Overview
The project “Prostřední Bečva – Pustevny & Horní Bečva: Together for Sustainable Tourism” addresses the growing pressure of mass tourism in the Pustevny area, one of the most visited destinations in the Beskydy Mountains in Czech Republic. Pustevny attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year thanks to its unique natural scenery, and popular attractions such as the Valaška Trail (Stezka Valaška). The increasing number of visitors has led to congestion, traffic problems, pressure on local infrastructure, and growing impacts on the surrounding protected natural environment.
The project supports the sustainable development of the Beskydy region by encouraging visitors to explore alternative destinations and tourism attractions in nearby Horní Bečva, which has greater capacity for tourism development and existing infrastructure. By diversifying tourism offerings and creating new visitor experiences outside the most crowded locations, the project seeks to distribute tourism benefits more evenly across the region while reducing environmental pressure on sensitive mountain areas.
As part of the project, a range of investments will be implemented to create an attractive and sustainable tourism offer in Horní and Prostredni Bečva and encourage visitors to explore destinations beyond the overcrowded areas. Planned measures include the construction of a new visitor information centre, the development of parking facilities, the renovation and modernization of a campsite, and the creation of a new cycling trail at the Horni Becva dam.
The Institute of Tourism and Mobility (ITM) will provide methodological expertise and applied research support in three key areas:
1. Sustainable Tourism Development – supporting the development of a long-term tourism strategy for the Horní Bečva and Prostredni Bečva region, sharing Swiss best practices in destination management, adapting elements of the Swisstainable framework, and facilitating knowledge exchange and capacity-building activities for local stakeholders.
2. Smart Visitor Monitoring and Management – advising on the design and implementation of a data-driven visitor monitoring system, supporting visitor flow analysis, data collection and interpretation, and helping develop practical solutions to reduce overcrowding and improve visitor distribution across the region.
3. Promoting Sustainable Visitor Behaviour – contributing to the design of educational activities and visitor information materials, including content for the new visitor centre, and applying behavioural science approaches such as nudging and boosting to encourage environmentally responsible choices and sustainable mobility.
Prostřední Bečva - Pustevny & Horni Bečva: Together for sustainable tourism is implemented within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism and Enhancing Biodiversity programme, funded under the Swiss-Czech Cooperation Programme.
