Czechia is attracting more and more tourists thanks to its rich beer tradition. According to the latest statistics from the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, the most popular beer destinations include Plzeňský Prazdroj, which was visited by nearly 530,000 people last year, and the unique beer sites in Žatec, such as the Hop and Beer Temple or the Hop Museum. Beer spas, whose popularity is growing across the country, are also experiencing significant growth.
Beer trails and exclusive experiences draw tourists to Czechia
Czechia is a popular destination for beer lovers from all over the world. Thanks to its long tradition of brewing, varied experiences and the link between beer culture and history and local traditions, it is becoming a hub for beer tourism. This trend is confirmed by the growing number of visitors as well as new beer products that attract not only beer tasting but also cultural and historical experiences. For example, the Radegast Brewery in the Moravian-Silesian Region saw a 188% year-on-year increase in the number of tourists last year, with 19,600 people choosing to visit. The Museum of Brewing in Tábor, the Brewery Velké Popovice in Central Bohemia or the Visitor Centre of Budějovický Budvar also saw a significant increase in popularity last year. And the number of visitors has also increased significantly in the case of key beer-related sites in the Žatec area.
"Czechia has exceptional potential in beer tourism, thanks to its long history of brewing, unique breweries and the current trend of experiential and sustainable tourism. Our goal is to show that beer travel can be not only about tasting great beer, but also about learning about Czech culture, traditions and history. Domestic breweries offer experiences that combine tradition with modern innovations, which is the key to attracting creditworthy tourists," says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism and adding: "And Czechia offers a unique combination of delicious food and a chilled glass of frothy beverage. A guarantee of quality is the blue logoo on the doors of certified restaurants, which we have tested on our own palate as part of our project CzechSpecials. The list of certified establishments with the highest quality also includes several breweries and microbreweries across the country."
Beer tourism in Czechia is also gaining international recognition. One of its highlights is the Plzeňský Prazdroj tour, which this March won the prestigious award in the WorlTravel Awards 2024 in the Europe's Leading Beer Tour Visitor Experience 2024 category for the best brewery visitor tour in Europe. It beat the world's most famous breweries such as Ireland's Guinness, Belgium's Stella Artois and the Netherlands' Heineken. Hundreds of thousands of visitors, both Czechs and foreigners, visit it every year. This confirms the fact that the Czech Republic is an attractive tourist destination.
Žatec – a unique hop landscape under UNESCO protection
Last year's inclusion of Žatec and the Žatec hop landscape on the UNESCO list was a significant contribution to Czech beer tourism. Žatec is thus the first place in the world where the hop-growing landscape is protected by this prestigious status. Visitors to the region can stroll through the hop gardens, visit the Hop Museum or sample beers from several breweries where they are brewed from local hops. Its uniqueness, history of cultivation and traditions go back several centuries, making Czechia an exceptional place on the world beer map. Every year, the town attracts visitors to Žatecka dočesna. This year's event will take place on 6 & 7 September 2024.
And that there is more and more interest in Žatec and its surroundings is confirmed by the data. Over the last 14 years, the number of people who have decided to visit the local Hop and Beer Festival has increased tenfold. While in 2010, 1 464 people headed to this place, last year the number was already 15 728. The Chateau Stekník, which is one of the most important rococo buildings in Bohemia, has seen an equally large increase in the number of visitors to this region over the past decade. Last year it was visited by 14 344 tourists. In addition to the traditional castle tours, it also offers visitors the opportunity to learn a number of interesting facts about the history of beer, in exhibitions on the hop theme called "How to comb into a věrtel".
Prague connects beer and culture
The Czech capital is taking a new approach to beer promotion. It combines the presentation of small breweries with visits to neighbourhoods outside the historic centre. This promotes the authenticity of the region and local experiences. Through new guided tours, tourists have the opportunity to taste beers from smaller breweries, learn about the history of brewing and visit monastery breweries. Prague thus attracts a unique combination of beer with cultural events and exhibitions that reflect the rich history of the city.
Trends in beer tourism: the rise of craft beer tourism
Beer tourism or „craft beer tourism“ is not just the domain of the capital. The new themed beer trails and beer spas offering authentic and local experiences can be found by fans of the frothy beverage all over Czechia. Traveling to smaller craft breweries is a trend. They offer not only quality and original beers, but also experiences related to their production and local traditions.
"Czech brewers are increasingly focusing on quality and sustainability, which attracts discerning tourists. Our members combine beer production with local traditions to offer a comprehensive experience that includes not only beer drinking, but also brewery tours, hop farm excursions and brewing workshops. The opportunity to try special beers will also be provided by an important event for all brewers – ´Svatováclavská fest´, which takes place every year in September and kicks off ´Days of Czech Beer´, which is a feast for all beer, pub and gastronomy lovers. During these days, many of our breweries will offer beer specials and cultural events," says executive director of the Czech Brewery and Malthouse Association Tomáš Slunečko.
The aim of all these activities is to show that Czech beer is more than just an alcoholic beverage. It is part of a rich cultural tradition, linked to local attractions and gastronomy. Tourists are thus encouraged to enjoy beer in the context of local culture and history, while behaving responsibly and with respect for the region. An overview of beer trails, breweries, beer spas, museums and other objects connected with growing or tasting beer is provided by CzechTourism on its Kudy z nudy portal. From visiting monastery breweries to participating in beer workshops where tourists can try what it's like to brew their own beer.
