Brno, Aug 2 (CTK) – Labyrinths cut out in large maize fields have become a new tourist attraction, mainly for families with children, in South Moravia this year, but these peculiar mazes have also appeared in other localities of the Czech Republic.
They were opened by the Fit-Jump company from Rychnov nad Kneznou, east Bohemia, that now operates 25 maize mazes in the country.
The firm was inspired by similar mazes in the United States, Britain and Germany.
The aim of the project is to make children move. Besides, this is an interesting opportunity for farmers to use maize fields before the harvest.
A maize maze usually covers a one-hectare area.
Tourists can combine a stroll in the maze with playing games. One of them is interactive. Its goal is to find eight tables with QR codes and the way out from the labyrinth as soon as possible, using a smart phone or a tablet.
The maze operators address families with children, schools and kindergartens as well as companies that may use the maize labyrinths during team building events.
However, maize must grow high from two up to four metres, otherwise visitors cannot enjoy the maze properly.
In some localities, maize did not grow sufficiently because of a long winter, followed by a dry season this year.
“Out of the original 30 mazes, we have 25 left and this week we will close another in the South Moravia Region,” firm executive Radek Skacel said.
The operators have to first choose suitable localities and agree on cooperation with local farmers.
“We received a financial compensation that seemed to us proportionate to the cut-out maze. Thanks to it, we do not have such losses,” Dagmar Capkova, from the firm Forest Agro near Breclav, said.
Consequently, the operational costs of a maze near Breclav are 40,000 crowns per hectare for three to four months.
The most popular maize labyrinths are in Hradec Kralove, east Bohemia, Opava, north Moravia, and Pisek, south Bohemia. Those in big cities, such as Brno and mainly the capital of Prague, paradoxically attract fewer people.
($1=22.123 crowns)
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