CzechTourism, the Czech Republic’s national tourism agency, is building on a successful year with a new global campaign, ‘Feel free’, which aims to raise the profile of the Czech Republic in international markets. The new strategy builds on the atmosphere, authenticity and freedom of choice that the country offers visitors, while shifting the focus of communication away from the sights themselves towards the overall feeling and experience of the destination. The creative concept and visual design were developed by McCann-Erickson Prague.
The campaign presents the Czech Republic as a place where everyone can create their own travel story – from historical monuments and outdoor activities to gastronomy and spa treatments. It is based on four key pillars: cultural heritage, easy accessibility, the timeless quality of traditional industries such as glassmaking, and an ever-present sense of well-being.
“Our aim is to show the world the Czech Republic as the ideal holiday destination – a place where everyone can find something to suit them, whether they’re looking for relaxation, experiences or perhaps a bit of adventure. At the same time, we want to inspire visitors to discover lesser-known places across the regions and show that it is precisely this diversity of what’s on offer that makes the Czech Republic an attractive destination for everyone. We have everything, except perhaps the sea. Our strength lies precisely in accessibility, versatility and the fact that there are no extremes – the country feels calm, safe and natural,” says František Reismüller, Director of CzechTourism.
He adds that one of the Czech Republic’s main competitive advantages is the ability to combine different types of experiences within a relatively small area: “In a single day, you can take a trip into the countryside, visit a monument, enjoy a great lunch and relax in the evening, perhaps at a spa. It is precisely this combination that makes the Czech Republic an exceptional place that people love to return to.”
Feel free as a new communication framework
The central theme of the campaign is the ‘Feel free’ concept, which works on the principle of free choice and aims to capture the genius loci of the Czech Republic. Visitors decide for themselves how they want to explore the country – through culture, nature, gastronomy or relaxation.
The visual concept of the campaign uses a “scrollable menu” motif, symbolising the breadth of experiences and emotions one can encounter in the Czech Republic. CzechTourism intends to use this motif long term as a unifying element of the brand’s communication, alongside the new slogan.
The marketing strategy has also undergone a fundamental change. Instead of the previous division into individual themes, the agency is moving towards a unified overarching concept that links the key pillars into a single framework. This allows for flexible adaptation of content to specific markets and target groups. The campaign also responds to growing competition from European destinations and the need to present the Czech Republic not merely as a collection of places, but as a comprehensive experience and atmosphere. It includes video spots and online banners.
The campaign is based on the four core values of the #VisitCzechia brand – cultural heritage, accessibility, timeless quality and well-being – and develops these into specific themes for 2026. The emphasis is on culture and architecture, active holidays in easily accessible natural surroundings, gastronomy that blends tradition with a modern approach, and spa culture as a unique European heritage. Authentic experiences and traditional crafts also play a significant role. Gastronomy is now coming to the fore as a powerful motivation for travel, naturally linking regions, experiences and longer stays for visitors.
Global reach and emphasis on sustainability
The campaign is designed to be multi-layered. The image component primarily targets more distant markets, where awareness of the Czech Republic is lower and where there is a need to clearly define the reason for a visit. In closer markets, this will be complemented by product-focused campaigns encouraging repeat visits and longer stays.
“This approach will enable us to effectively segment our offering and reflect the needs of source markets. The image component will focus primarily on more distant markets, where awareness of our destination is lower and we need to firmly and clearly establish ourselves in travellers’ minds, thus answering the question ‘Why visit the Czech Republic?’, while in closer markets it will be complemented by targeted product campaigns,” explains Jana Štumpová Konicarová.
The image campaign will run from April to July 2026 in the USA, the UK, Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands, with a budget of 17.5 million crowns. A new feature is the expansion of the marketing mix to include advertising on VOD platforms, for example in the Italian market.
The campaign utilises various content formats – from main 30-second spots through shorter thematic versions to short formats for re-engaging users. These are complemented by digital banners and, in the long term, conversion campaigns focused on specific bookings or performance-based online activities in search engines.
The new strategy also reflects current trends in tourism, particularly the emphasis on the quality of the experience, sustainability and a balanced distribution of visitor numbers away from the main tourist centres. The ‘Feel free’ campaign therefore aims not only to increase visitor numbers, but also to encourage longer stays and motivate visitors to explore lesser-known regions across the Czech Republic. It aims primarily to appeal to those who want to truly get to know and experience the destination and spend more time there, rather than just quickly visiting its most famous sites.
Source: CzechTourism
