Prague City Tourism plans a year of events to mark its 65th anniversary

This year, Prague City Tourism will celebrate 65 years since it was established with a year-long celebration, which culminates in the fall. The celebration includes discounted admission, themed historical rides on tram No. 42, retro walks, special souvenirs, and an exhibition.

The organization was originally known as the Prague Information Service, and its scope of services was initially rather limited. In recent years it has undergone a major transformation to become more than just an information service for tourists and residents. It now also tries to improve the quality of life for people in the city and also cultivate public spaces.

“This year we are expecting big celebrations for the anniversary of our organization. Personally, I am very proud of the form Prague City Tourism has today and the offer we are able to bring to the people of Prague and visitors from all over the world,” František Cipro, board chairman of Prague City Tourism, said.

The celebrations will begin on Feb. 11 with a discounted entrance fee to the Old Town Hall for CZK 65. Also on every weekend from Feb. 11 until Easter (April 9) people can take a guided tour of the towers managed by Prague City Tourism for CZK 65.

These include the Old Town Hall Tower, the Petřín Tower and Mirror Maze, the Powder Tower at náměstí Republiky, the Malostranská and the Old Town towers of Charles Bridge, the St. Nicholas Town Bell Tower in Malá Strana, and the New Mill Water Tower.

The towers offer spectacular views of the city, allowing people to see landmarks in the historical center as well as the distinctive tile roofs of old buildings, and all the way to the outer neighborhoods.

From April, Prague City Tourism is planning retro walks around Prague featuring people in period clothing. The company will also stage an exhibition about its history up to current times. It will be based on stories from people who have worked and performed for the city since the mid-1960s.

In the spring, the people of Prague can look forward to thematic rides on historical tram No. 42. The first will take place on May 27 on the anniversary of the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich by Czechoslovak paratroopers, which took place in 1942.

The year-long annual event culminates in the fall with events that Prague City Tourism is keeping secret for the time being.

While tourism in Prague was impacted heavily by Covid restrictions, it has now started to return to normal. Tourism numbers were up to 80 percent of their pre-Covid levels in the summer of 2022. The mix of tourists, though, has changed with an increase in domestic tourism and a drop in foreign guests.

Prague City Tourism has transformed over the past two years, starting with its legal structure. The former contributory organization is now a joint-stock company of the city and is Prague’s officially certified organization for destination management.

“We focus all our activities on ensuring that tourism has as few negative impacts as possible for the people of Prague. This is also the reason why we are changing the image of the city,” Jana Adamcová, vice president of the board of Prague City Tourism, said.

“With our marketing activities, we are aiming at cultured travelers who do not come to Prague to get drunk cheaply but are interested in history, monuments, cuisine, and local culture. Data confirms that we are succeeding,” she said.

Prague City Tourism has launched an ongoing campaign called “Enjoy Respect Prague” to educate tourists about the rules and culture of behavior in the historic center.

“We draw attention, for example, to the observance of nighttime silence or reserved parking for shared scooters," she said.

The campaign asks people to “treat the Mother of Cities as you would your own mum” and has specific reminders and tips such as not damaging monuments with graffiti, observing noise rules, and using licensed guides.

Prague City Tourism was established on Jan. 1, 1958, as the Prague Information Service to provide a comprehensive information service to Prague citizens. Later, it created overviews of cultural events and guide services. It also operated a “clipping service” to archive newspaper articles and other important information about the city.

In 2018, the company changed its name to Prague City Tourism, and two years later it became a joint-stock company. From January 2021, it took over the administration of most of Prague’s towers.