Special Edition 2010/2011 WTM London • FITUR Madrid • BIT Milano • ITB Berlin & more www.ttg.cz TRAVEL TRADE GAZETTE Czech Republic Edition November 2010 Old Town Square, which is the heart of Old Town, is probably the most important place in Prague, aside from Prague Castle. Prague’s Old Town Square ts history dates back only Large Square was used. the tower’s windows and to to the 11th century, The present-day Old Town watch a skeleton measuring when trade routes Square has been in use only out the time. The end of the crossed here and since 1895. spectacle is announced by when it served as a A town hall was estab- a cock’s crow. marketplace. Inci- lished on the square in the However, the Town Hall Identally, the square has 14th century and the main did not always look like it not always been called Old Old Town Church of our does today. The complex Town; its name has changed Lady in front of Týn was of Town Hall buildings over the centuries. Its built a bit later. Then, the expanded over the cen- original name was probably square became not only turies. During the fights Large Square, which distin- Old Town’s economic, but of 5 May 1945, the Town guished this square from the also its political centre. Hall was seriously damaged space around the Church Royal coronation processions and its entire neo-gothic of St. Havel that housed a passed through the square wing, which was built from smaller marketplace. The to Prague Castle (the very 1838-1848 by the Viennese name Old Market can be first Czech king who passed architect Pietro Nobile, was found in documents dat- through the square was John destroyed by fire. How- ing as far back as the 13th of Luxemburg with his wife, ever, this wing was not century (when the square Elisabeth of Bohemia); how- very popular with Prague’s got the square shape as we ever, much sadder events, citizens even before the know it today). It was called such as executions, took fire and since 1901 several Rynk (an archaic word for place here as well. architectural competitions “marketplace”) or Old Town Old Town Hall is still one have been announced to Rynk in the 14th century. of the square’s most impor- first remodel and now com- The most commonly used tant buildings. Its dominant plete the structure. Eight names in the 18th century feature is its astronomical competitions have been an- were Old Town Plac (an clock from the early 15th nounced to date and a ninth archaic word for “square”), century. Every hour, tourists is being considered, but Large Old Town Square and gather under the town hall none of the proposals has Large Square. In the second tower to watch the proces- been implemented yet. half of the 19th century, sion of the twelve apostles in More on page 4 »áÚíÞ×ÞáÞéî¡ÅçÞëÖØÛāØÞÚãØî ÉçÖëÚáÈÚçëÞØڡ֣裡¾¿ØçÜçܤ£©«¢¦£¤©££«ÃåÔÚèØ©¶íØÖÛÅØãèÕßÜÖ ãÛâáØ­§¥£ª¥§©¥¦©¨¦áâá æçâãØ àÔÜß­ÝØç³çåÔéØßæØåéÜÖØ¡ÔØåâêêê¡çåÔéØßæØåéÜÖØ¡ÔØåâ ÌÚĂîÛäçîäê¡éäāéîäêçèØÝÚÙêáÚ¡éäâÚÚéîäêçä×ßÚØéÞëÚè£ November 2010 www.ttg.cz TRAVEL TRADE GAZETTE 2 NEWS Contents 04 PRAGUE 06 HISTORY 08 HOTELS BRNO BOASTS THE LARGEST OUTDOOR CLIMBING WALL IN CENTRAL EUROPE IN BRIEF The new and currently largest outdoor climbing wall in Central Europe was erected in the Green SLIVOVITZ IS ALLEGEDLY Zone of Brno’s Olympia Commercial Complex. It includes five sections of different heights with THE MOST TYPICAL CZECH different profile inclinations, including a small boulder tower. It is intended for both amateur and SOUVENIR – CzechTourism professional athletes – it meets the specifications established by the International Federation of conducted a poll on its “Kudy z nudy” portal asking Sport Climbing for hosting the Climbing Worldcup. The wall’s total area is 1450 m² and it reaches what the most typical Czech a maximum height of 18 meters. The wall is also fitted with lighting for evening climbing. About souvenir was. 32 percent of 600 respondents stated 1000 holds are currently installed, with the wall’s total capacity being 6500 holds. Thus far, 50 that – beyond any doubt – routes of varying difficulty have been set up for climbers and this number will gradually increase. this was slivovitz (or plum At the beginning of each route is a notice with information about its difficulty. Of course, the wall brandy). While slivovitz has yet to win the hearts features all the amenities – changing rooms, showers, refreshment stand and climbing equipment of foreign travelers, Czechs rental. It is open Monday to Sunday from ten in the morning to ten in the evening. consider this beverage their most original product. Slivovitz even has its own museum: the Museum of VIA FABRILIS IN NUMBERS Folk Distilled Drinks that Tourists heading to the and town culture through opened in Vlčnov in May PRAGUE AMONG THE TOP 10 