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TOURIST PRECINCTS AND TOURISTIFICATION IN PRAGUE: THE CASE STUDY OF THE ROYAL WAY

Publication at Faculty of Science |
2016

Abstract

Urban tourism has been growing in importance in recent years. The number of tourists and visitors has been increasing and due to its strong concentration into certain areas, the so-called urban tourism precincts have been creating.

These urban tourism precincts are characterised not only by the concentration of tourist attractions and thus by tourists, but also by the concentration of tourist-oriented services. The continuing development of urban tourism precincts could lead to gradual extrusion of facilities of daily live and its substitution by tourist ones (touristification) causing the loss of initial values of a place and the creation of a tourist ghetto.

The aim of this paper is to present the results of field research which was carried out in the historic centre of Prague in summer 2015. The survey was focused on the identification of services offered on the Royal Way, which is the most tourist burdened area in Prague.

On the basis of collected data, the urban tourism precinct was identified and the degree of touristification of the area was assessed. The results show the high load of tourism in Prague and the creation of a tourist ghetto on the Royal Way.