Prague is the second most attractive market in CEE for hotel operators with a presence or interest in the region. Its popularity is backed up by H1 2023 being a period of healthy recovery for Prague hotels which achieved the second highest (after Budapest) RevPAR (revenue per available room) among the region’s capitals. In this year’s first six months, it reached €69, which is an increase of 57 percent versus H1 2022, and already a 5 percent increase versus the pre-Covid H1 2019. This was primarily driven by the strong ADR (average daily rate) growth, which surpassed 2019 levels by over 20 percent. Hotel operators are optimistic about the industry’s outlook and keen to expand across the CEE region. However, 28 percent of planned hotel projects in the region are facing delays or put on hold, mainly due to the increased development costs, reports Cushman & Wakefield in the Hotel Operator Beat survey.

The Czech industrial property market grew by 269,100 sqm in H1 2023, reaching almost 11.3 million sqm. This is a year-on-year increase of more than 11%. Thus, despite higher interest rates, more complex financing, a slowing economy and fluctuations in industrial production, the local industrial property market continues to accelerate its growth: currently at its highest level in five years. This is also linked to a slight increase in vacancy rates and the stabilisation of rental prices according to findings in a recent survey by Colliers. 

Colliers has appointed new managers to lead its industrial and investment divisions in the Czech Republic. Miroslav Kotek has been promoted to head of the industrial real estate team while Omar Sattar has been brought in to head up the real estate investment team. The main aim of this step is to strengthen the potential of both business lines of the company, to respond to the demands of the market and better deal with the dynamics of anticipated future growth in each sector.

The volume of investment in the regional real estate market during H1 2023 was one of the lowest in Central & Eastern Europe. Poland accounted for most of the regional transaction volume at 42%, followed by the Czech Republic with 34%. Total transactions in the Czech Republic in H1 amounted to approximately €692 million, a 42% year-on-year decline and a 9% decrease compared to the same period in 2021. The retail sector saw growing demand, accounting for approximately 61% of transactions. In Q2 of this year, the volume of transactions in the Czech Republic reached €298 million, down 27% compared to the previous quarter, reports Colliers in the survey.

Two large railway stations in Prague are about to be modernised. After Masarycka station, Czech national railway infrastructure manager (SŽ – Správa železnic) is now looking for a construction contractor for the Prague-Smíchov station as well. The result will be wholly modernised tracks and platforms, extended underpasses under the whole station, and a new footbridge leading over the station and allowing barrier-free access to individual platforms. The construction implementation will take place between 2024 and 2027, the total cost amounts to CZK 5.2 billion (€215 million), says SŽ in a press release.

A new residential district with almost 240 flats will be built in Ostrava's most populous district Jih. The project in Středoškolská will also include parking spaces, a park, and sports facilities. The investor will be Linkcity Czech Republic, which will pay a minimum of CZK 29 million excluding VAT (€1.2 million) for the land. Gabriela Pokorná, a spokeswoman for the municipality, told reporters, according to the ČTK news agency.

The Prague office market proved its stability with a total modern office stock surpassing 3.85 million sqm by the end of Q2 2023. Despite no new office buildings being completed this quarter, ongoing construction projects are poised to add approximately 66,800 sqm of office space across seven projects by year-end. In tandem, the market is embracing the evolving demand for flexible workspace solutions, with four new flexible office centres inaugurated during this quarter, iO Partners reports.

Urbanity Real Estate Group has presented its first ESG report. The company's new system for evaluating sustainability data is intended to enable it not only to better monitor and manage its operations, but also to meet the requirements of new European legislation. Financial institutions and clients that use manufacturing campuses operated by Urbanity are also starting to require the data.

Tomáš Vrbický, Founder of Czech development company Noho, talked to Property Forum about the recent energy crisis's positive impact on the sustainable housing approach. According to him, the crises also helped people to think about “green” housing more deeply and be more willing to pay extra for such living with unique solutions for energy savings as it can enormously reduce energy costs in the future.

Czech investment company Fidurock is expanding its portfolio. The latest acquisition, which took place in Trutnov, concerns one of the largest retail parks in the Czech Republic. According to idnes.cz, representatives of the investment holding company signed an agreement on the sale of Retail Park Trutnov with representatives of the Czech Real Estate Investment Fund at the end of June. The price of the transaction was not disclosed.