1 This is a draft paper. Pawlicz A., City card as an instrument of tourism promotion in chosen Baltic cities, in: Tourism in scientific research in Poland and worldwide, The University of Information Technology and Management, Rzeszów 2006, pp. 57-66 Adam Pawlicz University of Szczecin Chair of Tourism Management Faculty of Management and Services

CITY CARD AS AN INSTRUMENT OF TOURISM PROMOTION IN CHOSEN BALTIC CITIES 1 The Urban Tourism development Dividing tourism flows from the destination it is distinguished urban and village tourism. The notion of Urban Tourism appeared in university publications in late 80’s of last century. Since then, despite of its growing importance there is a serious paucity of university publications which are concerned in that area. This occurs not only in Poland1 but also in other countries where urban tourism is responsible for thousands of working places. The Polish Urban Tourism literature is limited only to some articles published in conferences materials. The Urban Tourism is defined by M. Voultsaki2 as a tourism activity in urban centre which has the appropriate tourism infrastructure and hyper-structure and those natural, historical and cultural elements that render it an attraction pole for tourists, by supplying the possibility for production and consumption of product and services. The identity of the urban centre, which becomes the object of the tourism development may be a metropolitan centre with more then one million inhabitants but also an historical centre with fewer inhabitants or even small cities which are historical, cultural and financial centres. Urban Tourism constitutes a possibility, within the frame of urban planning, for the evolution, the improvement of functionalism, administration and management of the urban area. It is often seen as a catalyst of urban revival and development. Its grow creates new working places and connected within income makes an essential part of city budget which is frequently destined to heritage conservation and necessary investments in tourism infrastructure. The city is a very particular product. There is in distinct to other tourism products (like hotel service) no clear defined salesman, the city is not a company and offered product is not uniform. The product is an area, as a sum of items and means which provides tourism development. The city offers an almost unlimited access to tourism attractions however it doesn’t cash purchasers (tourists) directly 3 and financing

1

The library of Tourism Institute in Warsaw has no single book about urban tourism. M. Voultsaki, Innovative partnerships for sustainable urban tourism, Case study of Thessaloniki, in: „Tourism on Islands and Specific Destinations”, conference report Chios 2000, p. 14. 3 Exceptions can constitute some spa resorts, which charge all over-night visitors with local tax. 2

2 occurs throw taxes the tourism industry is paying. W. Hunziker considers the city as molecule which is built from atoms which are tourism enterprises4. Tourism supply in urban area is created by municipality and different arts of tourism organizations. These can be financed by tourism industry or city government. Third way of financing such notions is common financing. Responsible for tourism policy organizations even if do in non-profit way, as a part of administration support interest of local entrepreneurs in city area. Its tasks reveals figure 1. Outlook of the city

Tourism information, certificates

Organization responsible for tourism policy in the city

Local industry support

Common marketing with travel agencies

Figure 1 Tasks of organization responsible for tourism policy in the city Source: Own elaboration with refer to: W. Freyer, Tourismus, Fremdenverkehrökonomie, Olenbourg Verlag, München 1992, p. 201

Einführung

in

die

According to W. Freyer the most important factor by conceiving tourism policy is its unique character in front of outer environment5 The tourism supply according to R. Bochert can be divided in 10 elements6: classical tourism supply (accommodation services, gastronomy, tourism attractions, organizing of incoming tourism) customer care (information, guiding etc.) distribution (agency, city card) infrastructure, promotion, events, public goods (care of full and partly open attractions, such as beaches), planning, supplier service (schoolings, financing), other central functions (research, standardization, licensing, controlling). Tourism supply can be divided in original and secondary elements (table 1) as well. 4

W. Hunziker, Betriebswirtschaftlehre des Fremdenverkehrs, Bern 1959, p. 16, in: W. Freyer, Tourismus, Einführung in die Fremdenverkehrökonomie, Olenbourg Verlag, München 1992, p. 200 5 W. Freyer, Tourismus, Einführung… op. cit., p. 201 6 R. Bochert, Expansive Strategien im touristischen Incoming, Internationales Tourismus Managment, pr. zbior. pod red. W. Pompl, M. Lieb, Verlag Franz Vahlen München, München 2002, p. 238

