EU - Tourism in C. Europe: From cultural heritage to spas
EU - Tourism in C. Europe: From cultural heritage to spas
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
If you ask Indonesians about their favorite holiday
destinations abroad, you will get many different answers. Some
may mention Asian countries like Thailand, China, South Korea and
Japan; others may prefer the United States, Australia or a
European country like France or the United Kingdom.
What about Central Europe?
While this area is not popular among Indonesians, it doesn't
mean Central European countries are not worth visiting. On the
contrary, this part of the world has many countries with
fascinating tourist spots, from rich cultural treasures to
breath-taking natural panorama.
"I was in Hungary in the 1970s. It was a long time ago, but I
still remember how beautiful it was," senior economist Frans Seda
recalled. "I was particularly deeply impressed with their
cultural heritage."
"With more promotion, I am sure that Central Europe will draw
more visitors from Indonesia," he said.
It's a good time for the promotion as four Central European
countries -- Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary --
are making history on May 1, when they officially join the
European Union (EU).
Besides these four countries, there are six others -- Cyprus,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Slovenia -- which will
become new EU members on the same day, taking the total number of
EU members from 15 to 25.
The 10 new members are relatively poorer than the EU average
and one of the first priorities of the enlarged union is to raise
their living standards. This means that there will be more
opportunities for the new members to boost their economic growth
and develop themselves in all areas, including tourism.
Tourism is expected to contribute significantly to the
economies in these new EU countries, whose tourist industries
have already grown since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
Below is the brief information on four new EU members: Poland,
the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary:
Poland
The country, with Warsaw as the capital, has a population of
38.2 million and the country covers an area of 313,000 square
kilometers.
Poland is by far the largest of the new member countries. The
Polish state reaches back more than 1,000 years and has been in
the mainstream of Europe's cultural and political development
since the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, it was one of the
most powerful countries in Europe.
Poland has one of Europe's largest farming populations and is
rich in mineral resources, including coal, several metals and
rock salts. The Wieliczka salt mine, which dates from the 13th
century, is among the world's oldest industrial enterprises still
in continuous operation. Cracow, the country's third largest
city is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, founded
in 1364.
The Czech Republic
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, which covers
79,000 square kilometers area and has a 10.2 million population.
The Czech lands were part of the Habsburg Empire for 300
years. They became independent as part of Czechoslovakia in 1919.
The country was one of the 10 most industrialized states before
World War II. It split peacefully into the Czech and Slovak
Republics in 1993.
Prague is more than 1,000 years old with a wealth of historic
architecture of different styles. It is one of the most visited
cities in Europe, second only to Paris in the number of foreign
tourists. The Czech Republic produces world-famous beer as well
as mineral water from more than 900 natural springs, which is a
world record.
Throughout the centuries Prague preserved its richness of
historical monuments of different styles. Romanesque, Gothic,
Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and cubism form a unique
aesthetic unit.
Goethe called this country a continent within a continent
because "it has everything a continent needs except a coastline".
With hills, highlands and mountains covering more than 95 percent
of it territory, it is ideal for skiing, mountain biking and
hiking.
Slovakia
Slovakia has a population of 5.4 million and an area of 49,000
square kilometers. Its capital is Bratislava.
It became an independent state only after its split with the
Czech Republic in 1993. At that time it had to build a central
administration and separate monetary, banking and tax systems
from scratch.
Bratislava, which lies on the Danube, has a rich heritage of
medieval and baroque architecture. The fortifications on many
hilltops bear witness to Slovakia's long history of invasions.
The capital city is undergoing rapid modernization; the old
districts offer a wide range of medieval and baroque architecture
restored to its former glory. The Gothic style also contributes
generously to the great variety of the architectural heritage
there.
Deep under the ground, there are bizarre caves and thermal and
mineral springs, giving rise to the building of spa towns.
Hungary
Hungary, which has a 10.1 million population covers 93,000
square kilometers with Budapest as the capital.
The two halves of the capital city, Buda and Pest, straddle
the Danube, several hundred kilometers downstream from
Bratislava. The city is rich in history and culture and famed for
its curative springs.
The west of the country is hilly, the east flat and fertile.
Lake Balaton, a popular tourist destination, is the largest lake
in Central Europe -- it is a highly popular resort, much favored
by sailing, rowing and windsurfing enthusiasts. It covers an area
of some 600 square kilometers but is only three meters deep on
average.
Hungary is a highly musical country and its violinists are
particularly celebrated.