THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURIST INFORMATION CENTERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN SLOVAKIA.

Tourist information centers play the role of an important subject in the development of tourism in the destination. They exist in all countries with developed tourism and therefore have their foundation in Slovakia as well. The aim of the paper is to explore and compare the environment, the offer of regional products and employees' access in tourist information centers in Western, Central and Eastern Slovakia. In order to fulfill the aim of the paper we have made in the months from January to April 2018 survey in 55 tourist information centers according to the AICES Association, which covers tourist information centers in Slovakia that meet the basic minimum standard of services. The used mystery shopping method verifies compliance with the internal procedures in communication of selling tourism products to customers and evaluates the behavior of employees of tourist information centers. The negative finding of the examination is the lack of regional food and drinks offered by tourist information centers, the lack of a label "free" of products and the lack of labeling of tourist information center employees with a nameplate, as well as a missing barrier-free access in about half of examined tourist information centers. At tourist information centers in Western Slovakia, waiting times for customer service were the shortest, and employee access to customers was the most acceptable. The results of the examination enable to take action in practice of tourist information centers in order to increase customer satisfaction, improve the promotion of regional tourism products as well as the overall image of tourist information centers in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]