertel area who organize one-day coach trips to the Czech Republic
2. A representative telephone survey among the Mühlviertel citizens
Lehner Renate, tel.: 0043/7942/76825,
e-mail: lehnerrenate@hotmail.com
www.muttergegenatomgefahr.at
Basic information about the study on tourist industry
The main objective of the study is to explain how Temelín nuclear power plant influenced tourism from Austria to the Czech Republic, in particular from one border region - Mühlviertel.
The study was initiated by South Bohemian Mothers, was commissioned by Mothers Against Nuclear Danger from Freistadt and was written by Fessel-Gfk-institute in Vienna. It includes two substudies:
a) Interviews with local tourist service providers, largely with coach carriers. Of a total of 50 entrepreneurs in this field, 20 were interviewed.
b) A representative telephone survey among the Mühlviertel citizens together with the citizens of the Linz area.
Interviews with tourist industry entrepreneurs:
TARGET GROUP: The entrepreneurs are usually individual firms with no branches for whom one-day trips are the most important part of their turnovers. Destinations in the Czech Republic (largely Prague) established themselves well in the years following the Velvet revolution and tourism is a significant asset for the Czech Republic.
RESULT: The number of one-day coach trips to the Czech Republic appreciably decreased in the period indicated above compared to the year 2000.
Yet for entrepreneurs from the Mühlviertel area this decrease is not so severe, because they compensated this decrease with reservations to other areas outside CR. It was Czech firms whose interests were damaged, because the number of Austrian visitors decreased.
CAUSE: As the cause of the decrease the entrepreneurs stated fear of Temelín NPP
- Temelín became the subject of many discussions. Putting Temelín NPP into operation clearly has a negative impact on tourism from Austria to the Czech Republic. Stated reasons are defects and fear of an accident.
- The Czech Republic acquired a bad image thanks to Temelín.
- Both Czech and Austrian politicians, and how they deal with the situation are equally to blame.
PROGNOSIS: As for the future, these tourist industry companies are waiting. In their opinion, whether the situation will calm down or not will depend on further developments.
A telephone survey in a representative sample
TARGET GROUP: A sample from a telephone directory was randomly chosen for the survey and 300 successful telephone calls were made. These phone calls were equally divided according to regions and demographic characteristics - size of the place, sex, age, number of people in household, education and income - so as it would reflect reality as much as possible. In addition to that a small representative group of Linz citizens was selected, who were asked as a control group, to find out if the same trends regarding tourism are also apparent throughout the whole region.
MAIN OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to quantify the frequency of trips to the Czech Republic and to record the overall influence of Temelín on these journeys.
RESULT: Considerable decrease in one-day-trip frequency is obvious: the number of tourist from Mühlviertel decreased from 27 to 20 %. Expressed in absolute numbers this means that in comparison with the year 2000, in 2001 there were less one-day trips of individuals by 40 000. In this group there are included those, who completely cancelled their trips to the Czech Republic and those, who reduced the number of trips this year. This decrease is especially obvious in young families with children. 10% of families with children under 14 completely cancelled their trips. These results are in accordance with results that Fessel-Institut obtained in different survey that took place throughout the whole Austria.
The financial losses for the Czech Republic are extensive. Austrian tourists spend during a one-day trip to the Czech Republic around ATS 450 per person. With the above mentioned decrease by 7% the loss in income for the Czech Republic is, thanks to the absence of tourist from Mühlviertel, ATS 18 million.
The main reason for canceling the trips was stated as Temelín.
PROGNOSIS: Those who in 2001/2001 still made one-day trips to the Czech Republic are planning them in a lesser extend. Approximately one third would like to further reduce these trips or to stop them completely. Questioned if Temelín decommissioning would influence their travels, 40% of them stated that they would again increase the frequency of trips.
Some further information about the attitudes of Mühlviertel citizens
- 93 % of Mühlviertel citizens feel endangered by Temelín
- ca. 50% see the possible consequence that Mühlviertel region will also become less attractive to tourists. It is mostly Freistadt citizens who hold this opinion.
- 64 % of the questioned think that Mühlviertel, thanks to Temelín, will become unattractive for the region's citizens.
- 66 % agree that the Czech Republic will become unattractive to tourists thanks to Temelín. Especially citizens of Rohrbach and Freistadt districts agree with this.
Summary
In Autumn 2000, Mothers Against Nuclear Danger - Freistadt contracted out a study on the influence of Temelín on tourism from Austria to the Czech Republic to a renowned Fessel - Institut. The survey was carried out at the end of 2001 and the results were made public on the 22nd of February 2002 at a press conference in Èeské Budìjovice and Freistadt.
