International Courant
Petr Kulhánek, the governor of the Karlovy Range area, studied on the College of Economics in Prague with a give attention to company economic system and administration. He additionally had two stints overseas at Foothill Faculty within the San Francisco Bay Space and the Australian Pacific Faculty in Sydney.
He labored on the likes of HOPI Logistic, publishing home Promenáda Vos and Hofírek Consulting, but additionally began a political profession. In 2006, he first turned a member of the Karlovy Range Metropolis Council, from 2010 to 2018, he served because the mayor of the town of Karlovy Range. In 2012, he additionally turned a member of the Karlovy Range Area council. And since 2020, he has been serving because the governor of the Karlovy Range area.
He talked to THR’s world enterprise editor Georg Szalai in regards to the cultural historical past of the area, refocusing it away from mining, the large Hollywood productions which have shot within the area, and his imaginative and prescient for the long run.
You’ve gotten talked in regards to the Karlovy Range area’s previous with a giant coal mining business and refocusing it extra on tradition and tourism, which it will get due to its great nature and spas. For people who find themselves not accustomed to KV, how has it modified and what do you wish to change additional?
The Karlovy Range Area is at present present process a major transformation away from the mining business. Identified for its pure magnificence and therapeutic springs, the spa cities have at all times been shielded from the results of mining. Nevertheless, the Sokolov space has been closely affected by it. Now, the area is being reclaimed, and its local weather is among the many cleanest within the Czech Republic. Mariánské Lázně has even been newly acknowledged as a local weather spa, assembly very strict environmental requirements.
In 2021, three of our spa websites — Karlovy Range, Františkovy Lázně, and Mariánské Lázně — had been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Listing as a part of the Nice Spa Cities of Europe (GSTE). This recognition highlights the standard and significance of the spa business and underscores our area’s significance inside it. Lately, there was a renewed curiosity within the spa business, particularly in preventive well being applications, the place persons are investing of their well-being.
Certainly one of our strategic initiatives is the Spa Analysis Middle, which goals to review the results of spa therapies on the human physique to offer evidence-based drugs with clearly documented advantages. Our Krušné Mountains additionally supply leisure for the soul and have gotten a sexy vacation spot, due to the actions of the Erzgebirge Vacation spot Company, which we established. Thus, the area is shifting from coal mining in the direction of tourism and tradition, bringing appreciable financial and social advantages.
Nevertheless, Karlovy Range itself has at all times been a cultural hub. Prior to now, it was often known as the “Salons of Europe,” a spot the place everybody needed to go to, and a keep on the spa was a social occasion. Tradition has at all times been integral to the spa expertise, evident from the existence of one of many oldest symphony orchestras in Karlovy Range, the distinctive Karlovy Range Theater constructing, and plenty of different cultural investments.
Right this moment, one of the vital cultural occasions is the Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie Competition (KVIFF), which attracts movie fanatics and professionals from around the globe. The Karlovy Range Symphony Orchestra will quickly be housed within the distinctive Císařské Lázně, the place a specifically constructed corridor, which has received many awards, has been created for it. The Karlovy Range Museum and the Karlovy Range Artwork Gallery are different important cultural establishments.
The cultural choices are additional enriched by the native membership scene, numerous festivals (akin to folklore and music festivals), porcelain festivals, the Karlovy Range Cultural Summer time, the opening of the spa season, and extra.
Nevertheless, the cultural vibrancy of the Karlovy Range Area extends past Karlovy Range itself. Different cities, akin to Cheb, Sokolov, Mariánské Lázně, Ostrov, and plenty of others, additionally function vital cultural facilities.
As a part of the area’s transformation, we’re additionally supporting new inventive industries. We’ve a strategic (high-definition video) 4K company mission within the pipeline. We are actually getting ready an idea for the event of tradition within the Karlovy Range area on the regional workplace. I consider that this idea will present us the route of what new actions are vital for the event of the cultural sector within the Karlovy Range Area.
Do you will have a giant aim or headline or slogan that summarizes your imaginative and prescient for KV as a area of tradition?
Not usually for tradition, nevertheless, we use the identify of vacation spot for the Karlovy Range area because the filmmakers’ and movie followers’ heaven.
Does the KV area entice many worldwide movie and TV shoots? Are there any well-known examples you bear in mind? And do you will have any plans to draw extra productions?
Karlovy Range has been attracting overseas movie and tv productions, with one of the well-known examples being the filming of the Bond movie On line casino Royale or Final Vacation, Shanghai Knights and plenty of different overseas and Czech movies.
Throughout the Dwelling Area Vacation spot Company, there’s a Movie Workplace mission that’s particularly geared toward supporting the movie business.
How straightforward or troublesome is it for the KV area to compete for movie and tradition occasions and expertise with Prague?
Competitors with Prague within the fields of tradition and movie manufacturing is a problem. In the mean time we in all probability cannot fairly compete with Prague, however I consider that Karlovy Range affords such a singular mixture of pure magnificence and historic structure that it could be extra enticing for some initiatives. The proximity to Prague additionally permits for simple accessibility and synergy between the 2 cities.
How vital is the Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie competition to this mission of the area as a spot of tradition? And has the area ever estimated how a lot financial profit the KVIFF brings to the area?
The Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie Competition is a key cultural occasion. It not solely attracts worldwide consideration to the area but additionally offers important financial advantages, estimated at a number of hundred million crowns per 12 months. (100 million Czech crowns are about $4.34 million)
Is tradition a key approach to assist the area entice extra Czech visitors, or is the larger thought to get extra Central and Jap European vacationers and likewise worldwide guests?
Our technique targets each Czech guests and vacationers from Europe and around the globe. Cultural occasions play a key function in attracting these guests and boosting the native economic system. Moreover, we’re beginning to give attention to partaking with native residents and strengthening their sense of belonging to the world. Tourism and the spa business within the area are only one side of our intensive cultural choices.
What are your key present and future initiatives for KV as a cultural area?
We’re at present targeted on upgrading cultural infrastructure, growing new festivals, and rising assist for native artists. Sooner or later, we additionally plan to broaden our cooperation with worldwide cultural organizations. I consider the particular sorts of property will likely be formed by the newly rising cultural imaginative and prescient for the Karlovy Range area.
What are your favourite issues to do throughout KVIFF?
As a cinema fanatic and one of many founding members of the Movie Membership, I significantly benefit from the high-quality movies, the competition’s environment and assembly filmmakers and guests from around the globe. The Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie Competition affords a singular alternative to attach with individuals who share a ardour for movie and tradition.
This 12 months, for the primary time, the Karlovy Range area has its personal devoted house on the competition, known as “Krajina” (Area) at Nová Louka 578 (an handle close to the well-known Grandhotel Pupp). Right here, competition guests can expertise the Karlovy Range Area with all their senses.
Karlovy Range Governor Petr Kulhánek on “Heaven” for Filmmakers, Followers
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