With Covid out of the picture, the business MICE regained height at Prague in 2023. The reopening of air services to the United States, Asia and the Middle East have all contributed to the good attendance at conferences and major international congresses, with the Czech capital also benefiting from the good performance of its main markets. These were Germany, the UK, the USA and the Middle East. France and Italy neck and neck for 4th and 5th places.
As a result, Prague has risen to fifth place in both Europe and the world for 2023 ranking of the International Congress and Convention Association (CICA) on the basis of 129 international congresses hosted. However, this figure is still down on 2019, a record year with 138 international congresses, when the city was only ranked ninth. In addition, a series of seminars and conferences were held in the second half of 2023 in connection with the Presidency of the European Union held by the country.
More than enough to satisfy the city's active events calendar. " With around thirty events bringing together between 20 and 550 people, 2023 was a very good year. However, demand has slowed since the conflict in Middle East" says Bertrand Caillard, CEO of Meeting EC. The impact of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022" . As elsewhere, these professionals note late bookings corporate meetings, particularly for smaller groups whose travel is easy to organise.
Another positive point: the seasonality of corporate meetings is tending to lengthen with a particularly busy February and events running until mid-July and picking up again at the end of August. With its 44,000 roomsFranz Kafka's hometown has considerable hotel capacity, especially as the city has not yet fully recovered to its pre-crisis levels of tourist numbers. 5.45 million tourists by 2023 (78% from international visitors), an increase of 28% compared with 2022, compared with 6.8 million visitors in 2019. The Asian, Indian and, of course, Russian markets are all missing out.
Historic venues for exceptional events
" Prague remains on the list of popular destinations for companies that have already stepped up their operations in Lisbon, Barcelona and Madrid. Madrid. The town benefits from its accessibility with its central position in Europe, its affordable rates despite local inflation, and its ease of organisation and hotel capacity, particularly for major events" confirms Bertrand Caillard. The city's easy access on foot or by public transport and its fine 4 and 5-star addresses also play a major role in the choice of companies, in addition to the city's rich history, with several Baroque palaces available for private hire. The splendid French embassy and, above all Lobkowicz Palace located within the Prague Castle. Surrounded by an incredible family collection of objets d'art, the restaurant offers 11 rooms, including a magnificent Imperial Room (180 people for dinner, 300 for theatre and 350 for cocktails), with a breathtaking view over the rooftops of the picturesque Mala Strana district.
La Municipal Houseone of the emblems of the city of a hundred spires, is also very popular with DMCs because of its flamboyant Viennese Secession-style architecture and its mosaics and frescoes by Adolf Mucha. Inaugurated in 1911, the building boasts a number of restaurants with Art Nouveau chandeliers (for up to 350 diners or 500 people for cocktails in the most prestigious), meeting rooms (for up to 250 people), an elegant American bar hidden in its bowels and a large Smetana concert hall that can be used for conferences, dinners (700 people) or receptions (for 1,000 guests). Not forgetting its terrace, from which the birth of the Czechoslovak Republic was declared in October 1918 (available for cocktails for 50 people).
First complete exercises for the O2 Universum
Among the event venues, theO2 Universum has become one of the trump cards of Prague's MICE scene. Opened during the pandemic in the north-east of the city (10 minutes away by underground), this convention centre houses 3 exhibition halls (each able to accommodate a thousand conference delegates), a multi-purpose hall seating up to 4,500 people and up to 38 modular rooms of varying sizes. This modern complex is in particularly high demand, and has already been booked for trade fairs and conferences until 2027. It is also adjacent to the O2 Arena, a huge circular hall opened in 2004, which can hold up to 15,000 people for corporate events and 20,000 spectators for major sporting (ice hockey, boxing, etc.) and musical events.
This duo benefits from the adjoining presence of the Stages Hotel, a 4* establishment affiliated to the Marriott group's Tribute Portfolio brand, with 300 rooms decorated in a very pure design with a sports and music theme, a nod to the O2 Arena. Circular in shape, supposedly evoking a vinyl record, the hotel boasts 670 m2 of event space divided into 7 rooms, the largest of which can accommodate 150 participants. The 27 spacious suites are regularly used as sub-committee rooms.
A renaissance for the Exhibition Centre
Aure is a large meeting place located to the north of the town, on the edge of a wooded park, Na Vystaviste Prahathe Prague Exhibition CentreIts architectural pavilions span a wide range of eras, from the mid-19th century to the present day, from the exuberance of the 1900s to the brutalism of the Communist period. For some years now, the site has been undergoing extensive restoration. Visit Spiral theatre is due to reopen its doors in September after 20 years of closure following a flood in the Vltava river that almost led to its demolition. Comprising an astonishing cylinder of bricks "Nova Spirala houses a futuristic 360° revolving and rising central stage, surrounded by 800 seats spread over its different levels. The theatre will have a second, smaller (200 people), classical-sized auditorium in a former rehearsal hall.
