Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia recorded strong increases, while tourism in Czechia and Hungary largely stabilised. Across the region, international visitors, mountain destinations and shorter, value-conscious trips shaped the season.

The 2026 summer tourism season brought generally positive results across Central Europe, although the pace of growth varied considerably between countries and destinations. Austria and Slovenia reported particularly strong performances, Slovakia continued to exceed pre-pandemic visitor levels, while Czechia and Hungary experienced a much flatter season.

The results broadly reflected the situation across the European Union. Tourist accommodation establishments in the EU recorded 1.32 billion overnight stays during the first half of 2026, an increase of 1.7% compared with the same period last year. Slovakia was among the fastest-growing EU destinations, with overnight stays rising by 5.9%. (Eurostat)

These figures should still be treated as a preliminary assessment. Complete statistics for August have not yet been released in several countries, and the available national data cover slightly different periods.

Austria heads towards another record

Austria delivered one of the strongest performances in the region. Between May and July, accommodation establishments recorded 41.87 million overnight stays, 3.2% more than during the same period of 2025. It was the highest result for the first half of an Austrian summer season since comparable records began in the 1970s.

July was especially successful. The country registered 19.46 million overnight stays, representing annual growth of 4.8%, while the number of arrivals increased by 9.3% to almost six million. International demand was the main growth driver: overnight stays by foreign visitors rose by 5.9%, compared with 1.7% among domestic tourists. Germany remained Austria’s most important source market, followed by the Netherlands, Czechia and Switzerland. (bmwet.gv.at)

The figures also illustrate the growing importance of Central European travel within the region. Between May and July, overnight stays in Austria by Czech visitors increased by 17.7%, those by Polish tourists by 11.2%, and those by Hungarians by 9.9%.

Slovenia benefits from mountains and international demand

Slovenia also enjoyed a very successful summer. Preliminary and experimental data indicate that the country received more than 2.2 million tourists in July and August, generating approximately 6.3 million overnight stays. Both indicators were around 7% higher than a year earlier.

Foreign travellers accounted for 83% of all overnight stays during the two main summer months. Germany, Czechia, the Netherlands, Italy and Poland together generated almost half of all international overnight stays. Particularly strong growth was reported among visitors from Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain and Serbia. (I feel Slovenia)

July alone brought 3.26 million overnight stays, an increase of 8.9%. Mountain resorts performed particularly well, recording almost 14% more nights than in July 2025. Campsites and private accommodation also grew more rapidly than traditional hotels, suggesting continued demand for outdoor tourism and more flexible forms of lodging. (stat.si)

Slovakia moves beyond pre-pandemic records

Slovakia entered the summer with strong momentum. In June, its accommodation establishments welcomed approximately 640,000 guests, 5.6% more than a year earlier and almost 5% above the previous June record from 2019.

During the first half of 2026, around three million tourists stayed in Slovak accommodation facilities. This represented annual growth of 8% and placed visitor numbers approximately 7% above the corresponding pre-pandemic level. Domestic travellers continued to account for almost two-thirds of guests, but international tourism grew more quickly. Czech and Polish visitors were especially important, representing 27% and 17% respectively of foreign guests in June. (susr.statistics.sk)

The Žilina and Prešov regions, including the country’s major mountain destinations, benefited strongly from domestic tourism, while Bratislava remained the leading destination for international visitors.

Czech growth levels off

The Czech tourism sector presented a more stable picture. In the second quarter of 2026, the country’s collective accommodation establishments welcomed 6.4 million guests, just 0.5% more than a year earlier. They generated 15.1 million overnight stays, an increase of only 0.3%.

Domestic arrivals grew by 0.9%, but the number of foreign guests stagnated for the first time since 2021. Hotels performed somewhat better, recording a 1.5% increase in guests, while campsites and other collective accommodation establishments experienced declines.

Prague received 2.2 million visitors during the quarter, but regional destinations produced mixed results. The Moravian-Silesian, Hradec Králové and Liberec regions recorded the strongest growth, whereas Karlovy Vary experienced the largest decrease. Germany remained Czechia’s most important international market, followed by Slovakia and Poland. (Rychlé informace)

Hungary records longer stays but fewer arrivals

Hungary’s July results were similarly subdued. Nearly 2.5 million visitors generated 6.7 million overnight stays. The number of guests decreased by 0.4%, although overnight stays increased slightly, by 0.3%.

The figures reveal an important change in travel behaviour. Domestic arrivals increased, but domestic overnight stays declined, indicating shorter holidays. Among international tourists, the opposite occurred: arrivals fell by 1.9%, while overnight stays rose by the same percentage. Hungary therefore received fewer foreign visitors, but those who came tended to remain longer.

Budapest outperformed the rest of the country, with overnight stays increasing by 4.5%. Outside the capital they fell by 1%, while the number of foreign guests visiting Lake Balaton declined by 5.2%. Despite the limited growth in visitor numbers, accommodation revenue rose by 5.8% in nominal terms. (ksh.gov.hu)

Poland’s Baltic coast and mountains share the market

Complete official Polish statistics for the summer are not yet available, but booking data provide an early indication of domestic travel patterns. According to Travelist, the Baltic coast and mountain destinations each accounted for 39% of holiday bookings made through the platform. Lakes represented another 10%, while city breaks accounted for 6%.

July and August were almost equally popular, although the week covering the mid-August public holiday generated 15% of all summer bookings. Travellers also reserved their holidays earlier than in 2025.

The average rate for two people in a three- to five-star hotel reached PLN 650 per night, 5% more than last summer. The Baltic coast remained the most expensive option at PLN 760, compared with PLN 610 in the mountains and PLN 480 in cities. These are platform-specific figures rather than totals for the entire Polish tourism market. (waszaturystyka.pl)

A strong season, but travellers remain cautious

Taken together, the results show a tourism market that is still expanding, but no longer growing equally everywhere. International demand supported Austria and Slovenia, mountain tourism performed strongly, and travel between neighbouring Central European countries became increasingly important. By contrast, Czechia and Hungary showed signs of market saturation and greater price sensitivity.

The season also confirmed that Europeans remain determined to travel despite higher costs and economic uncertainty. Before the summer, 81% of Europeans declared that they intended to take a trip between June and November. At the same time, affordability, safety and climate conditions played a growing role in destination choices. (ETC Corporate)

Central Europe appears well positioned to benefit from these changes. Its combination of historic cities, mountains, lakes, spas and relatively short travel distances allows visitors to choose between urban, cultural and nature-based holidays. The challenge for the region will be to translate growing visitor numbers into higher local revenue without overloading the most popular cities and natural attractions.