As the leaves turn golden and the crisp autumn air settles in, the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) has released figures that paint a somewhat sad picture of the country’s summer tourism season. In a surprising twist, the sun-soaked months of July through September saw a slight dip in visitor numbers, marking the first year-on-year decrease since the second quarter of 2021.
According to Roman Mikula, head of the tourism and environmental statistics department at ČSÚ, 7.7 million guests checked into hotels, guesthouses, and campsites across the Czech Republic during the third quarter of this year. This represents a modest 1% decrease compared to last year’s period. The decline was primarily driven by a 4.5% drop in domestic tourists, although this was partially offset by a 4.4% increase in international visitors.
The ebb in tourism was unique across the country. While most regions experienced a downturn, Prague and the Ústí nad Labem Region bucked the trend, seeing an uptick in visitors. The South Bohemian Region held steady, neither gaining nor losing ground. However, the Olomouc Region bore the brunt of the decline, partly due to the devastating floods that swept through the area in September.
Despite the overall dip, some hospitality industry sectors fared better than others. Hotels saw only a slight 0.1% decrease in guests, hosting 4.6 million visitors who spent 11.3 million nights under their roofs. Campsites emerged as the season’s dark horse, enjoying a 1.8% increase in guests and a 0.6% rise in overnight stays compared to last summer. These open-air accommodations proved particularly popular among domestic tourists and visitors from Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands.
Guests spent 20.9 million nights in various accommodations across the Czech Republic. Foreign visitors accounted for 7.8 million of these nights, while domestic tourists contributed almost 13.2 million. On average, each guest stayed for 2.7 nights, with international visitors typically staying for 2.4 nights and Czech residents extending their stays to 2.9 nights.
As the tourism industry considers these figures, the slight downturn reminds the sector of its sensitivity to various factors, from economic conditions to unexpected natural events. However, the increased number of international visitors suggests that the Czech Republic continues to hold its appeal as a destination for travellers worldwide.