By Suman Tarafdar

If the very name – or former name – of the country implies a fun, artsy vibe, can the country be any different? Fortunately, the Czech Republic, of which Bohemia makes up a greater part, is still a major draw for tourists, and not just due to the name! Situated at almost the centre of Europe, it is blessed with natural and cultural riches – from imposing forts to magical castles (including Cinderella’s supposed home), rolling mountains home to skiing resorts, cycling tours, wine and beer trails, historic towns, vast national parks, famous waterfalls, spa towns and more. Major tourism draws include not just the capital Prague, but also Český Krumlov, Brno and Karlovy Vary.

For perspective, the Czech Republic, or Czechia, is about the size of Assam or Jharkhand (about 2.4 per cent of India’s area) and has a population that is less than one percent of India’s, though with a per capita GDP that is about 20 times more than India’s. 

Looking ahead

“Tourism in Czech Republic has already begun to revive", says Marek Kroutil, International Marketing Manager, Czech Tourism. “We see a lot of wonderful ‘workcations’, a new normal we can get behind. Travellers prefer to be surrounded by nature, landscape of forests and fishponds with beautiful countryside and rural farms. We have also seen a rise in outdoor activities, tourists can cycle along 40,000 km of unforgettable Czech trails.”  

In 2019, Czechia received 98,012 Indian arrivals. “We have been seeing a Y-o-Y growth from India in the last few years,” points out Kroutil. “In general, the drop of the tourism industry in the number of tourists was around 90 per cent, which is closely connected with the drop of revenues.” Numbers from India last year echo the trends.