In the first three quarters of 2018, 17 million tourists booked a stay in the Czech Republic. Overall, the number of both local and foreign tourists has been rising constantly. More and more tourists are also arriving from East Asia, in particular China.
In the 2018 Global Peace Index (GPI), compiled by the British Institute for Economics and Peace, the Czech Republic ranked seventh out of 163 countries, among the most peaceful worldwide.
Tourists visiting the Czech Republic are increasingly satisfied with quality of services, which used to be an issue, and more say they would like to visit again, said Dostálová. She thinks the current situation may change once it improves elsewhere, especially in the Mediterranean. Additionally, tourism in the Czech Republic could be affected by an economic slowdown or recession. Therefore, it is important to support local tourism and services, Dostálová added.
According to Dostálová, cheaper fares for students and pensioners introduced by the government, and EET (electronic evidence of sales) last year helped domestic tourism as well. The problem is, on the other hand, a lack of qualified labor in gastronomy and the hospitality industry, said Jana Vildumetzová, the Chairperson of the Czech Association of Regions.
