Nearly 18,000 companies have halted operations in the Czech Republic’s Karlovy Vary region over the past six years amid a decline in the flow of Russian tourists. This became known from the data of the country’s statistical office.
According to the information, since the beginning of the sharp decline in the number of tourists coming from Russia, 17,872 companies have closed their doors in the region. Media previously reported that the number of Russian visitors to local resorts decreased by approximately 93 percent compared to 2020, and for this reason some sanatoriums were closed or their operating method was changed.
If in 2019 more than 83 thousand Russians visited the resorts of the Karlovy Vary region, in 2020 their number decreased to 18.8 thousand, and in 2025 it amounted to 6,355 people. This was the lowest number in the past three years.
The peak of business closures occurred in 2023, then 8,853 economic entities ceased their activities. During this period, the influx of Russian tourists coincided with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, Karlovy Vary Mayor Andrea Fever-Verklová described Russians as the main clients of local resorts, according to reports. RIA Novosti.
In 2025, EU countries issued more than 620 thousand visas to Russian citizens, which is 10.2 percent more than in 2024. This is what Euractiv reported with reference to the analyzed materials.