More international travelers are choosing the Czech Republic as their travel destination. During this summer period, which lasts from April through the end of October, a total of 2.8 million passengers flew into Václav Havel Airport Prague. This year, foreign visitors make up the majority of those arriving, with many coming from countries like Great Britain, Italy, and France. In total, the Czech Republic welcomed 3.2 million foreign visitors in the third quarter of the year, marking a 4.4% increase compared to the same period last year. This information is supported by joint data from CzechTourism, Prague Airport, and Czech Inn Hotels.
“The rising number of foreign travelers is crucial for the recovery of Czech tourism after the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. This summer season, we managed a total of 10.9 million passengers—both arriving and departing—which is a 14.5% increase compared to last year. We are getting closer to matching the record levels of 2019, when we processed over 12 million passengers during the summer. We expect to reach that milestone as early as next summer season,” said Jiří Vyskoč, Executive Director of Prague Airport Aviation Business Development.
This summer season, specifically from April to October, foreign visitors made up a significant portion of arriving travelers—about 2.8 million. These foreign tourists represented 53% of all incoming visitors during this time, with their share increasing by four percentage points compared to the previous year. The most common travelers arriving in the Czech Republic are from Great Britain, Italy, and France.
The growth of incoming tourism has a positive effect on the Czech economy.
A study conducted by KPMG shows that for each million passengers handled at Prague Airport, approximately 325 thousand of them are new tourists to the Czech Republic. Their overall spending contributes nearly 8.5 billion crowns to the local economy.
“Our aim is to promote sustainable tourism. In terms of aviation, we are working to expand our existing network of air routes, especially focusing on direct flights from long-haul locations. We are currently targeting markets in Asia and the USA,” added Jiří Vyskoč from Prague Airport. He also noted: “Meeting future demand for air travel must align with our plans for airport development, which includes enhancing terminal capacity and improving air traffic with the construction of a parallel runway.”
The Czech Republic draws tourists from both neighboring and faraway nations.
In the third quarter of this year, the Czech Republic welcomed 7.7 million visitors, with foreign tourists making up 41% of that total (3.2 million). While travelers from neighboring countries like Germany, Poland, and Slovakia predominated, there were also significant numbers from more distant places such as the United States and Great Britain. The total number of nights spent by tourists in the Czech Republic exceeded 20 million. Compared to last year, the number of foreign tourists saw a 4.4% increase, while there was a slight decline of 4.6% for local visitors. Overall, the visitor statistics showed a 1% decrease in the third quarter.
September Typically Sees a Decline in Domestic Tourist Numbers.
The drop in domestic travelers was most pronounced in September, coinciding with the start of the school year and the end of summer vacations for many families. Data support this observation. In July, 2.8 million individuals used public accommodation facilities, followed by 2.9 million in August. However, in September, that figure fell to around 2 million. During the summer months, 1.7 million Czech citizens stayed in various accommodations, which dropped to 1.8 million in August, and then significantly to just 1.1 million in September.
“Despite the overall decline in visitors during the third quarter, the Czech Republic continues to be an attractive destination for international tourists. This is encouraging news because foreign tourists typically spend more on their travels than local visitors, thus making a substantial contribution to the economy. When we look at the total visitor statistics from January to September, we still see an increase of about 3% when compared to both 2023 and 2019,” summarized František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism. He added, “It’s also a positive sign that we’ve gained attention from travelers from far-off places. We saw the highest year-on-year growth among visitors from China, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. The launch of direct flights from these areas plays a big role in this increase. Together with Prague Airport, we are working to establish even more of these direct connections. The rising interest in our country is great news and highlights the success of our strategy to attract tourists from affluent and distant markets.”
Prague Hotels Lead the Way; Sales Outside the Capital Are Lower.
The summer months were quite mixed for Czech hotels. While hotel revenues in July saw a year-on-year increase of 10.2%, there was a decline of 4.1% in August. However, in September, hotel revenues rose again by 2.1% compared to the previous year, although this didn’t quite keep up with inflation. Flooding also impacted hotel sales in September, particularly outside of Prague. In contrast, Prague, which leads the domestic hotel sector, enjoyed a 5% growth.
“We are noticing enduring trends. For instance, Hungary’s hotel industry saw a remarkable 23.7% rise in revenues year-on-year, achieving sales nearly a quarter higher than the Czech hotel market,” remarked Jaroslav Svoboda, the owner of Czech Inn Hotels, the largest hotel group in the Czech Republic, which hosted 1.5 million guests in 2023. He added, “The data reveal that domestic accommodation services remain much cheaper compared to European standards. On average, accommodations across Europe are 42% more expensive than those in the Czech Republic. Additionally, the weakening of the Czech crown makes holidaying at home or a stopover more appealing to visitors. However, it’s important to note that not everything is perfect in the hotel industry; in fact, about half of the large international hotels in Prague are currently up for sale.”
