Hi again everybody!
By day two, mostly everyone is getting better acquainted with the environment and people. We had an exciting, rather professional day ahead of us.
First, we made our way to the Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel by Marriott. This place was BEAUTIFUL, even from the outside.
Once we walked in, the lobby felt like a living room, with a few luxurious sofas and a fully decorated fireplace. There were gingerbread houses on display, and they were very much real! Everything felt very homey but upscale.
An eclectic detail I admired was the astronomical clock design on all of the front desks. The clock seems to be an iconic symbol for the city.
The lobby also had a huge set of windows across the ceiling, showcasing a bit of their innovation and sustainable design by utilizing natural light!
During the fantastic staff presentation, they also explained a few more sustainable initiatives throughout multiple hotel sectors – from having a zero waste kitchen and using in-house supplies to working on becoming green key certified.
The certification, they said, can be difficult to finalize because the hotel is a historical property and can have limitations due to its significance. I definitely understand this, since having experience working with a national park which is federally owned historical property.
The Augustine is known as one of the highest-end hotels in Prague, but its prestige is not only what makes it a desirable place to stay.
Much of the hotel has preserved its original features and designs – from the untouched fresco on many of the rooms walls, to the underground tavern-like caves that have been newly transformed into a bar and restaurant!
Another really interesting piece is that the Augustine used to be a monastery, and there are still a few monks who reside there today. The hotel’s relationship with them is still harmonious – the monks have their own quiet space for their practices, but have also collaborated with the hotel to provide tours and activities for guests.
Next, we visited Czechia’s official Destination Marketing Organization office, which I was personally super pumped for! I told a lot of my own DMO team that this was part of the trip, so I came in expecting to bring back a good bit of insight.
Because I’m familiar with how many DMOs work and think, their presentation was fascinating to me. I jotted down the most notes from this activity and am grateful that we did this, even though most students on the trip are primarily in the hotel sector of the industry.
The team did introduce us to a few new concepts, such as botels and guest houses!
Due to issues such as climate change and overtourism, VisitCzechia’s strategies have shifted, which ultimately shifts the average tourist experience.
Prague faces much overtourism, so the DMO has turned away from promoting it because the city simply doesn’t need it. Although, they still known when to lean on their biggest tourism drivers, such as the seasonal Christmas markets that open up.
One of the ideas that stood out to me the most was their 2023 Summer Campaign about “The Unexpected”. From golf, beer, and active holiday tourism, I saw many similarities to what I help promote at my DMO back home.
They even shed light on how the wine industry has changed, as the vineyards have moved to the more northern parts of the country. Red wine has been more difficult to produce because the rising temperatures make the grapes’ conditions more unpredictable.
Visiting the DMO was very valuable to me and I am looking forward to debriefing many takeaways and inspirations with my team soon!
–Liv