Tourism in Czechia continues to grow and bring positive economic impacts. Effective marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships are strengthening Czechia's position as an attractive destination not only for traditional visitors but also for new segments of travellers. This year, the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR) is investing almost twice as much in tourism development as in previous years. CzechTourism is also continuing its marketing activities abroad and in Czech regions. The aim is to support regional tourism, extend tourists' stays and increase their spending.
Strong state support: investment in tourism development
Tourism is one of the key sectors of the Czech economy. Therefore, the Ministry of Regional Development continues to support destinations, entrepreneurs and strategic projects in 2025. In addition to marketing and conversion campaigns, the state is investing in infrastructure development, digitalisation of services and innovations that will help further increase Czechia's competitiveness on a global scale.
“Tourism funding will increase this year. The Ministry of Regional Development is investing almost twice as much in it compared to previous years. We have only directed more into this area in the wake of the covida pandemic. This year it is 1.48 billion crowns, of which 360 million crowns are allocated in national subsidy programs, which are intended for the development of tourism infrastructure (250 million), the revival of tourism in the flood-affected Jeseníky Mountains (20 million) and support for destination management organizations (90 million),“ states Minister for Regional Development Petr Kulhánek.
Another 423 million crowns will be spent on the modernization of the Mountain Service, including the reconstruction of stations and the purchase of new emergency equipment.
“In addition to developing hiking, biking and skiing trails or information systems, we are also supporting local businesses whose services tourists will use on their trips and vacations. I am looking forward to April, when we will launch the second wave of vouchers for stays in the flood-hit Jeseníky Mountains, which will be available this autumn. Vouchers will again be available at a discount of CZK 300 per night, under the same conditions as the first wave. In addition, the launch of the eTurista portal, which will make it much easier for hoteliers to deal with bureaucracy and make the collection of taxes and fees more efficient, is also waiting for us this year,“ adds the minister.
Czechia in numbers: where do we stand?
In 2023, the share of tourism in GDP reached 2.36% (CZK 180 billion). The sector employs 224,000 people and forms a key economic pillar in regions such as the Karlovy Vary Region, Prague and South Bohemia.
The number of visitors to mass accommodation facilities (HUZ) is growing. Last year, 22.8 million guests came to domestic hotels, guesthouses and other HUZ, spending 57.3 million nights there. A total of 54% (12.3 million) were domestic tourists, while 46% (10.5 million) were international visitors. The average length of stay was 3.5 days. In terms of arrivals, Czechia reached its highest ever level since 2012. Year-on-year, the number of foreigners increased by almost 10%.
“Our priority is to maintain and strengthen visitor growth, particularly in key source markets. At the same time, we are focused on extending stays and increasing tourist spending. Currently, the highest creditworthy countries include Germany, the USA, the UK and Northern Ireland or Italy. But we are also targeting distant destinations such as China, Canada or the Arab states,“ says Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism František Reismüller.
CzechTourism's successful campaigns in 2024
Last year, a number of marketing campaigns were carried out in selected countries to raise awareness of Czechia as an attractive destination that is definitely worth a visit. The main global campaign worth CZK 37 million generated 820 million ad impressions, almost 2 million clicks and was seen by 19 million people, confirming the high effectiveness of online promotion of Czechia. Conversion campaigns aimed at achieving a specific action, such as a purchase or booking, and CzechTourism promotes Czechia through online travel agencies (e.g. Expedia, Amadeus, LastMinute.com) had a major impact on extending tourist stays. In the UK and Spain, for example, the campaign has increased the average length of stays that travellers from these countries have bought in the country as a result of the campaign. From 2.7 to 3.8 nights. The conversion campaign focused on the USA, implemented within the framework of the V4 cooperation, brought over 28,605 tourists to Czechia, who spent 20,882 nights here. The investment of EUR 25,000 yielded a 104-fold return. Another important activity was the promotion of direct air links with distant destinations such as Canada and China. Other initiatives also played a role in the promotion of Czechia, such as Google search campaigns or CzechTourism's partnerships with organisers of prestigious events (the Ice Hockey World Cup, Prague Spring Festival, Biathlon World Championships, etc.), cooperation with renowned personalities and the activities of colleagues at CzechTourism's foreign representations around the world.
