Outdoor excitement in homeland? Opportunities and threats to balloon tourism in the Czech Republic during the coronavirus outbreak
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | personalized Share Link |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2021.100424 |
| Keywords | Ballooning; Domestic tourism; Niche tourism; Outdoor recreation; Czech Republic |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Hot air ballooning as a niche outdoor activity has become popular in the Czech Republic in the last two decades. It provides not only authentic experiences but also a feeling of intense excitement. This research note aims to report on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on balloon tourism. It presents initial results on new ideas regarding opportunities and threats to ballooning in the Czech Republic arising during the coronavirus outbreak. Several methods were used, combining desk research with qualitative in-depth interviews with main balloon flights operators. Despite many unfavourable circumstances, the pandemic situation brought several opportunities for this business stemming from the government measures and shifts in travellers’ behaviour. These opportunities include, for example, the focus on domestic clientele looking for different experiences under pandemic conditions and the strategic cooperation of balloon flights operators with accommodation providers. |
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