On 21st November, a new international publication called “Coping with Overtourism in Post-Pandemic Europe: Approaches, Experiences and Challenges” was introduced for the first time in the Cezch Republic by its author, prof. Gert-Jan Hospers Radboud University in Nijmegen, and one of the co-authors, Miroslav Rončák from the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, and the Faculty of Physical Culture PU became the venue for this unique event. The publication deals with a current issue of excessive tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compared to the first monograph called “Overtourism: Issues, Realities and Solutions” by Rachel Dodds and Richard Butler, published four years ago, prof. Hospers’ book focuses not only on the issue of unbalanced tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a short-term shift of overtourism into natural and mountain destinations could be observed, but it also offers possible solutions of elimination of the negative effects of post-pandemic tourism and presents several examples from all over Europe, aiming at more sustainable development of touristic destinations. The fact that many international experts have contributed to the publication as authors of the chapters, only makes it more qualitatively significant. The book contains chapters from authors like Ko Koens and Roos Geeritsma, who analyse the situation in Amsterdam, Florian Weber, who presents the effects tourism has on various types of destinations, or Andreas Kagermeier, who studies the relationship between residents and tourists. The chapter dealing with tourism in Prague called “Tourist City Prague on the Way to Cultural Sustainability” written by Miroslav Rončák, describes several positive steps implemented by the city of Prague after the approval of The Incoming Tourism Concept of the Capital City of Prague, and at the same time it points out a number of challenges Prague faces on its way to sustainable tourism and satisfaction of all the tourism participants.
Beside the presentation of his newly published book about negative effects of tourism, prof. Hospers made the time to give three guest lectures for the students of our faculty, concerning tourism storytelling, the revival of the cultural heritage and sustainability of tourism destinations. The guest also had a meeting with the leaders of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the International Relations Office of Faculty of Physical Culture and they have discussed the common points of interest and future collaboration between FPC PU and Radboud University in Nijmegen. Moreover, we are thrilled prof. Hospers had confirmed his participation in the upcoming 23rd International Teaching Week, which will take place in April 2024, and he is also to be one of the guest speakers during a summer school, which FPC UP is currently preparing for international students interested in the topic of dealing with the negative effects of active forms of tourism.
