3. 2 Programmes Co-funded by the EU 3.2.1 Integrated Operational Programme (IOP) The Integrated Operational Programme focuses on public administration support, improvement of public services, territorial development and tourism. The IOP objective is to support social and economic growth of the Czech Republic while improving the quality of life of its population by increasing the efficiency of public administration and public services. Tourism is a significant factor in regional development and economic growth of the Czech Republic. The potential of tourism development in the Czech Republic has not been exploited in full. Priority axis 4.1 a, b (National Tourism Support) of the IOP focuses on the support of systemic development of tourism at the national level. Activities of this priority axis help create general environment and necessary preconditions for tourism development at the national level, including better conditions for business undertaking in tourism, increased competitiveness and employment in the tourism sector. The IOP supports also soft non-investment projects. The focus of particular projects ensues from priorities set by the National Tourism Policy Concept of the Czech Republic for the period 2007–2013, a basic strategic document of the tourism sector published by the Ministry of Regional Development. The IOP represents one of the instruments of the Concept implementation. Total allocation of priority axis 4.1 a, b amounts to EUR 76.73 million (approx. CZK 2 billion); 85% of the IOP allocation comes from EU funds and 15% is co-financing from the Czech State Budget. IOP focuses on supporting following activities: Introduction of the national information system; Introduction and information support of national and international standards in tourism services; Support of marketing at the national level and development of source databases; Presentation and promotion of cultural and natural heritage; Support of presentation of the Czech Republic as a tourist destination. 3.2.1.1 IOP Implementation Progress in 2013 Since the beginning of the programming period till the end of 2013 six calls were announced to support tourism within the IOP. The table below shows implementation progress of individual projects by calls and years until 31 December, 2013. In 2013 there was no new call for submission of applications for grants within priority axis 4.1. During this year projects of already closed calls (4th ongoing, 9th time-limited, 11th time-limited and 13th time-limited) were implemented and finalized and also projects were submitted and implemented within the 12th ongoing call announced in 2011. 3.2.1.2 Overview of Tourism Department’s Projects Implemented in 2013 Project: Improving feed information for the Tourism Satellite Account of the Czech Republic The core project activity is an on-going sample survey of inbound tourism to monitor the number and structure of foreign visitors to the Czech Republic and their tourism spending in relation to their visit to the country. Results are published on a quarterly basis. Currently, foreign visitors are interviewed upon leaving the Czech Republic at suitable locations nearby the former border crossings (supermarkets, petrol stations, tourist attractions). The principal – though not the only – user of the surveyed data is the Czech Statistical Office which uses the survey results for its regular compilation of the Tourism Satellite Account of the Czech Republic. In 2013, a working group comprising representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development, the Czech Statistical Office and CzechTourism started working on a new methodology for surveying inbound tourism starting from the first half of 2015, which would next to classical also utilize modern data collection methods – mainly residual data of mobile operators – in order to ensure maximum efficiency and quality. Over CZK 13.6 million was drawn in 2013 within the project, the total sum since the beginning of the project till the end of 2013 was almost CZK 63 million. Project: Improving quality of information on selected tourism sectors At the end of 2012, the second and more detailed phase of an overall survey of tourist accommodation establishment took place using direct mail questionnaires. In parallel, travel agencies and tour operators’ survey took place across the whole Czech Republic. During 2013, results of 2012 surveys were processed which significantly improved and complemented data published by the Czech Statistical Office on occupancy of collective accommodation establishments. The sector of individual accommodation establishments and of travel agencies was newly quantified. Main outputs of the surveys will be comprehensive databases of both collective and individual accommodation establishments, and of travel agencies and tour operators, serving the needs of the State (e.g. the Czech Statistical Office, the Czech National Bank) as well as the private sector – in particular in the form of aggregate data publicly available through a web application that will enable specific filtering according to the needs of its users. Over CZK 11.7 million was drawn in 2013 within the project, the total sum since the beginning of the project till the end of 2013 was almost CZK 23.9 million. Project: Improving quality of information on congress and incentive tourism A statistical survey of MICE organisers and venue providers was successfully organised during 2013. Similarly to previous projects, outputs of this survey (database of MICE organisers and providers, aggregate outputs presentation, a public database) will serve the public and local administration, professional businesses, and all other users from among general public. CZK 8.7 million was drawn in 2013 within the project, the total sum since the beginning of the project till the end of 2013 was more than CZK 10.5 million. Project: Improving quality of information on the catering sector in the Czech Republic A successful tender on Statistical Survey of the Catering Sector was organised during 2013 resulting in selection of a supplier of the said statistical survey. Preparation of the statistical survey was completed in 2013 and the implementation will take place during the first half of 2014. The main objective of the survey is to get information about numbers and location of stand-alone catering facilities in the Czech Republic based on a field survey. Data obtained through the project will expand the publicly accessible database on tourism developed based on the MRD statistical projects. Collected information will serve both statistical data users as well as the general public. CZK 625.100 was drawn in 2013 within the project, the total sum since the beginning of the project till the end of 2013 was more than CZK 961,400. Project: National quality system for tourism services in the Czech Republic The project is a systemic tool of the National Tourism Policy Concept and its objective is to contribute to improving the quality of tourism services in the Czech Republic. The project is to create a Czech Service Quality System (CSQS) which tourism and related service operators can join on a voluntary basis. The system allows the participating entities to acquire expertise and practical knowledge in the area of service quality management and other expert competencies needed to improve the quality of provided services. The CSQS is developed under the German Quality System licence (Service Qualität Deutschland). The project also involves support and further development of selected technical standards in co‑operation with selected professional associations. In 2013, a dedicated CSQS unit established at the MRD started training of class I Quality Trainers and by the end of the year being a certification sponsor, it granted 12 CSQS certifications of class I quality to tourism organisations. By the end of 2013 a total of CZK 23.3 million was drawn within this project.