Stronger promotion of Czechia both at home and abroad, and better use of successful films and TV series to develop domestic and international tourism. These are the main objectives of the memorandum of cooperation signed by the Czech Tourism Authority—CzechTourism—and the State Audiovisual Fund, Czech Film Commission division. Both institutions aim to link the audiovisual industry with tourism even more systematically, present the Czech Republic as an attractive destination for both filming and travel through selected joint activities, and use movie screens and television to attract visitors not only to well-known tourist sites but also to as-yet-undiscovered locations.
Combining Film and Tourism Will Boost the Promotion of Czechia
A joint memorandum combines CzechTourism’s expertise in promoting Czechia as a destination with the professional resources of the Czech Film Commission. The main mission of this department of the State Audiovisual Fund is to promote Czechia as an attractive destination for foreign film shoots, digital production, and animation. The Czech Film Commission also connects filmmakers with regional partners and provides information on filming opportunities. Both institutions aim to better leverage the power of film in building the Czech Republic’s brand, developing tourism, and supporting the domestic audiovisual industry.
“A successful film or series can showcase Czechia in a way that feels natural and authentic. When viewers are captivated by a location on the big screen or TV, they often want to see it with their own eyes. That is precisely why we want to harness the power of film stories much more systematically and show that, in addition to well-known tourist icons, our country also offers a number of exceptional places in the regions,“ says Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism František Reismüller, adding: “The benefits of film productions don’t end with the final take. Every film shot in Czechia creates jobs and contracts for a number of related industries even during production. By linking support for the audiovisual industry with destination promotion, we can even more effectively translate these benefits into long-term tourism development, support for the regions, and opportunities for local entrepreneurs.“
Veronika Slámová, director of the State Audiovisual Fund, adds: “Every foreign film or series shot in Czechia represents a significant investment in the Czech economy. It creates jobs for local film professionals, contributes to the development of companies and regions, and at the same time showcases the beauty and tourist appeal of our cities, countryside, nature, and landmarks to millions of viewers around the world. Through our partnership with CzechTourism, we aim to better integrate support for the audiovisual industry with the development of tourism and harness the power of film as a tool for the long-term promotion of Czechia.“
In practice, the collaboration will focus on jointly promoting Czechia as an attractive destination for film tourism, sharing information about the activities of both institutions, and news from the audiovisual industry and film tourism. The Czech Film Commission collaborates with a network of regional film offices, which will have the opportunity to participate in joint projects. Another important component will be the creation of thematic content and educational initiatives to help raise awareness of travel inspired by films and TV series. Successful films can, in fact, put even lesser-known places on the map and attract new visitors from both home and abroad.
Movies and TV Series Inspire Travel
Today, movies and TV series are one of the major drivers of travel. This is also confirmed by data from the CzechTourism agency from 2024, according to which nearly half of domestic tourists visited a location where a movie, fairy tale, or TV series was filmed. Most often, they headed to castles and chateaus such as Hluboká nad Vltavou, Bouzov, Červená Lhota or Karlštejn, as well as the towns of Český Krumlov and Prague, particularly their historic centers.
The growing importance of film tourism is also confirmed by international analyses. According to this year’s Screen Tourism Forecast Index, Czechia ranks among the world’s top ten destinations with the greatest potential to attract visitors thanks to new films and TV series. One reason for this is the anticipated release of the series Blade Runner 2099, which was also filmed at locations in Czechia. This confirms that successful film and TV series productions can significantly boost awareness of a destination and tourists’ interest in visiting it.
Czechia has been appearing on movie screens and television sets around the world for many years. Thanks to its diverse landscape, historic backdrops, modern infrastructure, and experienced film professionals, domestic locations are regularly chosen by major international productions. Films and series are shot here for platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV, Disney, and others. The highest concentration of foreign projects traditionally heads to Prague, which offers a combination of world-renowned studios, historic settings, and contemporary architecture. In the regions, castles and chateaus are among the most sought-after filming locations. The most frequently used are Křivoklát, Dobříš, Kačina, Kroměříž, Bouzov, Plasy, and others. Popular destinations also include historic city centers such as Liberec, Žatec and Kutná Hora. Production teams are also seeking out former military bases in Milovice and Ralsko, as well as natural scenery, such as Jevany or the Velká Amerika quarry. It is precisely this extraordinary diversity of locations suitable for filming that is one of the main reasons why Czechia has long been ranked among the most sought-after film destinations in Europe.
