Tourism in Czech Republic Inching Back to Pre-Pandemic Level

Around 3.8 million tourists stayed in the Czech Republic in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, a third more than in 2022, the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) said on Friday.

Of them, 1.7 million tourists arrived from abroad, an almost 90 percent increase year-on-year, the CSU said, noting that, as in previous years, most of them came from Germany.

The number of tourist overnight stays in collective accommodation establishments in the Czech Republic was 9.9 million in Q1 2023, up 26.4 percent year-on-year.

“After the COVID-19 crisis, the number of guests was gradually increasing. However, it was still not at the same level compared to the year 2019. Operators of accommodation establishments were still missing a fifth of their clientele from abroad, who were coming to the Czech Republic before the crisis,” Pavel Vancura, head of the CSU’s Tourism and Environmental Statistics Unit, said in a statement.

In Q1 2019, four million tourists stayed in the Czech Republic, the majority of whom were foreign visitors.

According to fresh figures published on Tuesday by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an estimated 235 million tourists traveled internationally in the first three months of this year, more than double the figure registered in same period of 2022.

Compared to 2019, international arrivals reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023.

The UNWTO said that tourism was “on track for full recovery,” but noted some challenges facing the sector, such as the economic situation and geopolitical tensions.

“The economic situation remains the main factor weighing on the effective recovery of international tourism in 2023, with high inflation and rising oil prices translating into higher transport and accommodation costs. As a result, tourists are expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home,” said the UN agency.