On day 6 I went on a guided tour of Pilsner Urquell, I never much cared for beer but I was looking forward to the tour. We learned about the quality of water that is used to brew beer and the history of how the factory was established in the mid-1800s.
Towards the end of the tour we were taken to the beer cellar to try their famous beer and it tasted like beer but slightly better
Hi! My name is Hailey and I am a freshman attending FIU. I am excited to learn more about hospitality and make connections. I am also excited to learn about the different types of jobs as well as learn about what it takes to get to that position.
Going into this trip I am excited to learn about the history of Czech Republic. Czechoslovakia was always mentioned in my history classes so I cannot wait to learn more of the history in the Czech Republic. I am interested in learning about world war 2 here and hearing experiences from those who went or know someone who went through the war first hand. Many of my family was in Paris during that war and the experiences they share are never taught in school. I also want to learn about how communism/ the soviet union has affected the country and the effects it still has.
I am excited to see the architecture here . My favorite place has been New Orleans in the French Quarter because that would be some of the oldest buildings I have seen. Obviously the Prague is much older than new orleans so I am excited see the architecture and learn interesting ways they would build the buildings. The clock seems super pretty as well and after hearing Corrigan and Lauren talk about it I am excited to see it. I am most looking forward to the castle. I love learning history so I cannot wait to learn about the events that have taken place there.
For the tourism side of this trip I am interested in learning on how the different seasons affect toursim. While researching and looking at pictures it seems like the Prague is popular in the summer so I am interested in learning if the christmas village is the only winter tourist attraction.
Saturday morning was the start of a very eventful and interesting day. We started at the Museum of Communism, which I loved. I’m a huge history nerd and learning about the Soviet Union in 9th and 11th grade was one of my favorite things in all of high school.
This leads into today’s topic, Dark Tourism in Prague: Exploring the City’s Haunted History. Prague, or at least the Prague known currently, is a fairly new city. The Velvet Revolution, the fall of the Soviet Union in Czechia, happened in 1989. Unfortunately, with Czechia being such a small country, it’s history isn’t discussed much in American history classes, especially since it wasn’t a major player in WWII or the Soviet Union/communism.
Starting with WWII in 1941, Czechoslovakia was the home of Theresienstadt Ghetto, located in Terezin. The ghetto served as a waystation to the extermination camps, though about 33,000 died in Terezin. Throughout the war, thousands passed through, many ending up at Auschwitz and perishing there.In the wake of the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the town of Lidice was completely destroyed and nearly all citizens were murdered. Immediately after the war ended, Czechoslovakia was liberated and about 3,000,000 ethnic Germans were forcefully deported from the country. This also liberated Terezin in 1945.
Before all this happened, however, The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia was established in 1921. With the death of Stalin in 1953, a monument was sculptured and unveiled in 1955, only to be destroyed 7 years later.
The Prague Spring in 1968 was a massive turning point in Czechoslovakian history. When Alexander Dubček tried to liberate the country, many Warsaw Pact members and the Soviet Union invaded. In response, Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc self-immolated in Wenceslas Square. After this, normalization began and continued till Gorbachev introduced glasnost and Perestroika in 1986. The fall of communism in Czechoslovakia began when Gorbachev visited in 1987, and with the Velvet Revolution, communism in Czechoslovakia ended in 1989. In 1992, Czechoslovakia separated into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
So, with a brief history of the darkness in Czechia, one can see how important it is to know what the country suffered in the span of about 50 years.
As I walked through Terezin, I kept thinking about how recent all this was. I think I sometimes forget that the Holocaust and WWII happened less than 100 years ago, which is quite horrifying to think about. The fact that people still have the same views that Hitler and the Nazis had is awful, especially similar thoughts seem to be entering the US political system.
Also in Terezin, as we walked from room to room, I couldn’t help but think about the fear and terror the people trapped there must’ve felt. In Prague, you wouldn’t be able to tell that there was a revolution just 35 years ago. Prague is now one of the top cities to visit, not only due to its history and activities it offers, but also due to safety. Ranked at the top of many lists, it’s one of the safest places in the world, and is actually recommended to solo travelers.
Knowing all this just makes the history more haunting. A key part of why I’m on this trip is due to the dark tourism and history. Czechia is a very well-preserved country, as it was a more neutral country in wars and was used more as a crossing point rather than a central location. I think this is also why the top attraction is Prague Castle.
Overall, I truly enjoyed the day and learning about the modern history of the country. The food tour we did was also interesting, as we learned why certain foods exist and how restaurants blend modern and traditional Czech cuisine.
The second and third days of my stay in Prague only added to my already acquired appreciation of this beautiful city and how it is able to integrate both the ancient and modern setting. From the bustling Old Town and its various attractions to the exclusive guided tours at the different hotels, all pointed out how effective tourism marketing is in enhancing the experience of the visitors.
Prague is the epitome of endowments of form and symbol, it is the addition of its rich history and breathtaking structures with good people that is the magic mix that enables the City to have millions of visitors annually. City walks, introductory activities, a kickoff dinner, and lectures from key tourism agencies help me to comprehend what makes this city among the most visited in Europe. The blog will give a short presentation of the four main questions in Prague in course of the two days: the people, institutions and policies that shape the city, the experience of going on a walking tour; the behind the scenes tour conducted at Augustine; and tourism marketing organisations’ attempts at creating a great experience for the tourists.
For me that orientation session on the morning of the second day has been particularly important in the sense that it has been the starting point towards appreciating how the whole city of Prague is integrated in the web of global tourist sites. The session opened up to me an interesting combination of the cultural aspects of the city, the modern sites and effective transport facilities. What was most striking on the other hand was the way the city was capable of retaining its historical background while its visitors were fascinated by the mysteries surrounding the city.
