Combining film and tourism will boost the promotion of the Czech Republic
The joint memorandum combines CzechTourism’s expertise in promoting the Czech Republic as a destination with the specialist resources of the Czech Film Commission. The main mission of this department of the State Audiovisual Fund is to promote the Czech Republic as an attractive country for foreign film shoots, digital production and animation. The Czech Film Commission also connects filmmakers with regional partners and provides information on filming opportunities. Both institutions aim to make better use of the power of film in building the Czech Republic’s brand, developing tourism and supporting the domestic audiovisual industry.
“A successful film or series can showcase the Czech Republic in a way that feels natural and authentic. When viewers are captivated by a location on the big screen or television, they often want to see it for themselves. That is precisely why we want to harness the power of film stories much more systematically and show that, alongside well-known tourist icons, our country also offers a range of exceptional locations across the regions,” says František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourism Authority – CzechTourism, adding:“The benefits of film productions do not end with the final take. Every film shot in the Czech Republic generates work and contracts for a range of related sectors even during production. By linking support for the audiovisual industry with destination promotion, we can transform these benefits even more effectively into long-term tourism development, support for the regions and opportunities for local businesses.”
Veronika Slámová, Director of the State Audiovisual Fund, adds: “Every foreign film or series shot in the Czech Republic represents a significant investment in the Czech economy. It creates jobs for domestic film professionals, contributes to the development of businesses and regions, and at the same time showcases the beauty and tourist appeal of our cities, countryside, natural landscapes and monuments to millions of viewers around the world. Through our partnership with CzechTourism, we aim to link support for the audiovisual industry even more effectively with the development of tourism and to harness the power of film as a tool for the long-term promotion of the Czech Republic.
In practice, the collaboration will focus on jointly promoting the Czech Republic as an attractive destination for film tourism, sharing information about the activities of both organisations, and news from the audiovisual industry and film tourism. The Czech Film Commission works with a network of regional film offices, which will have the opportunity to participate in joint projects. Another key element will be the creation of themed content and awareness-raising initiatives to help boost awareness of travel inspired by films and TV series. Successful films can, in fact, raise the profile of even lesser-known locations and attract new visitors to them, both from home and abroad.
Films and TV series inspire travel
Films and TV series are now one of the major drivers of travel. This is confirmed by data from the CzechTourism agency from 2024, according to which almost half of domestic tourists visited a location where a film, fairy tale or TV series was filmed. Most frequently, they headed for castles and châteaux such as Hluboká nad Vltavou, Bouzov, Červená Lhota and Karlštejn, as well as the towns of Český Krumlov and Prague, particularly their historic centres.
International analyses also confirm the growing importance of film tourism. According to this year’s Screen Tourism Forecast Index, the Czech Republic ranks among the world’s top ten destinations with the greatest potential to attract visitors thanks to new films and TV series. One reason for this is the anticipated release of the series Blade Runner 2099, which was also filmed at locations across the country. This confirms that successful film and TV series productions can significantly boost awareness of a destination and tourists’ interest in visiting it.
The Czech Republic has been appearing on cinema screens and television screens around the world for many years. Thanks to its diverse landscape, historic backdrops, modern infrastructure and experienced film professionals, domestic locations are regularly chosen by major international productions. Films and TV series are shot here for platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV, Disney and others. The highest concentration of international projects is traditionally centred on Prague, which offers a combination of world-renowned studios, historic settings and contemporary architecture. In the regions, castles and châteaux are among the most sought-after filming locations. The most frequently used include Křivoklát, Dobříš, Kačina, Kroměříž, Bouzov, Plasy and others. Historic town centres such as Liberec, Žatec and Kutná Hora are also popular locations. Production companies also seek out former military sites in Milovice and Ralsko, or natural scenery such as Jevany or the Velká Amerika quarry. It is precisely this extraordinary diversity of locations suitable for filming that is one of the main reasons why the Czech Republic has long been ranked among the most sought-after film destinations in Europe.
A whole host of major Hollywood productions have been filmed here. Among the older ones are the Bond film Casino Royale, two instalments of the fantasy trilogy The Chronicles of Narnia, two films from the spy series Mission: Impossible, Van Helsing and the Oscar-winning film La Vie en Rose. More recent examples include the action thriller The Gray Man starring Ryan Gosling, Spider-Man: Far From Home – filmed on Prague’s Charles Bridge and in Liberec – and Rescue 2, which was moved from Australia to the Czech Republic due to pandemic restrictions. The makers of the horror film Nosferatu (Pernštejn Castle) and the Oscar-winning drama All Quiet on the Western Front (Milovice) also found their filming locations here.
Also worth mentioning are Bollywood films, full of spectacular musical scenes and emotive shots. The magic of these scenes resonated with Indian audiences for a long time after they watched Bollywood blockbusters such as Superstar, Jab Harry Met Sejal and Bang Bang, and helped to boost interest in the Czech Republic in the Indian market. Korean filmmakers have also taken a liking to the Czech Republic – for example, the series The Remarried Empress was filmed last year in locations including Kutná Hora, Hrádek u Nechanic, the Flower Garden in Kroměříž and Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou Castle.
International filmmakers’ interest in filming in the Czech Republic shows no sign of waning, and from 2025 this will be further bolstered by an increase in film incentives to 25 per cent, or 35 per cent (for animation and digital production). This year, Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese filmed scenes in the Czech Republic for his new film What Happens at Night, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen and Patricia Clarkson in the lead roles. The crew filmed at locations in Prague, Úštěk, Ratboř Castle and Žatec. In 2025, the Czech Republic was also chosen by the creators of the series The Age of Innocence, Foundation, Ride or Die and the sequel to the loose series inspired by the famous video game Resident Evil. These projects confirm that the Czech Republic is one of Europe’s most sought-after film destinations. As well as unique locations, it also offers state-of-the-art technical facilities, experienced film professionals and high-quality production services. And every such film shoot brings immediate economic benefits whilst also representing a long-term investment in promoting the country.
Film tourism in figures
- In 2024, a total of 48 per cent of tourists in the Czech Republic visited a location where a film, fairy tale or TV series had been filmed, whilst 9 per cent specifically sought out these locations.
- Up to 60 per cent of film production expenditure goes outside the audiovisual industry itself – into transport, construction, the clothing industry, crafts, hotels, catering and other services.
- In 2025, dozens of international film and television projects were filmed in the Czech Republic, including, for example, the series Foundation, The Age of Innocence and Ride or Die.
- Martin Scorsese’s new film What Happens at Night, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, was shot at several locations across the Czech Republic this year.
- Among the best-known foreign films shot in the Czech Republic are All Quiet on the Western Front (4 Oscars, plus 4 nominations for Czech filmmakers), Jojo Rabbit (an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and a nomination for Nora Sopková for Best Production Design), Casino Royale, Mission: Impossible, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Gray Man, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Nosferatu (an Oscar nomination for Beata Brentnerová for Best Production Design).
- Czech locations also feature in the Bollywood films Superstar, Jab Harry Met Sejal and Bang Bang, which have significantly contributed to raising the profile of the Czech Republic in the Indian market.
- Among the locations most frequently visited by domestic tourists are castles and châteaux such as Hluboká nad Vltavou, Bouzov, Červená Lhota and Karlštejn, as well as the towns of Český Krumlov and Prague, particularly their historic centres.
Source: czechtourism.cz