This price increase is less related to the fact that the Czech Republic joins the EU on May 1: the increase is much more due to the World Hockey Championship being held in Prague from April 24 to May 11. Already today, Czech hoteliers estimate a "bed place" in the capital at 30% more than usual - and that is in the best case. The most ruthless hotel owners demand double prices from tour operators. It is known that several new hotels are opening in Prague ahead of the world hockey event - but they will not save the situation: many domestic travel firms are confident that overbooking will occur as early as early to mid-March.
"Requests for May dates continue to arrive, despite the fact that we sold the entire quota of tickets for matches in early February," the director of the company Destination told IS 'Banko'. "Half of the guaranteed places in hotels have already been sold, and those that we take above the quota are being confirmed at prices one and a half times higher and above."
Until recently, Travel System Bohemia, whose main destination is the Czech Republic, also expected hotel price increases, but when they received rates for April-May from hotel administrations, they gasped. As the general director of the firm, Roman Khan, stated, the cost of a hotel place has increased three to four times. "As luck would have it," the head of Travel System added bitterly, "many international conferences and seminars are scheduled precisely for the period of the championship in Prague."