A number of major Hollywood productions have been filmed in Czechia. Among the older ones are the Bond film Casino Royale, two installments from the fantasy trilogy The Chronicles of Narnia, two films from the spy series Mission: Impossible, Van Helsing , and the Oscar-winning film Edith Piaf. Among the more recent ones are, for example, the action thriller The Gray Man starring Ryan Gosling, as well as Charles Bridge in Prague and Spider-Man: Far From Home, filmed in Liberec, Spider-Man: Far From Home, or Rescue 2, which was moved from Australia to Czechia due to pandemic restrictions. The creators of the horror film Nosferatu (Pernštejn Castle) and the Oscar-winning drama All Quiet on the Western Front (Milovice).
Also worth mentioning are Bollywood films, full of spectacular musical scenes and emotional shots. The magic of these scenes resonated with Indian audiences for a long time after they watched Bollywood blockbusters such as Superstar, Jab Harry met Sejal, or Bang Bang, and has helped increase interest in Czechia in the Indian market. Korean filmmakers have also taken a liking to Czechia—for example, the series The Remarried Empress was filmed last year in Kutná Hora, among other locations, Hrádek u Nechanic, in Květná Garden in Kroměříž, and at the Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou Castle.
International filmmakers’ interest in shooting in Czechia shows no signs of waning, and starting in 2025, it will be further bolstered by an increase in film incentives to 25% and 35% (for animation and digital production, respectively). This year, Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese filmed scenes in Czechia for his new movie What Happens at Night, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen, and Patricia Clarkson in the lead roles. The crew used locations in Prague, Úštěk, at Ratboř Castle, and in Žatec. In 2025, Czechia was also chosen by the creators of the series The Age of Innocence, Foundation, Ride or Die, and the sequel to the anthology series inspired by the famous video game Resident Evil. These projects confirm that Czechia is among Europe’s most sought-after film destinations. In addition to unique locations, the country also offers state-of-the-art technical facilities, experienced film professionals, and high-quality production services. And every such film shoot brings immediate economic benefits while also representing a long-term investment in promoting the country.
Film Tourism by the Numbers
A joint memorandum combines CzechTourism’s expertise in promoting Czechia as a destination with the professional resources of the Czech Film Commission. The main mission of this department of the State Audiovisual Fund is to promote Czechia as an attractive destination for foreign film shoots, digital production, and animation. The Czech Film Commission also connects filmmakers with regional partners and provides information on filming opportunities. Both institutions aim to better leverage the power of film in building the Czech Republic’s brand, developing tourism, and supporting the domestic audiovisual industry.
“A successful film or series can showcase Czechia in a way that feels natural and authentic. When viewers are captivated by a location on the big screen or TV, they often want to see it with their own eyes. That is precisely why we want to harness the power of film stories much more systematically and show that, in addition to well-known tourist icons, our country also offers a number of exceptional places in the regions,“ says Director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism František Reismüller, adding: “The benefits of film productions don’t end with the final take. Every film shot in Czechia creates jobs and contracts for a number of related industries even during production. By linking support for the audiovisual industry with destination promotion, we can even more effectively translate these benefits into long-term tourism development, support for the regions, and opportunities for local entrepreneurs.“
Veronika Slámová, director of the State Audiovisual Fund, adds: “Every foreign film or series shot in Czechia represents a significant investment in the Czech economy. It creates jobs for local film professionals, contributes to the development of companies and regions, and at the same time showcases the beauty and tourist appeal of our cities, countryside, nature, and landmarks to millions of viewers around the world. Through our partnership with CzechTourism, we aim to better integrate support for the audiovisual industry with the development of tourism and harness the power of film as a tool for the long-term promotion of Czechia.“
In practice, the collaboration will focus on jointly promoting Czechia as an attractive destination for film tourism, sharing information about the activities of both institutions, and news from the audiovisual industry and film tourism. The Czech Film Commission collaborates with a network of regional film offices, which will have the opportunity to participate in joint projects. Another important component will be the creation of thematic content and educational initiatives to help raise awareness of travel inspired by films and TV series. Successful films can, in fact, put even lesser-known places on the map and attract new visitors from both home and abroad.
Movies and TV Series Inspire Travel
Today, movies and TV series are one of the major drivers of travel. This is also confirmed by data from the CzechTourism agency from 2024, according to which nearly half of domestic tourists visited a location where a movie, fairy tale, or TV series was filmed. Most often, they headed to castles and chateaus such as Hluboká nad Vltavou, Bouzov, Červená Lhota or Karlštejn, as well as the towns of Český Krumlov and Prague, particularly their historic centers.