Two substudies (interviews with local tourist service providers from Mühlviertel and from the Linz area and a telephone survey among the Mühlviertel citizens) showed clear, though for the Czech tourism very unpleasant, results.
One-day coach trips considerably decreased in the questioned area. The damage is not so significant for Mühlviertel entrepreneurs, because this decrease was compensated by reservations to other destinations. Those damaged are Czech companies, because the absence of Austrian guests means considerable losses in profit. Temelín (a series of defects, fear of an accident) was determined as the cause of this decrease. "We can sense client's fear and dissatisfaction", claim all Austrian businessmen. Both Czech and Austrian politicians (and how they deal with the situation) are to blame for this. Whether the situation will calm down or not depends, according to tourist services providers, on the further development of the situation concerning Temelín.
The telephone survey also provides an unambiguous picture. It is obvious that there is a distinct decrease in one-day trips of Mühlviertel citizens to the Czech Republic (from 27 to 20 %). In 2001 there were approximately 40 000 trips less than in 2000. This decline can be especially obviously seen in young families with children. 10% of the questioned families completely dropped one-day trips to the Czech Republic. The financial losses for the Czech Republic are extensive. The absence of Mühlviertel tourist in the Czech Republic caused losses in sales app. ATS 18 million (assumed ATS 450 per person and day). The prognosis is not good either. This declining tendency is about to continue. Around one third of the questioned who still travel to the Czech Republic want to further reduce the number of trips or to completely diminish them. In the event of Temelín decommissioning, 40% would again increase the frequency of trips.
Numbers that prove the general attitude of Mühlviertel citizens towards the power plant:
- 93 % of them feel endangered by Temelín
- 50 % assume that Mühlviertel will lose its attractiveness to tourists when Temelín is put into operation
- 64 % are convinced that the quality of life in Mühlviertel will be lowered due to Temelín
- 66 % agree that the Czech Republic, by putting Temelín into operation, will lose its attractiveness as a tourist destination
Mothers Against Nuclear Danger, Freistadt
It all began in 1991. On the initiative of several Freistadt women, an open interest group and gradually a committed non-party association "Mothers Against Nuclear Danger - Freistadt" was founded. As mothers we feel responsible and especially this role obliges us to defend ourselves against the danger of nuclear energy and to campaign for the use of environment friendly forms of energy production. Children not only need us as mothers and fathers in the family sphere but they also need us as intermediaries in politics and society. That is why we regard as our duty to stand up for sustainable development and a nuclear-free future for our children. Our association composes of active members and supporters. Our work is carried out in the form of regular meetings (every first Tuesday in the month at 8 P.M. - Vis-á-vis restaurant) and in work groups.
PROGRAMME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH BOHEMIAN TERRITORIAL REGION
Regional Development Agency RERA, 30-9-2001
The South Bohemian regional development programme is a document by whose approval, implementation and supervision the regional representatives (in accordance with regional law no.129/2000) fulfil the role of the region in its care of the overall development of the territory and the needs of its citizens.
The programme sets strategic objectives, measures and development activities. The programme is divided into individual areas; one of them is tourism, culture and external relations. Tourism is understood as a specific part of industry.
The strategic conception of the South Bohemian region is defined as:
"The region using the potential of its significant geographic location, preserved natural wealth, historical and cultural monuments, tradition of local folklore, folk crafts and health resorts to create an attractive environment for both foreign and Czech visitors, suitable for sport activities, active leisure, participation in cultural and educational activities, and as open to versatile co-operation with those from abroad and neighbouring regions and as integrated in European structures as possible".
To fulfil the strategic conception of the South Bohemian region, apart from others these global objectives were specified:
1. To make the region attractive to "world tourism" with the use of the uniqueness of South Bohemia in its natural and urban character.
2. To use the natural, raw material and water resources of the region for economic activities that are in agreement with sustainable development
The analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the region for the section "Environment protection" and for the section "Tourism, culture and external relations" does not mention the issue of Temelín. On the contrary there is a mention of the possibility of the interconnection of tourist and cultural activities with Austria and Germany. The Temelín issue is not even touched upon in the chapter , which summarizes necessary measures. Only in case of external relations with Upper and Lower Austria and Bavaria was the necessity to involve civic activities and citizen interest groups in the projects of border co-operation pointed out.
In the programme of the development of the South Bohemian region the issue of Temelín and its negative impact was definitely underestimated, especially in the sections on environmental protection and tourism.
Mgr. Dana Kuchtová, Ing. Monika Wittingerová
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