Motivations of Foreigners to Live in Prague and Their Perceptions of the City Image
Author
Lenochova, Katerina
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-05-31
Pages
63
Abstract
Prag er ikke kun et populært rejsemål for turister, men tiltrækker også studerende, arbejdstagere, iværksættere og familier fra hele verden. Siden Jerntæppets fald er antallet af udlændinge i byen vokset markant, og Prag er blevet en kosmopolitisk by, hvor mange kulturer lever side om side. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvorfor udlændinge flytter til Prag, hvilken rolle selve byen spiller i deres beslutning, og hvordan de opfatter Prag som sted at bo. Studiet bygger på mobilitetsparadigmet, en ramme der ser på mange former for bevægelse (rejser, migration, pendling) samlet. Det giver mulighed for at forstå motivationer og opfattelser i en turismekontekst, selv når personerne ikke officielt er turister, ved at se dem som beboere. Begreber som city branding (hvordan en by præsenterer og markedsfører sig), attraktivitet, konkurrenceevne og byens image (den samlede forestilling om byen) er centrale. Her anlægges et alternativt perspektiv ved at fokusere på udenlandske beboere og bruge en community involvement-tilgang, dvs. borger- og lokalsamfundsinddragelse, til at belyse deres motivationer og opfattelser. Metodisk anvendes mixed methods: først kvalitative interviews med en udvalgt gruppe udlændinge i Prag, dernæst et kvantitativt spørgeskema for at nå et bredere udsnit. Resultaterne fra begge dele analyseres samlet for at besvare forskningsspørgsmålene. Undersøgelsen viser, at udlændinge generelt har en positiv opfattelse af Prag som bopæl. De flytter af flere grunde, herunder universiteter af høj kvalitet, gode jobmuligheder og ønsket om familiesammenføring; mange vælger også Prag på grund af selve byens tiltrækning. Samlet set spiller Prag en betydelig rolle i deres beslutningsproces om at flytte.
Prague is not only a popular destination for tourists; it also attracts students, workers, entrepreneurs and families from around the world. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, the number of foreign residents has grown markedly, and Prague has become a cosmopolitan city where many cultures live side by side. This thesis examines why foreigners move to Prague, what role the city itself plays in their decision, and how they perceive Prague as a place to live. The study uses the mobilities paradigm, a framework that looks at many kinds of movement (travel, migration, commuting) together. It makes it possible to explore motivations and perceptions in a tourism context even when people are not officially tourists, by focusing on them as residents. Key ideas from tourism studies include city branding (how a city presents and markets itself), attractiveness, competitiveness and city image (people’s overall picture of the city). Here, the city image is viewed from an alternative angle by focusing on foreign residents and applying a community involvement approach, which means engaging the community to understand their motivations and perceptions. Methodologically, the study applies mixed methods: first qualitative interviews with a selected group of foreigners living in Prague, then a quantitative questionnaire to reach a broader sample. Findings from both parts are analysed together to answer the research questions. The results show that foreign residents generally have a positive perception of Prague as a place to live. They move for various reasons, including quality universities, good job opportunities and family reunification; many also choose Prague for the city itself. Overall, Prague plays a significant role in their decision to move.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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