Czechia is a popular destination for beer lovers from all over the world. Thanks to its long tradition of brewing, varied experiences and the link between beer culture and history and local traditions, it is becoming a hub for beer tourism. This trend is confirmed by the growing number of visitors as well as new beer products that attract not only beer tasting but also cultural and historical experiences. For example, the Radegast Brewery in the Moravian-Silesian Region saw a 188% year-on-year increase in the number of tourists last year, with 19,600 people choosing to visit. The Museum of Brewing in Tábor, the Brewery Velké Popovice in Central Bohemia or the Visitor Centre of Budějovický Budvar also saw a significant increase in popularity last year. And the number of visitors has also increased significantly in the case of key beer-related sites in the Žatec area.
"Czechia has exceptional potential in beer tourism, thanks to its long history of brewing, unique breweries and the current trend of experiential and sustainable tourism. Our goal is to show that beer travel can be not only about tasting great beer, but also about learning about Czech culture, traditions and history. Domestic breweries offer experiences that combine tradition with modern innovations, which is the key to attracting creditworthy tourists," says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism and adding: "And Czechia offers a unique combination of delicious food and a chilled glass of frothy beverage. A guarantee of quality is the blue logoo on the doors of certified restaurants, which we have tested on our own palate as part of our project CzechSpecials. The list of certified establishments with the highest quality also includes several breweries and microbreweries across the country."
Beer tourism in Czechia is also gaining international recognition. One of its highlights is the Plzeňský Prazdroj tour, which this March won the prestigious award in the WorlTravel Awards 2024 in the Europe's Leading Beer Tour Visitor Experience 2024 category for the best brewery visitor tour in Europe. It beat the world's most famous breweries such as Ireland's Guinness, Belgium's Stella Artois and the Netherlands' Heineken. Hundreds of thousands of visitors, both Czechs and foreigners, visit it every year. This confirms the fact that the Czech Republic is an attractive tourist destination.
Žatec – a unique hop landscape under UNESCO protection
Last year's inclusion of Žatec and the Žatec hop landscape on the UNESCO list was a significant contribution to Czech beer tourism. Žatec is thus the first place in the world where the hop-growing landscape is protected by this prestigious status. Visitors to the region can stroll through the hop gardens, visit the Hop Museum or sample beers from several breweries where they are brewed from local hops. Its uniqueness, history of cultivation and traditions go back several centuries, making Czechia an exceptional place on the world beer map. Every year, the town attracts visitors to Žatecka dočesna. This year's event will take place on 6 & 7 September 2024.
And that there is more and more interest in Žatec and its surroundings is confirmed by the data. Over the last 14 years, the number of people who have decided to visit the local Hop and Beer Festival has increased tenfold. While in 2010, 1 464 people headed to this place, last year the number was already 15 728. The Chateau Stekník, which is one of the most important rococo buildings in Bohemia, has seen an equally large increase in the number of visitors to this region over the past decade. Last year it was visited by 14 344 tourists. In addition to the traditional castle tours, it also offers visitors the opportunity to learn a number of interesting facts about the history of beer, in exhibitions on the hop theme called "How to comb into a věrtel".
Prague connects beer and culture
The Czech capital is taking a new approach to beer promotion. It combines the presentation of small breweries with visits to neighbourhoods outside the historic centre. This promotes the authenticity of the region and local experiences. Through new guided tours, tourists have the opportunity to taste beers from smaller breweries, learn about the history of brewing and visit monastery breweries. Prague thus attracts a unique combination of beer with cultural events and exhibitions that reflect the rich history of the city.
Trends in beer tourism: the rise of craft beer tourism
Beer tourism or „craft beer tourism“ is not just the domain of the capital. The new themed beer trails and beer spas offering authentic and local experiences can be found by fans of the frothy beverage all over Czechia. Traveling to smaller craft breweries is a trend. They offer not only quality and original beers, but also experiences related to their production and local traditions.
"Czech brewers are increasingly focusing on quality and sustainability, which attracts discerning tourists. Our members combine beer production with local traditions to offer a comprehensive experience that includes not only beer drinking, but also brewery tours, hop farm excursions and brewing workshops. The opportunity to try special beers will also be provided by an important event for all brewers – ´Svatováclavská fest´, which takes place every year in September and kicks off ´Days of Czech Beer´, which is a feast for all beer, pub and gastronomy lovers. During these days, many of our breweries will offer beer specials and cultural events," says executive director of the Czech Brewery and Malthouse Association Tomáš Slunečko.
The aim of all these activities is to show that Czech beer is more than just an alcoholic beverage. It is part of a rich cultural tradition, linked to local attractions and gastronomy. Tourists are thus encouraged to enjoy beer in the context of local culture and history, while behaving responsibly and with respect for the region. An overview of beer trails, breweries, beer spas, museums and other objects connected with growing or tasting beer is provided by CzechTourism on its Kudy z nudy portal. From visiting monastery breweries to participating in beer workshops where tourists can try what it's like to brew their own beer.