However, you'll have to wait until 2026 to admire the rebirth of its jewel, the Palais de l'Industrie dating from 1891. Covered in scaffolding, this magnificent Art Nouveau building is undergoing a complete renovation, an opportunity to remove the scars of the fire that ravaged its left wing in 2008. " Prague is banking heavily on the reopening of the Exhibition Centre and its facilities, which will enable it to host even bigger events." underlines Lenka Zlbkova, CEO of the Prague Congress Centre. Its renovation will mark the return of one of the capital's finest event venues, with its 10,000 m² of exhibition space able to accommodate between 7,000 and 10,000 delegates and up to 2,000 people for gala dinners in each wing.
In the meantime, repairs to the 4 Krijik pavilions have already been completed. with the advantage of being able to host several events simultaneously" says Linda Antony, Communications Manager at Na Vystatviste. Equipped with huge LED screens, the largest module, with a surface area of 1800 m², can accommodate a thousand participants in conference format. At its centre, an immense outdoor fountain has been dancing its luminous jets of water since 1991, when it was inaugurated to mark the hundredth anniversary of the venue. Surrounded by bleachers, it is used in summer for cultural events, as well as MICE events, thanks to the installation of a stage covering all or part of the pool. Renovation is also planned.
A historic building also dating from 1891, the Bohemia Pavilion was restored to its former glory in 2022. Its delicate neoclassical façade with high bay windows houses a light-filled room on the ground floor (100 people for plenary sessions and 150 for cocktails) and two meeting rooms upstairs (30 people each). Its vast terrace provides a pleasant extension in fine weather. In terms of accessibility, the Parc des Expositions will benefit by 2030 from the opening of one of the stations on the railway line under construction which will link Prague to Vaclav Havel airport.
The Palais des Congrès aims to boost its appeal
Located to the south of the old town, the Palais des congrès is one of the largest buildings in the Czech capital. The complex, which was inaugurated in 1981 as a venue for the sessions of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, has also been completely refurbished, and can hold a total of 9,300 people in its 50 rooms (20 of which are large) and its 2,764-seat auditorium. However, four of the halls have been preserved in their original state, as have a host of works created by Czechoslovak artists at the time.
With around forty international congresses and 250 seminars scheduled for 2023, the congress centre benefits from its excellent accessibility via Vysehrad metro station and the proximity of 3,000 hotel roomsincluding a Holiday Inn and a Corinthia. This capacity should eventually be increased to 4,500 rooms, as the municipality is working to establish additional 4 and 5-star hotels in the area. A project to extend the building and redesign its exterior spaces by installing an open-air sculpture museum is also under consideration.
" The city wants to make the congress centre even more attractive and turn it into a place where congress delegates and the people of Prague can meet and exchange ideas, particularly on a cultural level." says Lenka Zlebkova. We want to coordinate the development of MICE in Prague, using the two facilities owned by the city, the congress centre and the exhibition centre, the Viparis model in Paris to offer a wider and more varied choice of spaces, and to meet customers' expectations as closely as possible" .
She goes on to highlight the benefits that can be offered, such as free public transport for association conferences: " Prague is in the top 5 in this segment, and our ambition is to break into the top three." . In addition to its advisory services, the Prague Convention Bureau can provide financial assistance for hosting congresses based on thresholds: less than 300 people, 300 to 700 participants, and above. " There is obviously a desire not to compete with the private sector.However, Roman Muska, Managing Director of the Prague Convention Bureau. A strategy has been defined with target sectors to work on for conferences, such as AI, robotics, bio and nanotechnologies, in collaboration with the most innovative universities, laboratories and companies." .
The hotel industry is still in turmoil
At the same time, Prague is experiencing a great deal of activity in the hotel sectorwith international chains continuing to set up shop there. The latest announcement was made by Accor which plans to inaugurate in 2027 a Sofitel Legend - the second only in Europe after The Grand in Amsterdam - by moving into the 17th-century building that once housed The Mozart hotel. For its part, after years of delay, the Marriott should soon be celebrating the opening of a hotel W behind the iconic Art Nouveau façade of the Grand Hotel Europa overlooking Wenceslas Square. The establishment will have 161 rooms and 3 meeting rooms (for 10 to 55 people).
Already a major presence in the capital, the American hotel group is also benefiting from the recent renovation and extension of Marriott Prague, its flagship hotel at the gateway to the old town, which has increased its capacity to 416 rooms and suites. With its contemporary decor, this 4-star hotel boasts 2,000 m² of event space on the mezzanine floor, with 14 modular meeting rooms. The two largest, the Bohème and Moravie rooms (for up to 350 people in a theatre, each of which can be divided into 3), can accommodate two companies at the same time. The establishment also relies on the organic and responsible cuisine offered by its chef David Rejhon to set it apart from competing hotels.
And first of all Hilton Old Town You only have to cross the street to appreciate its chic and intimate Art Deco decor. Recognisable by the large stained glass window covering part of its façade, this 303-room hotel, renovated in 2018, has 11 rooms located on the 1st floor, including the Dvorak space (240 people for conferences) and a ballroom that can be divided into 3 (240 people for banquets and 340 for the theatre) surrounded by a vast foyer for breaks and cocktails.
