The Ice Hockey World Championship is returning to the Czech Republic after nine years, and with it also the traditional questions surrounding the venue itself and around the stadiums. If the fans decide to spend time right at the championship venue, it won’t be the cheapest thing either. Beer prices traditionally cause a stir, and they are noticing it even beyond the borders.
The World Hockey Championship will take place in Prague and Ostrava from May 10 to 26, and social networks are already criticizing the accompanying program and beer prices, which the locals are not used to even in the “tourist” center of Prague. Large tent “pubs” are to be built in the zones in Prague and Ostrava.
In Prague, there will be a Fan Zone with an area of 8,400 m2 with a capacity of less than 7,000 seats, in the Moravian-Silesian metropolis with a size of 7,000 m2 for 5,000 fans. Traditionally, matches will be broadcast on large screens every day in both places. Entry to both fan zones will then be free and it is not necessary to have tickets for the match itself.
Fans pay 110 crowns for a pint of Pilsner beer in both Fan zones. “The resulting amount came from a careful analysis by the organizing committee of similar high-level events in the country and abroad. The price is adequate for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship,” said Petr Bříza, president of the Prague IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship organizing committee.
At past hockey summits, fans paid an average of around five euros. Another beer will be available in the halls themselves, Staropramen in Prague for a price of 90 kroner and in Ostrava the traditional local brand Ostravar. Beer prices are also noticed in Slovakia, from where it is expected that the most foreign fans will arrive in Ostrava together with the Poles. The local media talk about the fact that the price of beer probably won’t please the fans too much. Payment can only be made by card. “Don’t forget your payment card, because the Official Fan Zones are so-called cashless, so you won’t be able to pay in cash,” warn the organizers of the championship.
The upcoming event has also traditionally raised accommodation prices dramatically. For the first weekend of the World Ice Hockey Championship, which lasts from May 10 to 26, hotels and other accommodation facilities in the visiting Prague are currently 86 percent booked. In the second host city – Ostrava – guests have so far occupied 75 percent of the capacity. Operators in the nearby area are also observing the increase in interest in accommodation. The state agency CzechTourism informed about this in a press release. According to her, higher sales are expected not only by accommodation facilities, but also by restaurants and other services. The agency estimates the total income from the championship at two billion crowns.
“According to our data based on the occupancy of mass accommodation facilities, the average price for a room during the first weekend of the championship is currently CZK 8,377 in Ostrava, and CZK 11,986 in the capital. Other events that take place simultaneously during this period also play a role in the number of reservations, but the ice hockey world championship is clearly the main driving force,” said Petr Janeček, head of the Tourism Institute of the CzechTourism agency. In a press release, the agency also drew attention to the fact that, in addition to fans, players, other members of hockey teams, referees or foreign journalists are looking for accommodation during the championship.
Tags: Beer hockey payment card upcoming World Cup awards causing stir
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