3 Table 1 Tourism supply elements in city Original elements Secondary elements cultural attractions (cinema, concerts, Accommodation, exhibitions, galleries and theaters), Shopping possibility, attractions connected with sport, Additional elements (traffic availability, maps leisure activities (bingo, casinos, festivals, and flyiers) night clubs etc.), historical streets, buildings and harbors. Parks and water areas, socio-cultural factors (folklore, language, friendliness of citizens, livingness and spirit of the city, local habits, security) Source: S. Page, C. Hall, Managing Urban Tourism, Prentice Hall, London 2002, p. 100

Tourism product is a holistic whole, but for producing and promotion of its elements responsible are municipality, tourism industry and local tourism organization (figure 2). How those responsibilities are divided reveals table 2. Local Tourism Organization

City tourism product promotion

Tourism Idustry

Municipality

Figure 2 City tourism product promotion Source: Own elaboration Table 2 Elements of city tourism product and entities responsible for its creation. Local Tourism Municipality Tourism Idustry Organization x classical tourism supply x x x customer care Distribution (city cards) infrastructure,

x x

x

promotion,

x

x

events

x

x

public goods

x

planning

x

x

x

x

4 supplier service

x

x

other central functions

x

x

x

Source: Own elaboration

2 Promotion of tourism in city. Tourist while choosing destination first decide where to go and later takes a decision where to sleep, what to buy etc. In other words tourist doesn’t come to the place just because there is a cheap hostel with high quality7. This is why promotion of city is a complex process which is held from one side by private enterprises, interested in selling their tourism goods and from another side by municipality and Local Tourism Organization also financed in great part from public sources. L. Lickorish, C. Jenkins divide promotion elements of city into those related to final client and agent (table 3). Table 3 Elements of city tourism promotion Related to final clients

Related to agent

Advertisement (press, magazines, radio, TV, Selling promotion, posters etc.), Schooling, Papers (guides, maps, city cards), Commissions, Display materials (exhibitions, workshops, Distribution net. stands etc.) Direct marketing (direct mail, direct contact with airlines, hotels etc. ), Public relations (press informations) Source: L. Lickorish, C. Jenkins, An Introduction to Tourism, Butterworth, Heinemann, Oxford 2003, p. 100

The city card connects marketing actions of municipality and tourism industry in tourism promotion.

3 Tourism card Tourism card is defined by J. Steinbach as a region offer, which by binding different products and guarantying certain discounts improve marketing actions of local tourism products. Cards entitle free or discounted access to many tourism attractions, sometimes use of sport, cultural facilities is included. Normally free use of public transport is included as well. Often card punter can await additional bonuses in restaurants and free or discounted entry to some events. The validity of tourism card is strictly limited is space and time8. A. Kerle9 divides five different types of tourism cards: 1. City card issued normally by Local Tourism Organization in medium and big cities (more rarely by a group of smaller towns) relate to main tourism attractions and enable free use of public transport in validity area . Working period varies between one to three days, which is the 7

Exceptions can be leisure parks or floating hotels, which are attractions itself. J. Steinbach, Tourismus, Einführung in das räumlich-zeitliche System, R. Oldenburger Verlag, München 2003, p. 210 9 A. Kerle, Tourist-Cards als neue Angebotsformen im Fremdenverkehr. Dargestellt an Beispielen aus Deutschland und Österreich. Catolical University of Eichstätt. za: J. Steinbach, Tourismus, Einführung… op. cit., p. 211-215 8

5 typical stay time of tourist in the city. Due to high cost city cards are rarely chip or magnetic. 2. Culture card are already still not very popular. They complement the role of city cards, but can be used by city inhabitants as well. They valid period varies between few days to few months. 3. Vacations cards bind offers of huge regions and are created for tourists that are going for different kind of tourism. Public transport, ski lifts and cable railway use are usually included. Access to cultural attractions is not so important as in city card case. 4. Guest card are issued by spas for health resort visitors. They enable access to selected attractions connected with spa, such as concerts, exhibitions, summer theaters etc. Undirected function of guest cards is forcing owner of smaller guest-houses to register their clients. 5. Winter cards are supposed just for those tourists who do winter sports. They are nowadays rare. Among mentioned above different types of cards city cards are most popular and have a wide application in tourism promotion.

