5 YEARS OF ECONOMIC TRANSITION IN SLOVAK TOURISM - SUCCESSES AND SHORTCOMINGS

This article deals with topics of development of tourism during a period of economic transition in the Slovak Republic. Political and economic changes after 1989, especially removal of passport and visa barriers and an ambitious privatization programme, helped to increase international tourist receipts and the share of incoming tourism in GDP and exports. On the other hand, the structural transition caused a big decrease in GDP and the real income of the population which substantially affected domestic tourism. Tourism-specific legislative and economic instruments, such as the Tourism Development Act and 'soft loans', need to be implemented in order to encourage a further development of tourism.