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This article presents and discusses the visible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cultural tourism in Czechia, Europe. The pandemic has caused or accelerated certain changes. Mainly urban destinations focusing on foreign tourists (e.g., Prague) were affected by the pandemic. However, despite the significant decline in tourism as an industry, the seeds of positive changes can be traced. For example, domestic tourists have discovered the appeal of the rural regions of their homeland. The trend has started to evolve from mass tourism to a more individual one. The decline of the workforce in tourism will likely result in the increase of more self-service forms of activities. Even though e-tourism cannot replace real experiences, it will contribute to a more deliberate selection of tourist destinations and services. Therefore, investing in a higher quality infrastructure should be a priority. The latest observations show that the main obstacle is insufficient cooperation among local stakeholders, such as entrepreneurs, public administration, or individual government departments. Czechia???s fundamental drawback is the lack of clear distinction of whether culture tourism falls into the economic sector or the cultural sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Regional Development Strategy of the Czech Republic 2021+ set aside economically and socially endangered rural regions. This paper aims to analyse the situation of these regions in the South Moravian Region in more detail to specify individual threats and possible approaches to rural development. In addition, the paper seeks to determine whether these regions are significantly differentiated internally, allowing the neediest areas to be focused on for growth. The research used geographical analysis and synthesis methods to identify the two most peripheral microregions as the most endangered. Their most significant strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats were summarised, and possible strategies for further development were indicated. Although the conditions and development assumptions in the two microregions were different, the significance of tourism development was indicated as the most important direction in one case and as a second direction in the other. • The Czech Republic's Regional Development Strategy 2021+ outlined endangered areas. • The endangered rural areas in the South Moravian Region were analysed in detail. • Only the most peripheral parts of the designated regions are at risk. • Regardless of the general strategy, each of the micro-regions must be managed separately. • The development of cultural tourism is one of the promising possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the recent population development of Moravian rural micro-regions. It divides all 72 micro-regions into four categories according to the relation of natural demographic balance and net migration in the period of 2012–2016. It showed that all size categories of the Moravian rural municipalities till 5000 inhabitants are gaining population by migration whereas small towns lose inhabitants. No relation between the demographic type of the countryside and unemployment was observed. It shows, that the Moravian rural areas are not depopulating in general, its demographic development does not depend on the unemployment. However, the Moravian countryside is differentiated. There are some extremely peripheral parts of Moravia often lacking any real urban centre, where the depopulation is the problem. Depopulating micro-regions can be found in the northern, south-western and eastern periphery of Moravia. Such territories should be solved individually according to the local conditions. • The paper investigates the recent population development of 72 rural micro-regions. • Only the most peripheral micro-regions without any town centre are threatened. • Rural unemployment is in no case higher than the indicator in the related town centre. • The Moravian countryside is not depopulating, neither ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of the landscape has changed in relation to the transformation of the countryside from an agricultural space to a multifunctional space. The aim of this paper focuses on evidence of landscape values in the territory of Podolí u Brna, a suburban village on the fringe of the city of Brno. The main question driving this research is whether it is possible to find important landscape values in a territory undergoing intensive suburbanization and what changes in individual landscape values are caused by the process of suburbanization. Historical maps, documents and aerial photographs were analysed. The results confirmed that an intensively cultivated suburban landscape with transport infrastructure has both historical and contemporary values with six landscape values being identified. It was also confirmed that new technological barriers have originated in such a landscape. The protecting of landscape values is an important factor in creating and maintaining a local identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a consequence of the economic transformation, transport companies compete for the most profitable lines of public transport whereas the wide countryside remains of a little interest. As a solution, integrated systems of public transport could play an important role in the development of rural areas, especially in post-communist countries. Such a system in the South Moravian Region connects 24 state, municipal and private transport companies in a unified mode. It includes unified tariff, operation management from one place, and creation of a skeleton of high capacity (train) lines with transfer traffic nodes, creation of nodes on the city fringe for the change from buses to electric vehicles and release of capabilities for tangential lines. The system competes mainly with the individual car transport by its increasing comfort and extension of services. The annual performances have increased from 118 to 829 million of passengers-kilometers in the regional transport and from 344 to 396 million passengers in the city during the period 2004–2015. The relation between accessibility and rural development, particularly depopulation trends, was investigated. It was found that the frequency of connections is sufficient throughout the territory, which is one of main reasons inhabitants should remain in the countryside. Moreover, this frequency contributes positively to rural tourism, prevents social exclusion and stimulates progressive rural development throughout the whole territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The research consists of the rural landscape values identification in Czechia. • Natural, historical, man-made and spiritual values were investigated. • Landscape values are important factors to keep or create a local identity. • The dynamic and multi-functional aspects of the landscape values gain attention. • Water components will very likely increase importance under the threat of drought. Natural, historical, man-made and spiritual values of the rural landscape were investigated on the example of the rural municipality Chlum u Třeboně in Southern Bohemia (the Czech Republic). It shows that the rural landscape contains a set of values – such as substance, origin, size, and importance – many of which have negative connotations. Some of these values are protected, others are not. The set of values forms genius loci of the place which is an important part of the local identity. The landscape of the area under the study was monitored and analyzed from both macro-structural and micro-structural points of view. As the evaluation of values mainly depends on stakeholders (local residents, tourists, municipalities, entrepreneurs, landscape protection bodies, etc.), in the past, the values of the rural landscape were connected predominantly with its productive function. Based on the results it is possible to say that in relation to the transition towards the post-industrial society, values related to the landscape are gaining new importance such as wetlands or swamps to combat drought. It is necessary to pay higher attention to the dynamic and multi-functional aspects of the landscape values in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]