Mountain Resorts Gear Up for the Upcoming Season, Ready to Advocate for Their Needs!
Summer Season in the Mountains is a Success
The visitor numbers to the Czech mountains in summer 2025 were nearly identical to last year’s figures, which is impressive considering the rainy July. The difference in visitor distribution across individual resorts was minimal, with a variation of just +/- 15%. Czechs have affirmed their status as a “nation of cyclists,” with 50–85% of cyclists being transported via cable cars at mountain resorts catering to cyclists in the summer.
Investments in Comfort: New Cableways and Enhanced Snowmaking
Domestic mountain resorts are set to invest over CZK 850 million in modernization and improvements for the 2025/26 winter season. Key investments will focus on enhancing visitor comfort, including two new ropeways at Tanvaldský Špičák and the Karolinka Ski Resort in the Beskydy Mountains, connecting and improving ski slopes, and upgrading visitor services (like ski rentals and catering). As in previous years, a significant portion of budget will go towards technical snowmaking, ensuring efficient and faster snow coverage for ski areas.
Ski Pass Prices for the 2025-26 season in Czechia are largely similar to last year’s prices, with only slight increases in some areas. About one-third of resorts kept their prices stable, while others raised rates by a modest 3-4%. The overall nationwide hike is forecast at around 2-3%, aligning with last year’s inflation.
Many Czech ski resorts implement minimum and maximum pricing strategies, allowing discounts of 20-30% for online purchases. Buying early from home not only saves time and money for visitors but also helps operators manage the flow of skiers on the slopes better. Resorts are enhancing their e-shops for ski passes and introducing automated kiosks for mobile code redemption, as family packages continue to gain popularity.
In the Alps, skiing costs have increased this year by 4%. To give context, a skier in the Czech Republic spends an average of CZK 750-1000 (EUR 30-40) for a daily lift pass, compared to around EUR 60 at an average Alpine resort and nearly EUR 80 in a premium one.
* Data sourced from published ski pass prices for the 2025/26 season, comparing with the last season across N=25 medium and large ski resorts.
** Data sourced from ski pass prices across N=31 medium and large ski resorts in France, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.
Explore Holidayinfo.cz and CzechTourism for Updates
Visitors can find current information about the Czech mountains on the holidayinfo.cz portal, which includes live webcam feeds from ski resorts. Additional news can be accessed on kudyznudy.cz, a prominent tourist portal managed by the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism.
“The Czech Mountains are an excellent choice for a winter holiday, offering a unique atmosphere. The winter season now encompasses more than just skiing, with more people seeking wellness, active relaxation, or romantic getaways in the mountains. This year, we are promoting the domestic mountains via the Unexpected Wellbeing campaign on Eurosport to inspire visitors from across Europe to explore winter in the Czech Republic. From November 3 to December 3, 2025, Eurosport 1 and 2 will air 210 advertisements, reaching 51 European markets and over 23 million views,” shares František Reismüller, Director of CzechTourism. “For detailed information regarding the Czech mountains, snow news, and tips for winter activities, visit our portal at Kudy z nudy. International visitors can check our website at VisitCzechia.com. I believe this winter will bring many wonderful experiences, both on and off the slopes. There are numerous beautiful locations in Czechia where you can indulge in winter activities.”
Understanding Skiers in Czechia
The AHS conducted two comprehensive surveys among the general Czech population aged 15 to 70 and active skiers aged 15 to 55. Excluding children under 15, it was discovered that 44% of the Czech population1)2) are skiers from diverse socio-demographic backgrounds. Furthermore, nearly one-third of the Czech population within this age group are currently active skiers (30%).
A striking 94% of Czech skiers learned this sport domestically, with 82% expressing a desire to either maintain or increase their skiing activity in the coming years.3)
*** The term “skier” in this report refers to “individuals who engage in downhill skiing and/or snowboarding.”
School Training Courses (STCs) Continue to Thrive!
