Tourism in Czechia has been exceptionally successful. After returning to pre-pandemic levels, it continues to grow, surpassing historical highs and confirming its key role in the economy and regional development. The Czech Tourism Authority – CzechTourism is building on this development with intensive marketing activities, new campaigns and an emphasis on high-spending visitors who spend more time and money in Czechia.
Česko v číslech:
• 24 milionů příjezdů ročně
• téměř 60 milionů přenocování
• 400 miliard korun ročních útrat návštěvníků
• návratnost investic do turismu: 3,2×
• 79 restaurací v prvním českém Průvodci MICHELIN
• globální kampaně s dosahem stovek milionů kontaktů
Tourism as a stable pillar of the economy
Tourism is one of the key sectors of the Czech economy. In 2023, it accounted for 2.36% of gross domestic product, which corresponds to approximately CZK 180 billion. It employs approximately 224,000 people, or roughly one in every twenty-four inhabitants of Czechia. It significantly supports entrepreneurship and employment in the regions—especially in Prague and the Karlovy Vary Region, but also in other parts of the country. Visitors to Czechia spend approximately CZK 400 billion annually.
“Tourism is very important for Czechia. It creates jobs, supports entrepreneurs and helps develop regions. Our goal is to further strengthen this potential and increase its contribution to the entire economy. Every year, over 10 million tourists from abroad visit us, and another nearly 13 million trips are made by us Czechs ourselves. According to international scientific standards of the so-called multiplier effect, every crown that the state invests in supporting tourism returns 3.2 times. That is why we work closely with the founder, regions, cities and the business sector to maximise economic benefits while developing tourism in a sustainable manner, taking into account the needs of local communities and regions,” says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourism Authority – CzechTourism.
Record return of tourists and changing demand structure
The year 2025 confirmed that tourism in Czechia has not only recovered but continues to strengthen. The number of overnight stays approached 60 million and the number of arrivals almost 24 million. Foreign visitors are staying longer, and the number of overnight stays is growing faster than the number of arrivals—by almost 1.9 million nights year on year. The average length of stay also remains stable.
In addition to Prague, the regions are becoming increasingly popular, bringing direct economic benefits to local businesses and municipalities. The structure of source markets is also changing. In addition to traditional European countries, the share of more distant and more affluent markets is growing. The fifteen most important source countries today include not only European countries, but also the USA, South Korea and Israel.
“We are seeing strong interest from abroad and stable demand from domestic tourists. It is positive that visitors to Czechia are spending more time here and are more often venturing outside the main tourist centres. It is precisely this kind of sustainable and balanced development that we support in the long term. The systematic work of the CzechTourism agency in foreign markets and the increasing number of direct flights, especially from distant countries, also contribute significantly to this growth. Czechia is becoming an increasingly popular starting destination for trips to Central Europe, and Prague serves as the gateway to Czechia,” adds František Reismüller.
Marketing that can be seen and measured
In 2025, CzechTourism significantly strengthened its marketing activities and focused on campaigns with a clearly measurable impact. The global Unexpected Wellbeing campaign presented Czechia as a destination for active relaxation, spas and a high-quality lifestyle. It ran in two waves in ten countries around the world, generating nearly 300 million views and more than 800,000 clicks. The autumn part was complemented by a television campaign on Eurosport, which reached viewers in fifty countries and achieved nearly 25 million views.
Conversion campaigns focused on specific bookings also delivered strong results. For example, cooperation with the online agency eDreams generated 35,000 room nights on the American market and extended the average length of stay of European visitors from 2.6 to 3.7 nights. The return on investment reached up to thirty-three times. Performance search campaigns then brought in more than 1.5 million users interested in travelling around the Czech Republic.
“Our campaigns are based on data and clearly measurable results. We can see that investments in marketing are paying off not only in terms of visitor numbers, but also in terms of their spending,” emphasises František Reismüller.
Accessibility, events and global visibility
The growth of tourism is also supported by better transport accessibility. CzechTourism, in cooperation with Václav Havel Airport Prague and foreign partners, supports the development of direct air connections. The campaign on the Philadelphia–Prague route brought in more than 62 million views and over 32,000 clicks.
The Czech Republic's visibility abroad is also strengthened by major cultural and sporting events. CzechTourism participated in 21 international events, whose media reach exceeded 2.7 billion people worldwide. Among the most significant were the Biathlon World Cup, MotoGP, Czech Tour and the Beats for Love festival.
The Czech Republic's participation in the EXPO 2025 Osaka world exhibition also played a significant role, and cooperation on international cultural projects, Dan Brown's new novel The Secret of All Secrets, and the sequel to the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II also attracted media attention.
Gastronomy as a strong draw
Gastronomy is becoming an increasingly important factor in choosing a destination. The publication of the first-ever MICHELIN Guide 2025 for Czechia provided a major boost. A total of 79 restaurants were selected, some of which received Michelin stars or Bib Gourmand awards. During the first month, dozens of establishments recorded increased visitor numbers, and media coverage exceeded 15 million contacts.
“Czechia is increasingly profiling itself as a destination that combines tradition, local ingredients and a modern approach to gastronomy. This is confirmed not only by the first-ever MICHELIN Guide for Czechia, which ranks us among the 16 most interesting culinary destinations in the world this year. The growing quality of domestic cuisine is also confirmed by other authorities, such as Gault&Millau and the TopLife Czech publishing house, and shows that top-class gastronomy is now emerging across the whole of Czechia. The CzechSpecials project also plays an important role, linking traditional Czech cuisine with a modern concept and helping visitors discover authentic flavours in the regions. Gastronomy is therefore logically a topic that will play a major role in our communication in 2026,” says František Reismüller.
Digital inspiration and strong B2B background
CzechTourism's digital platforms also recorded record visitor numbers. The Kudy z nudy portal achieved 43 million visits and more than 153 million views, while VisitCzechia had almost three million visits. Social networks, video content and the Sbaleno podcast strengthen inspiration and reach new audiences at home and abroad.
B2B activities also yielded significant results. Czechia Travel Trade Day 2025 in Ostrava attracted 70 buyers from 22 countries and resulted in over 1,600 business meetings. The Events Club Forum offered more than 3,000 meetings in the field of congress tourism.
2026: freedom, data and new opportunities
The year 2026 will be marked by a new global campaign, Feel Free, which will present Czechia as a destination of well-being, authenticity and freedom of choice. The campaign will focus on the country's cultural heritage, quality, accessibility and unique atmosphere and will use modern formats, including Connected TV.
CzechTourism, in cooperation with Prague City Tourism, is now working with Mastercard data, which will enable more detailed monitoring of visitor behaviour, better management of tourist flows and more effective destination development planning.
“Thanks to detailed data, we will better understand who comes to Czechia, how long they stay and what they spend their money on. This knowledge will help us to set and target marketing campaigns even more accurately, increase the economic benefits of tourism and, at the same time, support its more even distribution in terms of location and time. We want visitors to Czechia to enjoy their stay to the fullest and for tourism to have a long-term positive impact on the regions and their inhabitants,” concludes František Reismüller.
Further opportunities will be provided by the Frankfurt Book Fair, where Czechia will be the guest of honour; world sporting events including the World Figure Skating Championships; and entry into the prestigious Virtuoso network, which brings together the leaders in luxury travel.
