A ban on organized pub crawls in Prague “will definitely backfire” and do nothing to deter stag parties from visiting, an industry expert believes.

Officials in Prague have announced that guided tours around the city’s pubs and clubs will be outlawed between 10 pm and 6 am in a move to attract “more cultured” tourists.

It comes months after the Czech capital attempted to ban fancy dress costumes in a move branded “ridiculous and slightly embarrassing” by Matt Mavir, who runs the UK’s leading stag and hen organizer, Last Night of Freedom.

Matt, whose company sends thousands of customers to Prague every year, believes the latest ban is a “desperate tactic” that simply will not work.

“Over-zealous policies like these are designed to create headlines but in reality, they won’t make a dent in the number of stag groups in Britain who want to visit cities like Prague,” said Matt to Prague Morning.

“The city council’s proposal to ban fancy dress earlier this year has done nothing to deter visitor numbers because they are unworkable and frankly, a bit embarrassing.

“Banning organized pub crawls will not stop people enjoying the fantastic beer in Prague, and under the terms of this ban, what’s to stop guides from just running them during the day?

“That would only lead to more people drinking earlier and affecting the businesses, locals, and wealthier tourists they say this ban is trying to protect.”

Announcing the new ban on Monday Jiri Pospisil, a deputy mayor in Prague, told a press conference that city hall was “seeking a more cultured, wealthier tourist… not one who comes for a short time only to get drunk”.

And while Vaclav Starek, head of the Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants, hailed the decision in comments reported by the Agence France Presse (AFP), he admitted: “I don’t think this will hurt our sales. Nobody will be banned from going to a pub but these nightly organised pub crawls… are nothing we would need.”

Prague is the latest European city trying to deter British tourists

Amsterdam has launched a so-far unsuccessful ‘stay-away’ campaign to try and clean up its image, while civic leaders in Spain and the Balearics are introducing strict new rules in response to anti-tourism protests from locals.

But Matt, whose Newcastle-based company has launched more than 50,000 stag and hen parties in its 25-year history, believes that if local leaders succeed in their quest to ban Brits, they’ll live to regret it.

“People who go to stag and hen parties are normal, everyday people – they spend their money and are a vibrant part of a healthy tourism ecosystem across Europe,” continued Matt, who revealed that Prague remains second only to the hedonistic hotspot of Benidorm for British stags abroad.

“The vast majority are respectful and go to Prague and other destinations to have fun, as it’s a beautiful and vibrant city where they can escape and let their hair down for a weekend. They’re potentially also the same ‘wealthier and more cultured’ tourists who might return with partners or families in the future, they type of business these destinations claim to want.

“Creating an unwelcome atmosphere won’t stop stag groups but will definitely backfire – by simply moving the problem elsewhere or harming a city’s long-term reputation,” Matt adds.

“Short-sighted officials should be careful not to demonise tourists and potentially jeopardise what a vital and very profitable industry is,” he concludes.

Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more