Prague is recognised as one of Europe's architectural gems, with a generous offer of museums and galleries, covering its rich history, from the prehistoric origins to the modern day. The city ranked first as the top tourist destination for international trips within Eastern Europe by international arrivals in 2016. It also ranked among the top 30 cities in the world for arrivals. Prague’s most popular attractions include Prague Castle, Prague Zoo, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and Wenceslas Square.
As Czech Republic’s most important brand, Prague is rich with history, a vibrant present and bright future along with being an architectural gem. Prague’s tourist strategy is focusing on return visits, expanding the exploration of the city beyond the historic centre, and building on the “slow tourism” trend. One of the ways the city increased tourism was by teaming up with Berlin and Vienna in a regional partnership. The three cities collaborated on marketing activities carried in overseas markets, as well as joint presentations for travel agencies and the public.
The collaboration and Czech Republic focusing on return visitors helped because Prague is beating its records each year in travel-related areas and making it interesting for future travel operators’ investment. Their domestic trips have also benefited from a favourable economic performance, with rising incomes and low unemployment. In 2016, Prague reached the one million trips mark, accounting for 11% of all domestic trips in the Czech Republic. Airbnb has helped with tourists looking for a more “authentic” alternative to traditional hotels. In 2016, approximately 70% of the 12,000 listed offers on Airbnb in the Czech Republic were in the capital city. After years of strong growth, 2017 is expected to see a slowdown. Airbnb and other similar services are not regulated by the local authorities, but this may change.
The image of Prague being safe, stable, and affordable will continue to set it apart for many other Eastern Europe destinations. In an uncertain world, travel destinations with a safe and stable environment can only benefit. Adding its affordability, Prague has a strong position in travellers’ list of options.