The growing importance of film tourism is also confirmed by international analyses. According to this year’s Screen Tourism Forecast Index, Czechia ranks among the world’s top ten destinations with the greatest potential to attract visitors thanks to new films and TV series. One reason for this is the anticipated release of the series Blade Runner 2099, which was also filmed at locations in Czechia. This confirms that successful film and TV series productions can significantly boost awareness of a destination and tourists’ interest in visiting it.
Czechia has been appearing on movie screens and television sets around the world for many years. Thanks to its diverse landscape, historic backdrops, modern infrastructure, and experienced film professionals, domestic locations are regularly chosen by major international productions. Films and series are shot here for platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV, Disney, and others. The highest concentration of foreign projects traditionally heads to Prague, which offers a combination of world-renowned studios, historic settings, and contemporary architecture. In the regions, castles and chateaus are among the most sought-after filming locations. The most frequently used are Křivoklát, Dobříš, Kačina, Kroměříž, Bouzov, Plasy, and others. Popular destinations also include historic city centers such as Liberec, Žatec and Kutná Hora. Production teams are also seeking out former military bases in Milovice and Ralsko, as well as natural scenery, such as Jevany or the Velká Amerika quarry. It is precisely this extraordinary diversity of locations suitable for filming that is one of the main reasons why Czechia has long been ranked among the most sought-after film destinations in Europe.
A number of major Hollywood productions have been filmed in Czechia. Among the older ones are the Bond film Casino Royale, two installments from the fantasy trilogy The Chronicles of Narnia, two films from the spy series Mission: Impossible, Van Helsing , and the Oscar-winning film Edith Piaf. Among the more recent ones are, for example, the action thriller The Gray Man starring Ryan Gosling, as well as Charles Bridge in Prague and Spider-Man: Far From Home, filmed in Liberec, Spider-Man: Far From Home, or Rescue 2, which was moved from Australia to Czechia due to pandemic restrictions. The creators of the horror film Nosferatu (Pernštejn Castle) and the Oscar-winning drama All Quiet on the Western Front (Milovice).
Also worth mentioning are Bollywood films, full of spectacular musical scenes and emotional shots. The magic of these scenes resonated with Indian audiences for a long time after they watched Bollywood blockbusters such as Superstar, Jab Harry met Sejal, or Bang Bang, and has helped increase interest in Czechia in the Indian market. Korean filmmakers have also taken a liking to Czechia—for example, the series The Remarried Empress was filmed last year in Kutná Hora, among other locations, Hrádek u Nechanic, in Květná Garden in Kroměříž, and at the Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou Castle.
International filmmakers’ interest in shooting in Czechia shows no signs of waning, and starting in 2025, it will be further bolstered by an increase in film incentives to 25% and 35% (for animation and digital production, respectively). This year, Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese filmed scenes in Czechia for his new movie What Happens at Night, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen, and Patricia Clarkson in the lead roles. The crew used locations in Prague, Úštěk, at Ratboř Castle, and in Žatec. In 2025, Czechia was also chosen by the creators of the series The Age of Innocence, Foundation, Ride or Die, and the sequel to the anthology series inspired by the famous video game Resident Evil. These projects confirm that Czechia is among Europe’s most sought-after film destinations. In addition to unique locations, the country also offers state-of-the-art technical facilities, experienced film professionals, and high-quality production services. And every such film shoot brings immediate economic benefits while also representing a long-term investment in promoting the country.
Film Tourism by the Numbers
- In 2024, a total of 48% of tourists in Czechia visited a location where a film, fairy tale, or TV series was filmed, and 9% specifically sought out these locations.
- Up to 60% of film production spending goes outside the audiovisual industry itself—to transportation, construction, apparel, crafts, hotels, restaurants, and other services.
- In 2025, dozens of international film and television projects were shot in Czechia, including, for example, the series Foundation , The Age of Innocence , and Ride or Die.
- Martin Scorsese’s new film What Happens at Night, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, was filmed at several locations across Czechia this year.
- Among the best-known foreign films shot in Czechia are All Quiet on the Western Front (4 Oscars, plus 4 nominations for Czech filmmakers), Jojo Rabbit (an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and a nomination for Nora Sopková for production design), *Casino Royale*, *Mission: Impossible*, *The Chronicles of Narnia*, *The Gray Man*, *Spider-Man: Far From Home*, and *Nosferatu* (an Oscar nomination for Beata Brentnerová for production design).
- Czech locations also appear in the Bollywood films Superstar, Jab Harry Met Sejal, and Bang Bang, which have significantly contributed to raising Czechia’s profile in the Indian market.
- Among the locations most frequently visited by domestic tourists are castles and chateaus such as Hluboká nad Vltavou, Bouzov, Červená Lhota, and Karlštejn, as well as the cities of Český Krumlov and Prague, particularly their historic centers.