With international political changes and the dawn of the millennium, borders and various restrictions on public movement disappeared, not only in Europe but also around the world. People were eager for information on where, when, and how to travel abroad, creating ideal conditions for the work of so-called travel journalists, and paving the way for specialized journalism in this field. In the Czech Republic, this field is supported by the Czech Association of Journalists and Publicists of Tourism, Czech Travel Press (CTP). We spoke with Maria Kysilková, the long-time president of the association, a radio editor, and the manager of the popular magazine "100+1 Foreign Highlights."

First, we are interested in when specialized travel journalism began to develop in our country.

“Last year, the association celebrated the 60th anniversary of journalism in the field of tourism in our country. The initial impetus came in Europe in 1954. French and Belgian journalists founded the International Federation of Journalists and Writers of Tourism (Federation Internationale des Journalistes et Écrivains du Tourisme - FIJET), headquartered in Paris. Since 1965, the Czech FIJET Club operated within the Czechoslovak Union of Journalists. Over the decades, many prominent journalists and writers became members. In 1990, the club joined the newly formed Syndicate of Journalists, the successor organization to the Czechoslovak Union of Journalists. Under the leadership of the publicist Miroslav Navara and the foreign affairs expert Bořek Homola, it later transformed into the Czech Association of Journalists and Publicists of Tourism (ATchJET), an active organization focused on travel, tourism, and later, gastronomy. In addition to Miroslav Navara and Bořek Homola, Petr Tiefenböck, Ivan Černý, and Jiří Pilnáček also served as presidents. The close cooperation between the International Federation and the Czech FIJET Club culminated in the successful 48th FIJET Congress in Karlovy Vary and Prague in 2006, which was attended by over 330 journalists from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. In 2016, the association withdrew from the international organization FIJET, began using English, adopted the form of an association, and added "CZECH TRAVEL PRESS" to its name."

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How do societal changes and technological advancements impact the association's activities?

“Travel and tourism remain a major passion and need in our country, and public interest in information related to tourism is constant. Therefore, the association responds to new forms, focusing on the internet, website creation, copyright protection, blog and video production. The association continues to organize press conferences, press trips, and collaborates with the Ministry of Regional Development, which oversees tourism, as well as with destination agencies in regions and cities where tourism is a priority, such as Kutná Hora, Brno, Litoměřice, and Jablonec nad Nisou. Close contacts are maintained with foreign representatives from Italy, Hungary, and Slovakia, and participation in trade fairs is also important, including the International Tourism Fair ITB in Berlin, Holiday World in Prague, and regional fairs in Brno.”

What topics and events have recently captured the attention of CTP members?

"We held a successful seminar on tourism in Malaysia, organized in collaboration with the Malaysian Embassy and the Prague University of Tourism. Malaysia is an increasingly popular destination, thanks to its natural beauty and UNESCO World Heritage sites. It currently ranks 14th in the world for tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization. This year, within our extensive Italian offerings, we are focusing on the Abruzzo region, which is essentially a miniature version of Italy with sandy beaches along the Adriatic Sea. We offer direct flights from Prague to the heart of the Pescara region. Here in the Czech Republic, we are highlighting the unique Museum of Folk Costumes in Ostrov u Bohdanče, and we are also promoting cycling and wine routes."

The CTP Journalism Competition, which recognizes the best original media content, is also receiving attention. Will you continue to hold this competition?

"Yes, we are currently receiving articles, videos, publications, and photographs that were published in 2025. A panel of judges will award three diplomas for the most interesting and high-quality works in the fall, and will also present the Jaroslav Holoubek Award for Poetry and Journalism, recognizing innovative and remarkable coverage of a topic. Journalists, writers, photographers, and bloggers who are not members of CTP are also welcome to submit their original work to this competition. Last year, we presented the diplomas and awards at the International Mountaineering Festival in Prague. One of the main organizers of this popular event is the travel agency Alpy, whose director, Ladislav Jirásko, has been collaborating with our association for many years."

Finally, could you tell us how to become a member of Czech Travel Press?

"The easiest way is to visit the website czechtravelpress.cz/, which is a registration page for new CTP members. All members receive an information service containing details about dozens of events organized by our partners in the tourism industry. Our goal is for the CTP membership card to help open doors to verified sources of information and to allow members to visit places that will bring new knowledge, well-being, and experiences to travelers and tourists," concludes Marie Kysilková, chair of CTP. Ivan Černý