Record traffic to portals and growing reach of social networks
Last year, CzechTourism's VisitCzechia and Kudy z nudy portals achieved record visitor numbers. The tourist portal Kudy z nudy celebrated 20 years of existence with a new design and reached 38 million visits. More than 100,000 people opened it daily, and even double that number in the summer. It became the leader among travel websites in Czechia (according to Similarweb). Both portals undergo regular modifications to offer users the greatest possible comfort. In addition to tourists, they are actively used by tens of thousands of tourism entrepreneurs who manage their offers here.
Hundreds of thousands of followers are also reached by the profiles that CzechTourism manages on Facebook and Instagram Kudy z nudy currently has half a million subscribers, and foreign accounts total nearly a million. The high numbers are due, among other things, to new graphic templates that have given the posts a more attractive look and feel, ensuring greater reach. The season then plays a crucial role in viewership. Traditionally, posts with a Christmas theme have been the most successful.
B2B events to promote inbound tourism
B2B activities also produced demonstrable results last year. For example, the largest event to promote inbound tourism, Czechia Travel Trade Day 2024 in Hradec Králové, attracted 76 buyers from 30 countries and 1,700 B2B meetings were held. During the Events Club Forum 2024 in Prague, 2,400 B2B meetings in the field of MICE tourism were held. And the Inspirational Afternoon conference attracted more than 160 professionals.
2025: What will we focus on?
CzechTourism and MMR will strengthen marketing campaigns, digitalisation and strategic partnerships this year. CzechTourism has more funds available than last year, up to CZK 450 million.
“The year 2025 will be crucial for maintaining growth momentum and attracting new visitor segments. Our goal is to strengthen active tourism, promote the spa industry and encourage visitors, especially from creditworthy markets, to extend their stays. Our activities bring measurable results and contribute to strengthening the image of Czechia as an attractive destination. In this respect, I would like to thank the Ministry of Regional Development for the increase in funds, which we can use to further promote our beautiful country,“ emphasizes František Reismüller.
Active tourism and focus on Asia
The agency plans a global campaign focusing on active tourism and the spa industry in 2025. Its total budget is 30 million crowns and it will run in two phases in ten countries around the world. Foreigners will also be attracted by conversion campaigns oriented towards travellers who have not yet decided where to go. Golf and spas will be the main product themes. It is certainly worth mentioning the promotion within the V4 cooperation, this time focusing on China. The aim is to introduce the Central European region to travellers there through shared history, cultural links and gastronomy. The campaign emphasises sustainability and links all four countries into one thematic itinerary. The consortium led by CzechTourism was able to raise a total of EUR 100,000 for this initiative thanks to a grant from the European Travel Commission. The strategy is further strengthened by the fact that the CzechTourism's foreign representation in Beijing is now functioning properly again.
“China is one of the important markets for Czech tourism, whose importance is not fading. With the reopening of the CzechTourism Foreign Representative Office in Beijing, we are strengthening our activities aimed at even greater promotion of inbound tourism. This follows on from one of the key events last year, when we managed to negotiate the renewal of direct air links to Beijing Prague. All of this contributes to the continued growth of Chinese tourists' interest in the Czech Republic and the expansion of the offer for longer and more content-rich stays,“ calculates Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism.
Contract signed with Michelin: A new era for Czech gastronomy
This year sees the start of a three-year collaboration between the Czech Republic and Michelin. The Czech Republic can start to build its image as an attractive culinary destination. Michelin will compile an electronic version of the guide with a selection of the best domestic restaurants each year and will manage and update the Czech section on the https://guide.michelin.com/cz/en website. The collaboration also includes content creation, including articles and videos showcasing Czech gastronomy, and paid social media campaigns. The partnership will make Czechia one of the countries Michelin has long supported as a culinary destination. The total value of the cooperation for three years is EUR 1 350 000.
“The Michelin award is a globally recognised symbol of culinary excellence and its presence in the Czech Republic will help raise international awareness of our cuisine. It will also attract a clientele that appreciates quality, innovation and local ingredients,“ emphasizes František Reismüller.
Further key activities in 2025
The campaigns will be complemented by a number of other activities this year. Among other things, another Czechia Travel Trade Day 2025 will take place in April, this time in Ostrava. CzechTourism will also take advantage of significant opportunities with global reach, such as the planned release of a new Dan Brown book or the launch of the second series of the gaming phenomenon Kingdom Come: Deliverance, participation in the world exhibition EXPO 2025 or support for traditional Czech gastronomy in the Czech Specials project.