But the channel's flagship for events remains the Hilton Prague which, as well as being a high-capacity hotel with 791 rooms, devotes no less than 3 floors - or 5,000 m² - to Mice. It has 38 meeting rooms, a congress hall for 1,350 participants in theatre format and a ballroom for 650 seated guests. Completely refurbished, the venue known for its huge covered atrium - which can be used by companies for evening events accompanied by screenings - has returned to a brisk pace of activity with 500 events a yearfor groups of 10 to 2,000 people. And to round off the day in style, its rooftop Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge can be reserved for up to 250 guests, who can enjoy the view over the illuminated capital.
" Hilton Old Town aims to bring a more local and upmarket experience to the destinationcompares Marketing Manager Marketa Sebkova. The sales teams of the two hotels work together to offer complementary rooms or meeting spaces for major events. Hilton can also provide catering throughout the capital, such as at the Maison municipale, to offer high-quality food and drink at the various venues selected by the customer throughout their stay." .
Note that the Hilton Old Town and the Marriott Prague are located just a few steps away. Masarycka, a brand new business centre designed by the British firm Zaha Hadid Achitects, the new beacon of the city with its changing colours at night. Its 9 floors now house offices, shops, cafés and bars-restaurants, all close to the Masaryk stationa little jewel dating back to 1845, which will by 2030 linked in 30 minutes to theVaclav Havel International Airport.
Hyatt plays the Andaz card
For Hyattthe high point was the opening of the hotel Andaz5* slid into the walls of the old building Sugar Palacein the heart of the historic centre. Its neoclassical façade with its imposing sculptures contrasts with the colourful, designer and resolutely arty décor of the public areas and its 176 rooms and suites. The winks and originality of the furnishings throughout this fashionable address are surprising. As far as events are concerned, the hotel has a room on the ground floor that can be divided into 3 (for up to 100 people), two historic rooms on the first floor with delicate wood panelling linked by a fireplace with a contemporary look (40 and 60 people for meetings and 100 for cocktails in the row of 3 spaces), and a presidential suite, an atypical space for receptions.
Inaugurated opposite in 2022 in an equally old building, The JuliusThe Andaz, a 5* hotel with 168 keys, also plays on a lifestyle atmosphere. Unlike the Andaz, the style here is zen and relaxing, favouring light tones and the use of blonde wood. The spacious Deluxe Suite and Studio are equipped with a kitchenette for longer stays. The Julius has 3 meeting rooms, the largest of which can accommodate from 12 to 80 people, and a coworking space that can accommodate 16 people for meetings and 20 for receptions.
L'Almanac X Alcron opened its doors in March 2023 after a complete renovation of this other historic Prague address, located since 1932 just a stone's throw from Wenceslas Square. While the new decor features contemporary Czech artists, the establishment has retained its original Art Deco features, in particular its grand white marble staircase. Taken over by an Austrian family with establishments in Vienna and Barcelona, the hotel has 204 rooms, 9 meeting rooms (for 10 to 150 people) and a restaurant popular with Prague locals for the dishes of its renowned local chef. Its Castle Suite with views of the castle and the city's sea of rooftops is the most fashionable.
Lastly, the centrepiece of the Boscolo portfolio until 2020, since transferred to the Minor Group and its NH Collectionthe hotel Prague Carlo IV remains a must-see 5* hotel in the Czech capital. You'll be amazed when you first enter the impressive listed neo-renaissance building dating from 1885, which was originally a bank and then a post office during the Communist era. Its vault, which has retained its heavy safe doors, is used for private events (up to 25 people). With its 152 warm, modern rooms divided equally between the historic part and a contemporary wing, the hotel offers 5 MICE rooms (including 2 for around 100 people), a ballroom (220 people in a theatre and 150 for dinner) and two suites that can be used for sub-committees. There is also a pleasant paved courtyard for outdoor receptions.
Become an unbeatable beer waiter with the Pilsner Urquell Experience
It is also within the Art Deco walls of a former bank located a stone's throw from Wenceslas Square that the famous Czech brewer Pilsner opened a museum in May 2023 dedicated to its history, which began in 1842, and to the history of beer through the ages. The tour, with audio guides (8 languages including French), ends at the top of the building with lunch or a tasting session in a tavern-style restaurant, or in one of the private rooms where you can take part in the Tapster Academy and learn - in English - how to draw a Czech beer the right way. This is an original incentive activity for small groups of 15 to 40 people (although the entire floor or museum can be hired out in the evening for up to 350 people), with everyone leaving with a certificate and a bottle of beer to their name.
As a result of its investments in the modernisation of major exhibition venues, and the opening and renovation of 4 and 5* hotels, the Group is now in a position to offer its customers a wide range of products and services, Prague is banking more than ever on business tourism to develop its tourist economy. The advantage for the capital is twofold: this clientele spends more than leisure tourists, without causing overtourism in the city's most popular districts. In addition, more and more out-of-town venues are being offered, such as the Kasarna KarlinThe city has also preserved its 19th-century industrial heritage. Prague is constantly renewing its offer to keep up with other European capitals and continue to attract conferences, seminars, meetings and incentives. It's true that you quickly fall under the spell of this warm and welcoming Eastern European capital, which can be explored and enjoyed at any time of year.
