Dopady restriktivních opatření v období pandemie Covid-19 na rozvoj cestovního ruchu v České republice – komparace Jihočeského a Plzeňského kraje

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of the restrictive measures adopted in the Czech Republic in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic on the development of tourism in the South Bohemia and Plzeň Region between 2018 and 2023 and to assess whether these regions have managed to recover from the consequences of this crisis. The theoretical part shows, based on experience from previous extraordinary events, that tourism i sone of the sector most sensitive to crisis situations, which was also confirmed during the Covid-19 pandemic. A comparison of tourism statistical data from the Czech Statistical Office and Tourdata, supplemented by descriptive statistical methods and the calculation of the coefficient of variation, shows that the adopted measures affected all components of tourism – supply, demand and the economic dimension. However, the extent of these impacts and thep pace of recovery differ across the regions depending on the structure of supply and demand. The South Bohemia Region, characterised by higher visitor numbers and a more diversified tourism offer, was more severely affected by the decline in foreign demand and shows higher variability of foreign visitors, whitch at the same time slows down its recovery. The Plzeň Region, where tourism demand is less dependent on foreign markets, experienced milder fluctuations and a faster rebound. In both regions, domestic tourism acted as a crucial stabilishing factor, generating record numbers of arrivals and overnight stays in 2022, while the recovery of foreign tourism remains slower, particularly in the South Bohemia Region. From an economic perspective, the gross value added generated by tourism increased in 2023 to a level exceeding that before the pandemic; however, employment in the sector remains below pre-pandemic levels in 2023, highlighting ongoing structural challenges. The prrocess of post-pandemic recovery of tourismafter the Covid-19 pandemic in the South Bohemia and Plzeň Regions sis therefore still ongoing, although i tis progressing at different rates.