The share of tourism in the performance of the Slovak economy dropped by half in the first year of the pandemic
In 2020, tourism represented only 1.45% of Slovakia's gross domestic product, while in the tourist record year of 2019, it represented 2.86% of the performance of the Slovak economy. The Statistical Office of the SR publishes the Tourism Satellite Account 2020, which summarizes the sector's contribution to the economy of the SR.
Tourism is a sector facing the most extensive restrictions and therefore the greatest losses due to the pandemic. During the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, tourism generated a total value of EUR 7.8 billion. It is a summary of the production of characteristic tourism sectors that are internationally comparable, as well as tourism-specific sectors in Slovakia. Direct added value, which is directly related to tourism, reached the value of EUR 1.1 billion and decreased year-on-year by up to one billion EUR, i.e. by half.
In 2020, tourism represented only 1.45% of GDP, while its share decreased by more than 49% year-on-year due to the pandemic and extensive travel restrictions. The direct gross domestic product of tourism reached the value of EUR 1.3 billion which represented, similarly as the share of GDP, only half the values compared to 2019.
More than 13 thousand people lost their jobs in the tourism sector in 2020
In 2020, the number of persons employed in tourism decreased by 7% (13 thousand persons) to 173 thousand. Most of them worked in catering services and in personal transport. The largest number of people lost their jobs during 2020 precisely in catering services and in sports and recreation services.
Of the total number of workers, 85.2% were employees and the rest were entrepreneurs. An internationally comparable indicator - the number of jobs converted to full-time employment (FTE) reached 170.5 thousand work places. This is an 8% decrease compared to the previous year, a greater decrease was recorded by employees than entrepreneurs. A decrease was also recorded in the average number of hours worked per month. While in 2019, employees in tourism sectors worked an average of 136 hours, in 2020 it was only 113 hours. The situation was similar for entrepreneurs. In 2019, entrepreneurs worked an average of 169 hours, in 2020 only 142 hours.
Total expenditure in tourism dropped by more than two thirds
During the first year of the pandemic (in 2020), participants in the tourism sector, i.e. Slovaks and foreigners staying in the SR, as well as Slovak citizens traveling abroad, spent only EUR 2.1 billion. This is less than a third of the expenses compared to the pre-Covid year 2019, when tourism participants spent almost EUR 6.8 billion. Domestic tourism had the lowest year-on-year decrease, at the level of 60%. Among the three components of tourism's internal consumption, domestic tourism expenditure represented the most significant part (EUR 1.2 billion). These are the expenses of domestic visitors travelling around Slovakia.
Regarding the pandemic measures and restrictions on travel to and from abroad, the expenses of Slovak citizens on trips abroad (outbound tourism) dropped in particular, by up to 84% to EUR 344 million. At the same time, foreigners who came to Slovakia (inbound tourism) spent EUR 579 000, i.e. by 65% less than in 2019.
The majority of the expenditure of visitors in the Slovak Republic (domestic and foreign visitors) was directed to payments for accommodation and food services (45.3% of expenditure).
The average expenses for one-trip also decreased, more so for trips with an overnight stay than for one-day trips within the domestic, inbound and outbound tourism. The highest decrease was for residents of the SR with overnight travelers on the territory of the SR, on average they spent by EUR 50 less than a year ago, this is a quarter decrease in average expenses for one-trip. The lowest decrease in average expenses for the first trip was again in domestic tourism, but for one-day trips by residents in the territory of the SR, where average expenses dropped by 7.4%.
Almost three quarters of the total number of trips to Slovakia were one-day trips
The total number of leisure and business trips within the domestic, inbound and outbound tourism reached a value of almost 30 million trips and decreased by 58.1% year-on-year. In the territory of the SR, domestic visitors and foreigners made a total of 27.8 million trips, of which almost three quarters were one-day trips.
More than two-thirds of the trips in the SR (21.5 million) were realized by domestic tourism participants, while 75% of them were one-day trips and the rest were longer stays with accommodation. Slovak visitors spent a total of 18.6 million nights on the territory of the SR in rented and non-rented accommodation.
Almost 23% of trips in the SR were made by foreign visitors, which represents 6.3 million trips in Slovakia. Compared to 2019, this is a drop in foreign visitors by 10 million trips. One-day visits (65%) also dominated the travel of foreigners. Stays related to accommodation were used by 4.1 million foreigners who spent 6.7 million nights in the SR.
Slovaks reduced travel abroad by up to 80%
As part of the outbound tourism, Slovaks realized a total of 2 million trips abroad, this is a fifth of the number of visitors compared to the pre-Covid year of 2019. Multi-day trips (with overnight stays) dominated, representing up to 59.2% of the number of trips abroad. Every third trip was a one-day trip.
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