The management of Prague wants to increase the tourist fee for accommodation from the current 21 to 50 crowns per day. The reason is the increase in the city’s income, which is lower than the expenses associated with tourism. The city therefore approved a memorandum with its company Prague City Tourims (PCT) and the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Czech Republic, according to which a proposal to introduce a new price will be created by March 2022. This follows from the material approved by Prague councilors on Monday. The current amount of the fee applies from 1 January 2020. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the municipality forgave the fee last year. Tourism is one of the most affected sectors.

“Expenditures of the capital city of Prague in the field of tourism have long significantly exceeded revenues in this area. PCT, in cooperation with the capital city, is trying to find ways to alleviate this existing imbalance,” the document said. The city subsidizes tourists, for example, by public transport, because tickets do not cover costs.

An increase in the rate would bring additional income from tourism to the city coffers, which, according to the document, could be used to support and cultivate tourism. The law allows Prague to increase the fee to 50 crowns.

Compared to other European cities, the fee in Prague is at a significantly lower level. The mentioned 21 crowns represents about 0.81 euros. According to the document, for example, in Barcelona it is 1.1 euros, in Vienna 2.11 euros, in Budapest 3.2 euros. More than six euros will be paid by tourists in Rome, and in Copenhagen even 19.04 euros.

Some Czech cities such as Karlovy Vary, Český Krumlov, Františkovy Lázně or Lipno nad Vltavou have already decided to increase the fee to CZK 50. Above the level of CZK 21, there are also fees for Ústí nad Labem, Lednice, Špindlerův Mlýn and Luhačovice.

In 2019, approximately 344 million crowns went to the city treasury on accommodation fees. Last year, her city forgave her for a coronavirus pandemic.