4 City cards in Baltic Sea area Among big (over 200 thousand inhabitants) Baltic Sea cities city cards are introduced by Copenhagen, Goteborg, Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga. City cards are not available in Polish, German and Lithuanian cities. The further analysis aim is to compare benefits which offer mentioned promotion instrument for potential tourist. All surveyed cards permit free use of public transport, but it is to add that in Estonia and especially in Latvia a considerable part of city transport is composed by private microbuses, which are not covered by any card. In Poland microbuses are known from cities like Zakopane. The 24 hour card price varies from about 44,80 zł in Riga to about 120 złoty in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Interesting is a comparison of the 24h public transport ticket and 24h city card. In most cities city card is from two till four times more expensive then 24h public transport use (Figure 3). In Tallinn and Riga there are no 24h ticket for public transport. 140,00 zł 120,00 zł 100,00 zł 80,00 zł 60,00 zł 40,00 zł 20,00 zł

24h card

24h public transport ticket

Figure 3 City card and 24h public transport prices Source: www.europeancitycards.com, www.rigathisweek

a R ig

nn Ta lli

G et eb or g

Tu rk u

H el si nk i

St oc kh ol

m

zł

C op en ha ge n

-

6 In most cities tourist has a choice between 24, 48 and 72 hours cards, which price increase in digressive way, in aim to incentive tourist to longer stay and use of attractions. Most cities offers special discounted cards for children. Table 4 indicates comparison of indexed discounted and normal price (24h normal card =100) Table 4 Comparison of indexed discounted and normal card price (24h normal card =100) Copenhagen Stockholm Helsinki Turku Goteborg Tallinn Riga card24h 100,00 100,00 100,00 100,00 100,00 100,00 100,00 child 24h 65,52 37,93 40,00 x x 50,00 50,00 card 48h x 148,28 140,00 133,33 134,45 118,75 150,00 child 48h x 55,17 52,00 x x 59,38 75,00 card 72h 196,55 203,45 180,00 x x 140,63 200,00 child 72h 113,79 72,41 64,00 x x 70,31 100,00 Source: Own elaboration, www.europeancitycards.com

The children card is relative cheapest in Stockholm, where its parent has to pay just 37% of the normal price. In Copenhagen difference between children and adult card is smallest. In Riga and Tallinn children cards are always twice less expensive. The price of 3 days card are from 1.4 to more then twice so expensive then usual 24h card price. In Goteborg and Turku there is no special children card however there are sold special family cards. In Turku such a card includes 2 adults and 3 children cost 40 euro, which is less then 2 normal cards. Finnish solution seems to be right because it assumes children travel usually with parents and incentive family trips. City cards allows free entry to most of museums, zoological gardens, castles and other public tourists attractions. It includes free (Riga, Goteborg, Tallinn, Stockholm), or with considerable discount (60% Helsinki) city tours with guide. Tour is organized by foot (Riga), by bike (Tallinn), with bus (Helsinki) or by boot (Stockholm). Moreover city cards allows to certain discounts, free samples, presents etc. in many restaurants, casinos, car hires etc. Figure 4 shows the number of free and discounted sites which are included in surveyed city cards. 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki Free sites

Turku

Geteborg

Tallinn

Discounted sites

Figure 4 Number of discounted and free sites in surveyed cities Source: www.europeancitycards.com

Biggest number of free sites is included in Stockholm city card and lowest number is available in Finnish Turku. It offers however many discounted sites.

