Tourism - 1. quarter of 2016

The number of overnight stays in collective accommodation establishments totaled 9.5 million in Q1 2016; this was by 12.0% more than in the same period of the previous year. Foreign clients spent in accommodation establishments more nights by 12.1% and domestic guests increased the number of overnight stays by 11.9%. The highest number of nights (6.3 million) was recorded in hotels, with a y-o-y increase by 12.5%. Pensions reported a y-o-y increase by 14.9% and other collective accommodation establishments showed a growth by 8.9%. From regional point of view, an increase was shown by all regions of the Czech Republic. Only in Vysocina region there was a decrease in the number of non-residents by 5% due to the absence of biathlon world cup during this year.

A total of 3.3 million guests arrived in collective accommodation establishments; this was 11.9% more than in Q1 2015. The number of foreign guests was higher by 60 thousand than the number of residents. Compared to the previous year the number of guest from abroad went up by 13.9% and the number of residents by 9.9%. Hotels, where almost three quarters of guest found accommodation, reported an increase in occupancy by 12.5%; pensions visited by 17.2% more guests compared with last year. Campsites showed in low season an interest in accommodation twice as big as last year. From the regional point of view, an increase was shown in all regions of the Czech Republic. The highest increase in the number of guests was reported from Karlovarský region (by 17.9%). The number of non-residents in this region reached 124 thousand; which was by 17.2% up than the same period of last year. The number of residents went up even by 19.1%.

The highest number of foreign guests (by nationality) came from Germany. There were 395 thousand Germans in the surveyed establishments; this was by 20.4% more than a year ago. The second largest group of guests was visitors from Slovakia (120 thousand) with y-o-y increase in arrivals by 14.2%. The third place took guests from Poland (113 thousand); their number went up by 18.4% y-o-y. The decrease was shown by the guests from Italy, by 8.3% y-o-y. In particular the decrease in March by 18.0% was due to the low interest of Italians visitors in accommodation of Prague establishments. South Korea entered to the top ten countries (by the number of arrivals) in the first three months. From the south part of the Korean Peninsula 56 thousand guests arrived; this was by 17 thousand more compared to the guests from China.

Spa accommodation establishments were visited by 171 thousand guests; this was 6.8% up y-o-y. The number of overnight stays increased even by 10.2%. Domestic clients increased their number of arrivals by 3.4% and overnight stays by 18.1%. While domestic guests extended their spa visits, foreign clients reduced the length of stays. Although the number of non-residents went up in Bohemian and Moravian spa resorts by 10.4% y-o-y; the number of their overnight stays increased only by 0.5%. In Karlovarsky region non-residents spent by 0.1% fewer nights y-o-y, while residents increased the number of their nights by 24.8%

Notes
Responsible head: Marie Boušková, phone (+420) 274052935, e-mail: marie.bouskova@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Pavel Vančura, phone (+420) 274052096, e-mail: pavel.vancura@csu.gov.cz
Method of data acquisition: direct surveys of the CZSO at collective accommodation establishments
End of data collection: 28 April 2016
End of data processing: 3 May 2016
Related publications: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/cru_ts
The next News Release will be published: 9 August 2016