The participation of elementary and junior high school students in ski training courses has shown a gradual increase. For instance, Grade 7 primary school pupils numbered 82,533 in the 2005/2006 school year, whereas this figure rose to 109,281 in the 2023-2024 school year. While the proportion of students participating has remained relatively stable, there are still barriers to greater involvement, chiefly due to financial constraints, lack of interest, and health issues.4) Measures to enhance these courses are crucial, as an overwhelming 86% of both skiers and non-skiers believe today’s youth should learn to ski or snowboard.1)2)
Seven Reasons Why Czech Mountain Resorts Are Vital
1. Job Creation
Up to 25% of the local population in mountain villages work in tourism, totaling around 45,000 jobs across Czechia.5)
2. Economic Engine for Mountain Regions
Every 1 CZK spent in a ski resort generates an additional 7 CZK in downstream services. Mountain tourism contributes 13 billion CZK annually to public budgets.5)
3. Enhancing Infrastructure and Quality of Life
The presence of mountain resorts drives visitation, promotes entrepreneurship, and improves transportation and services. This infrastructure boosts life quality in these areas, helping to prevent depopulation.
4. Accessibility to Sports and Recreation
This allows people from all regions to enjoy outdoor activities, improving physical and mental health. Skiing ranks among the top five sports in the Czech Republic, engaging almost 2.2 million individuals from all demographics.6)
5. Encouraging Sports Among Youth
Many children first experience skiing or snowboarding through courses, developing social skills in outdoor schools. The overall level of physical activity among the population is worsening, especially in children and youth, which has a negative economic impact.7)
6. Cultural and Community Vitality
Mountain resorts promote and sustain local cultural and community life. Annually, they attract around 11.9 million visitors, with approximately 4 million during winter.8)
7. Commitment to Sustainable Development
In the past decade, Czech mountain resorts have collectively invested around CZK 1.5 billion in sustainable technologies.9)
AHS: State Support for Tourism is Essential
Tourism plays a crucial role in economically developing mountain regions, often being the primary economic driver. It enhances investment effectiveness in sporting and cultural facilities, as well as revitalizing neglected areas. However, maintaining competitiveness remains a significant challenge for Czech tourism.
Compared to other countries, tourism and mountain resorts are often underserved by the Czech state. “In 2014 and 2018, KPMG experts identified key support areas for tourism’s contribution to Czech mountain regions. Over the last decade, AHS has continuously advocated these points with both executives and legislative bodies, but progress remains minimal,” remarks Libor Knot, AHS Director.
With a new Chamber of Deputies and a fresh government forming, the Association of Mountain Resorts has strengthened leadership and published an AHS Programme Statement detailing its engagement in varied agendas, from tourism functioning to regulatory processes.
What can the state do to ease operations for ski resorts and mountain regions?
- Streamline permitting processes for constructing infrastructure, like linear constructions or storage tanks, as approval is often stalled or blocked in Czechia.
- Improve land leasing conditions where the state manages rights—often hindering projects aimed at enhancing service quality due to short lease terms.
- Review business conditions: the 2023 consolidation package raised taxes and sales tax, complicating seasonal employment agreements.
- Foster rational communication by focusing on facts and contemporary, science-backed information instead of outdated rhetoric.
In many European nations, there are specialized banks with favorable terms for tourism ventures (state co-financing in Austria) and lower VAT rates for ski resorts (9.5–10% in France, Austria, Italy).5)
1) Skiers = individuals actively engaged in downhill skiing/snowboarding at least once every 3 years.
2) AHS Survey, 04/2025, gathered through web-based questionnaire (CAWI) by STEM/MARK agency, surveying N = 3008 from the Czech population aged 15-70; N = 1009 active skiers; N = 610 non-skiers.
3) AHS survey, 06/2024 through web questionnaire by STEM/MARK, sample size N=1009 aged 15-55 who practice skiing/snowboarding.
4) Analysis of trends and conditions for children’s skiing and school ski training courses, KROKEM, s.r.o., 10/2025.
5) Study on the impact of mountain resorts in Czech Republic, KPMG 2014, 2018.
6) International Report on Mountain Tourism 2023.
7) Economic Impact Study of Movement Activities – Deloitte/NSA 2025.
8) Analysis of Visitation to Mountain Resorts in Czech Republic 2014/2015, KPMG 2015.
9) Data from AHS statistics.
Further Information:
Libor Knot, AHS Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 603 157 817
About the Association of Mountain Resorts of the Czech Republic (AHS CR) Established in 2013, AHS CR unites cable car operators, representatives from 20 mountain towns and villages, suppliers of mountain equipment, and other organizations active in the mountain sector. It aims to maintain basic infrastructure in mountain communities, promote member interests in legislation, and improve data exchange and best practices based on international experiences. AHS ČR represents more than two-thirds of the Czech market in sales, and actively seeks collaboration with all stakeholders interested in developing the Czech mountains.
List of members of the Association of Mountain Resorts of the Czech Republic, z.s.