7 The average saving is calculated on basis 24h city card for adult person, using public transport, 3 free sites and 3 discounted one. Figure 5 reveals calculated saving for some of survived cities. 100,00 zł 80,00 zł 60,00 zł 40,00 zł 20,00 zł

nn Ta lli

G et eb or g

Tu rk u

H el si nk i

C op en ha

St oc kh ol m

zł

ge n

-

Averige tourist's saving

Figure 5 Average calculated saving for 24h adult card. Source: www.europeancitycards.com

City card enables biggest savings in Copenhagen and in Goteborg. This doesn’t mean the stay there is cheaper then in i.e. Estonia, where the average price level is lower. The city cards in surveyed cities are or magnetic, similar to chip telephone cards, or normal paper card which indicated date. Date can be written by tourist, or by retailer. Magnetic cards are valid from the first use (Stockholm). The size is same as usual credit card. Detailed data regarding surveyed cards shows table 5. Table 5 Detailed data of surveyed city cards. City Copenhage Stockholm n 24h card 117,86 zł 117,86 zł child 77,22 zł 44,71 zł 48h card 174,76 zł

Helsinki

Turku

Goteborg

Tallinn

Riga

101,61 zł 40,64 zł

85,35 zł 113,80 zł Z Y 24,39 zł 10 23

96,73 zł -

65,03 zł 32,51 zł

44,80 zł 22,40 zł

130,06 zł

77,22 zł

67,20 zł

142,25 zł

child 65,03 zł 52,84 zł 38,61 zł 33,60 zł 72h card 231,67 zł 239,79 zł 182,89 zł 91,45 zł 89,60 zł Child 134,12 zł 85,35 zł 65,03 zł 45,72 zł 44,80 zł Card type M M Z M Z Z Public transport Y Y Y Y Y Y Averige saving 81,29 zł 35,36 zł 67,06 zł 93,48 zł 24,39 zł . Free sites 70 75 60 23 60 . Discounted sited 20 4 25 10 20 . 24h public 54,61 zł 42,48 zł 21,95 zł 18,29 zł 22,36 zł transport ticket Number of 1326000 1622300 1162900 178100 506600 379000 780000 inhabitants Overnights 3979922 4335081 2512172 678524 2210600 1279178 . number (2003) Overnights . 3,3 0,5 -0,7 9,7 9,4 . 2003/2003 (%) Source: Own elaboration na podstawie www.europeancitycards.com; www.tourmis.info; www.rigathisweek.lv, strony internetowe badanych miast.

8 Objaśnienia: M – karta magnetyczna, Z – karta tekturowa, - – brak oferty, . – brak danych, Do obliczeń zastosowano następujące kursy walut: 1 EUR = 4,0643, 1 SEK = 0,4472 1 DKK = 0,5461 1LVS = 5,6

5 Summary Using city card potential tourist spends less then in case s/he pays separately for each attraction. However in many cases potential tourist would never visit those attractions, because s/he would posses no information about it. This is why city card is not only distribution instrument but promotional as well. It seems, the idea of city cards, which are introduced in Poland in Warsaw and Wroclaw could be introduced as well in Polish Baltic cities (Szczecin, Gdansk). Literature: 1. R. Bochert, Expansive Strategien im touristischen Incoming, Internationales Tourismus Managment, pr. zbior. pod red. W. Pompl, M. Lieb, Verlag Franz Vahlen München, München 2002, 2. W. Freyer, Tourismus, Einführung in die Fremdenverkehrökonomie, Oldenbourg Verlag, München 1992, 3. L. Lickorish, C. Jenkins, An Introduction to Tourism, Butterworth, Heinemann, Oxford 2003 4. S. Page, C. Hall, Managing Urban Tourism, Prentice Hall, London 2002 5. J. Steinbach, Tourismus, Einführung in das räumlich-zeitliche System, R. Oldenburger Verlag, München 2003 6. M. Voultsaki, Innovative partnerships for sustainable urban tourism, Case study of Thessaloniki, in: conference materials „Tourism on Islands and Specific Destinations”, Chios, Grecja 2000, 7. www.europeancitycards.com 8. www.tourmis.info 9. www.rigathisweek.lv