Tourism is one of the key sectors of the Czech economy. Therefore, the Ministry of Regional Development continues to support destinations, entrepreneurs and strategic projects in 2025. In addition to marketing and conversion campaigns, the state is investing in infrastructure development, digitalisation of services and innovations that will help further increase Czechia's competitiveness on a global scale.
“Tourism funding will increase this year. The Ministry of Regional Development is investing almost twice as much in it compared to previous years. We have only directed more into this area in the wake of the covida pandemic. This year it is 1.48 billion crowns, of which 360 million crowns are allocated in national subsidy programs, which are intended for the development of tourism infrastructure (250 million), the revival of tourism in the flood-affected Jeseníky Mountains (20 million) and support for destination management organizations (90 million),“ states Minister for Regional Development Petr Kulhánek.
Another 423 million crowns will be spent on the modernization of the Mountain Service, including the reconstruction of stations and the purchase of new emergency equipment.
“In addition to developing hiking, biking and skiing trails or information systems, we are also supporting local businesses whose services tourists will use on their trips and vacations. I am looking forward to April, when we will launch the second wave of vouchers for stays in the flood-hit Jeseníky Mountains, which will be available this autumn. Vouchers will again be available at a discount of CZK 300 per night, under the same conditions as the first wave. In addition, the launch of the eTurista portal, which will make it much easier for hoteliers to deal with bureaucracy and make the collection of taxes and fees more efficient, is also waiting for us this year,“ adds the minister.
Czechia in numbers: where do we stand?
In 2023, the share of tourism in GDP reached 2.36% (CZK 180 billion). The sector employs 224,000 people and forms a key economic pillar in regions such as the Karlovy Vary Region, Prague and South Bohemia.
The number of visitors to mass accommodation facilities (HUZ) is growing. Last year, 22.8 million guests came to domestic hotels, guesthouses and other HUZ, spending 57.3 million nights there. A total of 54% (12.3 million) were domestic tourists, while 46% (10.5 million) were international visitors. The average length of stay was 3.5 days. In terms of arrivals, Czechia reached its highest ever level since 2012. Year-on-year, the number of foreigners increased by almost 10%.
“Our priority is to maintain and strengthen visitor growth, particularly in key source markets. At the same time, we are focused on extending stays and increasing tourist spending. Currently, the highest creditworthy countries include Germany, the USA, the UK and Northern Ireland or Italy. But we are also targeting distant destinations such as China, Canada or the Arab states,“ says Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism František Reismüller.
CzechTourism's successful campaigns in 2024
Last year, a number of marketing campaigns were carried out in selected countries to raise awareness of Czechia as an attractive destination that is definitely worth a visit. The main global campaign worth CZK 37 million generated 820 million ad impressions, almost 2 million clicks and was seen by 19 million people, confirming the high effectiveness of online promotion of Czechia. Conversion campaigns aimed at achieving a specific action, such as a purchase or booking, and CzechTourism promotes Czechia through online travel agencies (e.g. Expedia, Amadeus, LastMinute.com) had a major impact on extending tourist stays. In the UK and Spain, for example, the campaign has increased the average length of stays that travellers from these countries have bought in the country as a result of the campaign. From 2.7 to 3.8 nights. The conversion campaign focused on the USA, implemented within the framework of the V4 cooperation, brought over 28,605 tourists to Czechia, who spent 20,882 nights here. The investment of EUR 25,000 yielded a 104-fold return. Another important activity was the promotion of direct air links with distant destinations such as Canada and China. Other initiatives also played a role in the promotion of Czechia, such as Google search campaigns or CzechTourism's partnerships with organisers of prestigious events (the Ice Hockey World Cup, Prague Spring Festival, Biathlon World Championships, etc.), cooperation with renowned personalities and the activities of colleagues at CzechTourism's foreign representations around the world.
