THE SLOVAK TOURISM INDUSTRY

Slovakia’s tourism industry has grown remarkably since the country became independent and is now a strategic priority for the government. Despite stable growth in the sector, tourism represents however only 2.5% of GDP, a figure which is under international average of 3,5% and does not credit for the several resources the country can promote.

The total number of domestic and foreign tourists staying in accommodation establishments is 3.8 million of whom 1.5 millions come from abroad. The five leading foreign markets for Slovakian Tourism are the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Hungary and Austria, which together account for 63% of all foreign arrivals in Slovakia. Employment in the sector (accommodation establishments, restaurants and catering) represent almost 4.5% of the total workforce employed in the country.

Since 2010 the responsibility for tourism has rested with the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development. The tourism sector of the Ministry is divided into two departments: The Tourism Strategy and Policy Department and the Tourism Co-operation and Co-ordination Department with responsibilities including: creation of conditions for the development of tourism; formulation, implementation and monitoring of policy; preparation of legislative regulations concerning tourism; provision of comprehensive statistical data on the development of tourism; and representing the country’s interests in international tourism organisations.

The Slovak Tourist Board (STB) is a government agency funded from the state budget and responsible for promoting and marketing the Slovak Republic as a tourism destination. It markets tourism at the national level, provides information on travel opportunities in the Slovak Republic, promotes a positive image of the country as a tourism destination abroad, supports the sale of tourism products and implements the EU structural funds in the tourism industry. The STB has eight national branch offices and six foreign offices located in the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Austria, the Russian Federation and Hungary.

At the regional level, tourism responsibilities are devolved to eight self-governing bodies in the regional governments: Brastislava, Trnava, Nitra, Trencin, Zilina, Bankska Bystrica, Presov and Kosice- and municipalities and towns also play an important role in the development of tourism in their areas. Tourism associations as professional entities also contribute at local and regional levels, primarily in the fields of quality improvement, expanding the range of tourism products and services, professional training, the application of quality standards, and the communication of best practices.

Starting from 2013 the Slovakian government has recognised that the country has an untapped potential in the tourist sector which needs to be proactively supported through a targeted strategy. The New Tourism Development Strategy aims in particular to increase the competitive strength of tourism by better using its potential with the aim of alleviating regional disparities and creating new jobs. Strategic areas of investment identified by the plan included:

• Coastal Tourism and Stays by Water;
• Spa and Health Tourism;
• Winter Sports;
• Urban and Cultural Tourism;
• Rural Areas Tourism and Natural tourism.

As part of this effort, Slovakia has also tried to adopt a model of destination management based on the effective operation of local and regional tourism organizations. 34 local tourism boards exist all across Slovakia focused on the development of regional tourism products, marketing of the region and infrastructures development.

Labour Market Trends

The tourism sector in Slovakia in general is characterised by low qualification requirements (as much as 45% of professions in the hotel and catering industry do not require education level higher than elementary, instruction courses or various trainings) and corresponding low salaries and is therefore poorly attractive for jobseekers.

Education and Training

There are 5 Universities with a specialization in tourism or hotel management in Slovakia, with a significant enrolment and graduation rate. The highest enrolment is in Banská Bystrica, traditionally a center of tourism. University graduates occupy top level management positions, while graduates from professional schools work in middle management and are generally very well prepared theoretically and practically. Prešov and Trnava are the regions with the highest enrolment in professional schools. Foreign companies frequently praise the motivation and abilities of young workers, who also have good language and computer skills.

Trends and Prospects

In summer 2013 Slovakia has launched an updated strategy for tourism up to 2020. Although tourism is growing, the government considers in facts its potential still largely underexplored, with Slovakia lagging behind most of its Visegrad Group neighbours, as well as Austria and outbound tourism nearly 10 times higher than inbound tourism.

The Slovak Republic has comparatively excellent natural but also cultural - historical conditions for the development of tourism and influx of foreign visitors. However, due to the lower standard of service, the state tourism promotion and marketing is still unable to realize its potential for development of this sector.

 The main priority areas of the new strategy include:

• a national rating system of quality;
• financial tools to support tourism companies that attract foreign tourists to Slovakia;
• full implementation of destination management governance model;
• development of infrastructure and transport through a sustainability approach.

 To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to:

• revaluate the institutionalization of management and coordination of activities of subjects responsible for the development of tourism at all levels,
• develop a new strategy to revive tourism, increase its quality and competitiveness,
• foster a better use of touristic potential of Slovakia,
• improve the effectiveness and transparency of the use of public resources for the support of tourism development, including a more effective use of EU funds.
• consider the application of support programmes connected to active tourism for airports and airlines to directly support the development of air transport and foster the development of airline industry even within tourism.

 The Tourism Development Strategy until 2020 focuses on two areas: the quality of the tourism offer and the presentation of the Slovak Republic as a tourism destination.