Paper short abstract:

Second homes in Czechia share significantly on houses forming rural settlements and contribute to shaping rural landscape. The second home owners are users of the rural space and should not be neglected in rural changes research.

Paper long abstract:

The contribution pays attention at second home owners and users as significant elements in rural changes research in Czechia. Secondary data indicate a great amount of second homes with heterogeneous location pattern in the landscape. Primary data based on field surveys, in-depth interviews and observations show impacts of second home tourism at the environment. Second home tourism is considered an element of lifestyle of urban population above all, but influencing rural lives. Thus, research on relationships of both urban and rural communities, sharing the changing space, seems crucial for future rural development. Models of conflicts, coexistence and cooperation are investigated in model peripheral areas in Czechia. The contribution also gives detailed empirical results.