Tourism - 4. quarter of 2016

Q4 2016, the number of guests’ overnight stays in collective accommodation establishments increased by 8.5% year-on-year, of which residents by 8.7% and foreigners by 8.3%. In total, more guests arrived by 9.8% in this period, foreigners by 10.3% and domestic guests by 9.0%. During the whole year 2016 collective accommodation establishments reported a higher number of guests by 6.9% and the number of overnight stays increased by 5.4% y-o-y.

The number of overnight stays in collective accommodation establishments totaled 9.8 million in Q4 2016; this was by 8.5% more than in the same period of the previous year. Domestic clients increased their number of nights by 8.7%. The number of overnight stays of non-residents went up by 8.3%. A year-on-year growth by 9.8% was recorded in hotels and pensions reported an increase even by 13.9%. In regional breakdown, an increase was shown in all regions. The most successful were entrepreneurs in Vysocina region, where the number of nights spent went up by 19.6% y-o-y due to both residents (+18.6%) and non-residents (+25.0%). Two-digit increase recorded accommodation establishments in Karlovarsky region, Olomoucky region, South Bohemia and Pardubicky region.

A total of 3.9 million guests arrived in collective accommodation establishments during the surveyed period; this was 9.8% more year-on-year. The number of non-residents went up by 10.3%; residents by 9.0%. The highest number of guest (1.5 million) found accommodation in four-star hotels. This was by 12.0% more than previous year. 1.2 million tourists arrived to three-star hotels, this was by 9.0% more y-o-y. Pensions reported an increase by 15.5%; this was by 360 thousand of visits more. Regionally, occupancy went up in all regions. The most successful result was showed in Kralovehradecky region (by 26.5%) and in South Bohemia (by 19.7%).

The highest number of foreign guests (by nationality) came from Germany. There were 461 thousand of German guests in the surveyed establishments; it was by 6.8% more than Q4 2015. Second largest group were guests from Slovakia with 157 thousand of arrivals, which was by 8.4% more. Third place was taken by citizens from the UK (+8.2%). The highest demand from Top 10 countries was recorded by guest from the China with an increase by 49.1%. Guests from South Korea increased the number of arrivals in Czechia by 35.6% y-o-y.

There was an increase of arrivals as well as overnight stays from Russian Federation in the surveyed period. From March 2014 continuous decrease has been shown in occupancy of Russians. But in the last quarter of previous year the number of guests went up by 23.3% and the number of nights increased by 19.6%. Nevertheless, annual result is still negative. The number of guests from Russia went down by 28 thousand (-6.5%) compared to the year 2015 and the number of nights by 234 thousand (-11.0%).

Development in the year 2016

During the whole year 2016, there was a higher number of guests by 6.9% and the number of overnight stays by 5.4%. The number of tourists both residents and from abroad went up (+7.0% and +6.7% respectively). The number of overnight stays was higher for both groups than in 2015.

In all regions of the Czech Republic the number of guests as well as the number of overnight stays went up. The best result was shown in Kralovehradecky region (+13.2%) and in the number of overnight stays it was Ustecky region (+10.6% nights).

Higher number of foreigner guests came to the Czech Republic in 2016 compared to previous year. A decrease of guests from Russia or Japan (by 15.0%; a drop by 19 thousand guests) was compensated by higher occupancy of guests from not only neighboring countries. Germans increased their number by 6.4% (by 113 thousand) y-o-y. The number of Slovaks went up by 11.7% and guests from Poland by 12.1%. Higher demand continued also as for guests from Asia is concerned, i.e. from China, South Korea and Thai-Wan or from middle-east Israel.