The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Visitor Attendance of Cultural and Natural Heritage: A Case Study of the South Moravian Region

A significant decline and subsequent recovery in visitor attendance at cultural and natural heritage sites in the South Moravian Region, including UNESCO World Heritage Site Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, were observed following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, analyzing empirical data from 2019 to 2022, found that visitor numbers plummeted by nearly half in 2020, with cultural monuments experiencing a 25% drop compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, natural areas without access restrictions saw a 20% increase during the same period, while those with restricted access declined by over 40%. By 2022, attendance rebounded to 90% of pre-2019 levels, reflecting a recovery in tourism despite lingering pandemic impacts. The research highlights the vulnerability of heritage sites to global crises and the resilience of regional tourism ecosystems.

Tuzová, K., Vaishar, A., Šťastná, M., & Urbanová, M. (2023). The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Visitor Attendance of Cultural and Natural Heritage: A Case Study of the South Moravian Region. Sustainability, 15(19), 14081. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914081