Press release of the Ústí Region from 28 November 2019
"The results of the monitoring confirm that the Elbe Trail is a popular and successful tourist destination, which is enjoyed by locals and visitors from other regions and countries. Due to the economic benefits it generates, it is important for the Ústí nad Labem Region to continue to take good care of this backbone route and also to promote it in order to attract other people, mostly enthusiastic cyclists, in the future.” Said Deputy Governor for Tourism Zdeněk Matouš.
Quantitative monitoring was carried out based on six census points, on four of which pedestrian and cyclist passages were also distinguished. These were the localities Dolní Žleb, Děčín - Křešice, Velké Březno, Třeboutice, Židovice and Roudnice nad Labem. The most frequented place was Děčín - Křešice with more than 34,000 passages. The average share of cyclists was 77%. Measurements showed that the trail is most visited at the weekend, Sunday in particular; the fewest passes are on Mondays. The use of the trail is influenced by the summer months, when the number of August passes is higher than in September, although only half of the month has been evaluated. The daily average of all census points is 390 passes and passages.
Within the questionnaire survey, 607 completely completed questionnaires were collected. The evaluation shows that over 90% of visitors are from the Czech Republic, 7% from Germany. The locals make up 84% of Czech visitors, other significantly represented regions are Central Bohemia, Prague and Liberec. Cyclists most often ride in pairs (more than 30%) or alone (27%). Three quarters were day trips, 10% went on two days, the rest on several days. People most often use the Elbe Trail for relaxation and sports (55%). However, long-distance cyclists also move on it, of which over 68% travel 30-70 km a day.
Given that cyclists most often use refreshment services (80%) with daily spending of an average of CZK 400 per person and foreigners often also accommodation for an average of CZK 700 per person per night, the economic benefit of the Elbe Trail for the Ústí nad Labem Region can be estimated. For the season March - October this year, this estimate is 40 million crowns, half of which is for foreign tourists and half for visitors from other regions. The inhabitants of the Ústí nad Labem Region will spend almost another 19 million crowns on the trail. More than 98% are generated by multi-day tourists. From this it is clear that in order to increase the economic benefit of the Elbe Trail, it is appropriate to create and promote products for multi-day tourists, especially from Germany.
"The Elbe Trail is one of the most visited long-distance cycling routes in the Czech Republic and in Europe (www.mereninavstevnosti.cz). It offers 1,300 km of unique cycling along the Elbe and safe cycle paths, which are systematically being built by the Ústí nad Labem Region and the adjoining regions. Its success is also due to the joint Czech-German promotion (www.labska-stezka.cz), in which regions, cities, entrepreneurs and other partners participate todether work to promote the Elbe cycle path"says Radek Patrný, coordinator of the Elbe Trail in the Czech Republic from the Partnership Foundation.
Half of the visitors go on the trail regularly and repeatedly. Almost a third of visitors want the cycling infrastructure to be completed, more than a fifth would welcome more gastronomic facilities.
"The popularity of the Elbe Trail in the Ústí Region is constantly growing. In the Central Bohemian Uplands, we observe a growing interest of locals, who are increasingly using the trail for leisure and active recreation, not only by bike, but also on inline skates or as a route for running. Another proof of the growing popularity of this tourist product is the newly created refreshments on the Elbe Trail route." Added Michal Horáček from the Destination Agency of the Central Bohemian Uplands, which oversees the marketing of the Elbe Trail in the Ústí nad Labem Region.
In the period from 12 August to 13 October 2019, Partnership for the Elbe Trail in the Ústí nad Labem Region monitored in cooperation with the Destination Agency of the Central Bohemian Uplands (survey). The Ústí nad Labem Region has performed systematic monitoring of selected sections of the trail using automatic counters since 2013.
You can find more information about the Elbe Trail in the Ústí Region on the website www.stredohori.cz/LS or on Facebook or Instagram Elbe Trail in the Ústí Region.