CzechTourism to put 100 million crowns into attracting new visitors, post-Covid

Hotels and accommodation service in the Czech Republic look could face another rough summer. The last week of June so far shows only half occupancy, wither earlier dates even less booked. Jan Herget, director of the state agency CzechTourism, wants to gradually pump tens of millions of crowns into promoting the country as a holiday destination.

“People are look for tickets, but they aren’t booking them yet,” Herget told a press conference on Wednesday. According to him, apart from uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic, the reason is people are waiting longer to pick their travel destinations. “In short, people no longer book tickets up to half a year in advance”.

According to airline ticket sellers’ reservation systems, people from Russia, Italy and the United States are showing the most interest in visiting the Czech Republic, iDnes reports. Most visitors from neighbouring countries plan to arrive by car in the event of borders opening, and so do not figure in the statistics.

It is visitors from neighbouring countries – Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia – that CzechTourism plans to focus on. Ten million crowns will go to promotions in Germany and Poland, and slightly less to the other markets. The promotion of the Czech Republic as a safe travel destination will concern also Hungary and Ukraine.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the tourism sector hardest. Half as many visitors came to the Czech Republic last year, with the number of overnight down by 45 percent. The worst affected are the urban areas, which have suffered the most from a lack of foreign clients.

According to Minister for Regional Development Klára Dostalová, whose portfolio includes tourism, the reopening of the historic building of the National Museum in Prague could renew the interest in a trip to the Czech capital. "City tourism will be sealed for the longest time. The opening of the museum is exactly the kind of attraction by which can draw back tourists.”

During the quarantine, the CzechTourism toned down its campaign in foreign markets. Agency director Jan Herget has said that as of May, it will resume promotions in all countries from where it is possible to reach the Czech Republic comfortably by car.