Record traffic to portals and growing reach of social networks
Last year, CzechTourism's VisitCzechia and Kudy z nudy portals achieved record visitor numbers. The tourist portal Kudy z nudy celebrated 20 years of existence with a new design and reached 38 million visits. More than 100,000 people opened it daily, and even double that number in the summer. It became the leader among travel websites in Czechia (according to Similarweb). Both portals undergo regular modifications to offer users the greatest possible comfort. In addition to tourists, they are actively used by tens of thousands of tourism entrepreneurs who manage their offers here.
Hundreds of thousands of followers are also reached by the profiles that CzechTourism manages on Facebook and Instagram Kudy z nudy currently has half a million subscribers, and foreign accounts total nearly a million. The high numbers are due, among other things, to new graphic templates that have given the posts a more attractive look and feel, ensuring greater reach. The season then plays a crucial role in viewership. Traditionally, posts with a Christmas theme have been the most successful.
B2B events to promote inbound tourism
B2B activities also produced demonstrable results last year. For example, the largest event to promote inbound tourism, Czechia Travel Trade Day 2024 in Hradec Králové, attracted 76 buyers from 30 countries and 1,700 B2B meetings were held. During the Events Club Forum 2024 in Prague, 2,400 B2B meetings in the field of MICE tourism were held. And the Inspirational Afternoon conference attracted more than 160 professionals.
2025: What will we focus on?
CzechTourism and MMR will strengthen marketing campaigns, digitalisation and strategic partnerships this year. CzechTourism has more funds available than last year, up to CZK 450 million.
“The year 2025 will be crucial for maintaining growth momentum and attracting new visitor segments. Our goal is to strengthen active tourism, promote the spa industry and encourage visitors, especially from creditworthy markets, to extend their stays. Our activities bring measurable results and contribute to strengthening the image of Czechia as an attractive destination. In this respect, I would like to thank the Ministry of Regional Development for the increase in funds, which we can use to further promote our beautiful country,“ emphasizes František Reismüller.
Active tourism and focus on Asia
The agency plans a global campaign focusing on active tourism and the spa industry in 2025. Its total budget is 30 million crowns and it will run in two phases in ten countries around the world. Foreigners will also be attracted by conversion campaigns oriented towards travellers who have not yet decided where to go. Golf and spas will be the main product themes. It is certainly worth mentioning the promotion within the V4 cooperation, this time focusing on China. The aim is to introduce the Central European region to travellers there through shared history, cultural links and gastronomy. The campaign emphasises sustainability and links all four countries into one thematic itinerary. The consortium led by CzechTourism was able to raise a total of EUR 100,000 for this initiative thanks to a grant from the European Travel Commission. The strategy is further strengthened by the fact that the CzechTourism's foreign representation in Beijing is now functioning properly again.
“China is one of the important markets for Czech tourism, whose importance is not fading. With the reopening of the CzechTourism Foreign Representative Office in Beijing, we are strengthening our activities aimed at even greater promotion of inbound tourism. This follows on from one of the key events last year, when we managed to negotiate the renewal of direct air links to Beijing Prague. All of this contributes to the continued growth of Chinese tourists' interest in the Czech Republic and the expansion of the offer for longer and more content-rich stays,“ calculates Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism.
Contract signed with Michelin: A new era for Czech gastronomy
This year sees the start of a three-year collaboration between the Czech Republic and Michelin. The Czech Republic can start to build its image as an attractive culinary destination. Michelin will compile an electronic version of the guide with a selection of the best domestic restaurants each year and will manage and update the Czech section on the https://guide.michelin.com/cz/en website. The collaboration also includes content creation, including articles and videos showcasing Czech gastronomy, and paid social media campaigns. The partnership will make Czechia one of the countries Michelin has long supported as a culinary destination. The total value of the cooperation for three years is EUR 1 350 000.
“The Michelin award is a globally recognised symbol of culinary excellence and its presence in the Czech Republic will help raise international awareness of our cuisine. It will also attract a clientele that appreciates quality, innovation and local ingredients,“ emphasizes František Reismüller.
Further key activities in 2025
The campaigns will be complemented by a number of other activities this year. Among other things, another Czechia Travel Trade Day 2025 will take place in April, this time in Ostrava. CzechTourism will also take advantage of significant opportunities with global reach, such as the planned release of a new Dan Brown book or the launch of the second series of the gaming phenomenon Kingdom Come: Deliverance, participation in the world exhibition EXPO 2025 or support for traditional Czech gastronomy in the Czech Specials project.