Tourism in the Czech and the Slovak Republics recorded dynamic changes since the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Significant changes and modernization can be seen in tourism offer especially at local and regional level. Changes also occurred in the structure of markets and their redistribution within the country. Creative trends in tourism in both countries are primarily the result of extensive private investments. These investments are based on attractive natural and cultural conditions of both countries. The potential of tourism in this case compared to its current state is considerably higher in both countries. Developments of creative tourism, which in turn uses and evaluates the cultural potential of both countries, enable to provide new experiences to visitors. This development is also in line with the changes in the motivations of the visitor towards the search for authenticity. The Czech Republic and Slovakia have for the development of creative tourism excellent conditions including folk crafts, folklore festivals, gastronomy and traditional products linked to the history of both countries. This paper is a conceptual work on how the creative tourism can help in quantitative and qualitative tourism development in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Based on that, it defines creative tourism and analyzes its supply side as a source of competitiveness and subject to differentiation. Best practice examples show where this innovative concept of creativity is already applied in tourism in both countries. The paper also makes suggestions for future research.

Keywords: competitiveness, innovation, creative tourism, visitor, Czech Republic, Slovakia

Suggested citation: Kiralova, I.A. & Malachovsky, A.(2015).Innovating the CZECH and SLOVAK tourism through creative tourism.Skyline Business Journal, Volume 11, No 1,pp 101-116.