URBAN TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN Krkonoše Mountains can manufactured crafts in 2010. take the Trail Of Craft Tra- the central and western EUROPE – The Czech capital Prague placed seventh among the top ten VISIT THE SOUTH TOWER ditions, which runs from the Krkonoše Mountains and urban tourism destinations in Europe in 2009, according to the European OF ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL – Czech town of Vrchlabí to in the adjacent Czech and Cities Marketing Benchmarking Report released in June 2010. This report In July 2010, Prague Castle Boleslawiec, Poland. Along Polish foothills. Administration opened St. the route are eight thematic The stops on the Czech by European Cities Marketing, the leading network of urban tourism orga- Vitus Cathedral’s south stops on the Czech side side include the Museum tower to visitors. From its nizations in Europe, includes the performance of European cities in 2009 and six on the Polish side of Crafts of the Krkonoše and illustrates the main trends in urban tourism between 2004 and 2009 height of approximately 60 of the mountains. Detailed Mountains in Poniklá and meters, the Renaissance information about those the Novosad and Son glass in 101 European cities. balcony offers a panoramic crafts that are characteristic works in Harrachov. On the view of Prague and its sur- of the different stops can Polish side, one can find THE TOP 10 URBAN TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN EUROPE roundings. The balcony be found in a booklet that the Krkonoše Mountains is accessible via a stone Total bednights 2009 change from 08-09 includes a map in Czech, Museum in Jelenia Góra in millions in % 287-step spiral staircase Polish and German. All and the Ceramics Museum that winds in a clockwise promotional materials are in Boleslawiec. 1. London 45.0 - 0.6 direction and offers a peek provided free of charge at The Via Fabrilis project 2. Paris 33.9 - 3.4 into the cathedral’s bell each stop. is a joint effort of the chambers. The Czech-Polish Via Krkonoše Mountains Mu- 3. Berlin 18.9 6.3 MOTORCYCLE TAXI IN Fabrilis project aims not seum of the Krkonoše Na- 4. Rome 18.6 - 2.6 PRAGUE – In July 2010, the only to promote tourism but tional Park Administration 5. Madrid 13.7 - 1.6 first motorcycle taxis began also to preserve and present and the Ceramics Museum to operate in Prague. Taxi samples of traditional folk in Boleslawiec. 6. Barcelona 12.8 2.7 Moto currently has a fleet of 7. Prague 11.2 - 7.7 seventeen Suzuki Burgman motorcycles and intends PRESIDENT HAVEL IN THE 8. Vienna 10.5 - 4.2 to increase their number 9. Munich 9.9 0.6 as needed. The service ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR 10. Amsterdam 8.6 3.0 is cheaper for customers In the spring of 2011, a fea- in lead roles. Havel wrote compared to conventional ture film entitled “Leaving” “Leaving” as his first new Source: ECM calculations (www.europeancitiesmarketing.com) taxis. will be released. It was filmed play after nearly twenty by former Czech President years. Its premiere in 2008 THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN VISITORS IN 2009 – In 2009, 6 081 244 SPECIAL EDITION 2009/2010 Václav Havel and was based was among the most antici- foreign visitors chose the Czech Republic as their destination, i.e. 8.5% on his play of the same name. pated cultural events in the TRAVEL TRADE This ‘chamber drama’ is Czech Republic. It has also less than in 2008. The five countries from where the most tourists came GAZETTE about one politician leaving been performed on a number remained the same. The greatest number of visitors were from Germany Czech Republic and another coming to power of foreign stages in the (1 404 496), followed by Great Britain (374 349), Italy (361 509), Poland and features the well-known United States, Great Britain, WHO WE ARE Czech actor Josef Abrhám Poland, Denmark, Sweden, (348 595) and Russia (327 634). The most popular places within the Czech Anna Marie Zemplinerová and Havel’s wife Dagmar Germany and Croatia. Republic were Prague, the Karlovy Vary Region and the South Moravia Region. general manager [email protected] Marta Jedličková THE HOUSE OF BUTTERFLIES – There is a tropical green- editor Pilsen won the title of the European Capital of Culture 2015 house about 2 kilometers from the town of Františkovy Lázně. [email protected] Pilsen got the chance to open up Stanislav Macek has been breeding butterflies there for almost Lenka Neužilová to Europe. In the year 2015 it will thirty years. For the past seven years, the greenhouse has editor represent the Czech Republic as been open to the public, so you can now enjoy the beauty [email protected] the European Capital of Culture.