Croatia may soon lose crown as Czechia's most popular holiday destination

Croatia was the most popular holiday destination for Czechs last year – although the number of Czech visitors to the Balkan country is dwindling amid rapidly rising prices. So far this year, according to data from the Association of Czech Travel Agencies (AČCKA), Croatia doesn’t even make the top three most popular destinations.

Data from the Czech Statistical Office shows that Croatia was the most common holiday destination for Czechs last year, with 815,000 visits. This is, however, a drop from 846,000 trips to the coastal country last year.

Croatia's adoption of the euro in 2023 caused prices to jump by an average of about 10 percent before the summer, with prices edging even higher during the peak tourist season. Travel agencies say that the 2024 season will be the same, if not worse – Croatia currently has the highest inflation rate in the eurozone, and the Czech crown’s weaker exchange rate compared to last year is also bad news for those on a Czech salary.

Separate findings have revealed that prices for some accommodation services have gone up by up to 30 percent, and prices for fruits have risen by tens of percent.

AČCKA executive director Kateřina Chaloupková tells Czechia media outlet Novinky.cz that Turkey, Egypt, and Italy have risen in popularity for Czech travelers and are popular year-round. For example, the crown has strengthened against the Egyptian pound by 50 percent and the Turkish lira by 15 percent since March 2023 due to economic and political instability in both countries.

"A holiday to Egypt this year could be very advantageous for Czechs. Despite the expected summer inflation of around 20 percent, thanks to the favorable exchange rate, the holiday could be almost one-third cheaper than a year ago,” noted Purple Trading analyst Petr Lajsek last month.

Bulgaria and Hungary have also become more popular, as both countries are affordable to reach by bus, Chaloupková says. Spain and Greece have also in the past 12 months become much more popular for Czechs due to lower inflation levels and better value for money. 

According to travel agency data, Greece, Spain, and Turkey are the most frequently chosen destinations for Czechs so far this year. In 2023, the top three picks were Croatia, Slovakia, and Italy.