ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF WATER-RELATED TOURISM AROUND THE VLTAVA RIVER CASCADE

Abstract

The Vltava River cascade with its series of dams and reservoirs has been traditionally an area of intense and diverse open-space recreation linked to water ecosystems. This study examines the effects of water-related tourism in this pilot area on the economy. Using the Leontief input-output model based on the symmetric input-output table (SIOT) and data on yearly expenditure of recreationists, type I and II multipliers are derived for gross value added as indicator of economic effect. The results show that 1 CZK of tourists´ expenditure is associated with creation of about 0.41 to 0.53 CZK of regional gross value added (this also represents a proxy for the effect on regional gross domestic product). More than a half of the total effect of recreationists´ expenditure on the regional economy is realized through visitor purchases from economic sectors of accommodation and food service activities.