The feedback suggested that the major source of supply of tourists still remains to be Europe, Asia and North America with CTC seeking to embrace supply from other parts of the world. The presentation in the sense illustrated the effectiveness of well targeted marketing campaigns in promoting the Old Town in the Prague UNESCO heritage site, the City of a Hundred Spires and a rising popular low cost beautiful tourist destination.
Most impressive for me was the emphasis placed by the city of Prague on sustainable tourism. The session stressed the role of the city in persuading tourists to go beyond the remarkably overpopulated Old Town Square and discover the other parts of the city. This approach not only relieves the central part of the city from the over tourism congestion but also depicts the honest, mundane aspects of the life of the residents of Prague. This stands as a case study in how the development of smart tourism marketing has enhanced the travel experience of visitors while providing protection to the historical aspects of the city.
Thereafter, we were taken for a well-organised walking tour of Prague. Without a doubt one of the highlights, it brought forth the history and culture of the city in living color. Such surrounding amazed me how beautifully the old city of Prague tells its history to the visitors from all corners of the world, and I strolled across the Charles Bridge into the Old Town cobbled streets decorated with huge churches.
One of Prague’s attractions are its walking tours which mix up history with some fun storytelling. For instance, our guide did not bother with the dates and much of the facts; he rather painted a more or less realistic portrait of life in medieval Prague, the spirit that the city demonstrated throughout wars and turbulent politics, and the talented artists and architects who dwelt there. This is the part of the reassurance which apparently is intended to click in the minds of tourists and influence them to engagement with Prague history as part of what they are expected to do while at the city.
I stood gazing amazed at the Astronomical Clock. Among other things, our guide not only explained the operation of this phenomenon of the 15th century but dwell on family traditions and legends associated with it. This is quite the illustrative example of what Prague is trying to sell us: that it is not only about stunning views but about interesting events as well.
Day 3 brought the most amazing experience yet: our back-of-the-house tour at the Augustine, a luxury hotel within the walls of a restored 13th-century monastery. This tour revealed behind-the-scenes insight on how hospitality professionals do their thing in Prague, revealing world-class service while retaining the historic character of the hotel.
The Augustine Hotel is in iconic Prague: an example of how the tourism industry blends the old with the new. With medieval architectural details and modern luxury amenities, the hotel is a macrocosm reflecting the city’s broader marketing strategy: presenting an authentic yet elevated experience for travelers.
We learned about the hotel’s commitment to providing its guests with an individual, personalized experience during the tour. To talk about a few examples, the staff mentioned how aspects of Czech culture can be integrated into hotel activities: Czech beer tastings and displaying local art around the property are two such examples. Even away from the guests’ eye, the storytelling within the hotel was continuing. Even backstage, one could see how committed the team was towards the upkeep of all these workflows in conjunction with cooperation.
The visit conveys not only the importance of hospitality in influencing visitor experience but also the immense contribution from luxury brands like the Augustine, to Prague’s branding as one of the world’s places to visit. A combination of history, culture, and high-standard service act as a basis for the excellence of the tourism industry in Prague.
The last activity of Day Three comprised a visit to one of Prague’s tourism marketing organizations. One valuable insight gained from this visit was that it greatly informed me on how visit Prague is a successful marketing campaign with inspiring schemes that push the city forward with lots of tourism.
Some of the more interesting topics included the ways in which the organization utilized data to better understand visitor behavior and preferences. The analysis of booking patterns, social media, and feedback surveys informs the marketing efforts, thus targeting specific demographics. For example, campaigns aimed at a younger audience frequently showcase night life and fashionable cafes while campaigns directed at older people focus on the city’s history, classical music scene, and architectural sites.
Key takeaways of the organization included its overall emphasis on the implementation of digital marketing. At the moment where more travelers are increasingly using online research for trip planning, Prague invested heavily in producing eye-catching informative content that plays out well on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. This work not only attracts first-time visitors but also gives them reasons to come back by showcasing the city’s attractions, from hidden courtyards to seasonal festivals.
What impressed most was the organization’s deep commitment to sustainability, telling us about their partnerships with local businesses to promote eco-friendly practices, urging public transportation use, discouraging hotels from single-use plastic items, or supporting local artisans. This matches up with global travel trends while keeping Prague an excitingly sustainable destination for long into the future.
Prague has, therefore, become successful as a global tourist destination because of its ability to blend together history, culture, and modern hospitality into one wholesome ud unforgettable experience. The orientation session, guided walking tour, back-of-the-house tour of a hotel, and a meeting with a tourism marketing organization have been some of the avenues that have widened my appreciation for how effective marketing permeates every single visitor’s journey.
On our walking tour on 16/12, Petr took us around Prague and showed us some of the highlights of the city. Amongst them were the Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square, and the clock. I think showing these sights first was a great idea, as it gave everyone an idea of what to expect in the city. Prague is very different from Miami or Philadelphia, and this tour showed that clearly.
Effective tourism shapes the visitor experience by showing them the most popular sights along with some of the more hidden ones, like the Freud statue. Without a tour guide, we’d all be lost and unable to get through the city, which is the case in every city, I think. Having a city that knows they’re a tourist city also helps. In my previous blog, I mentioned that Prague is a city that is aware that they have tourists. The DMO, CzechTourism, also knows that.
Compared to other major cities, Prague is low on the tourism scale, but the city is also quite small. It’s walkable, and the public transportation system is very cheap, making it easy for anyone to get a ticket. Even at the Augustine, which is in New Town, has lots of tourism.
But having effective tourism is good tourism. As mentioned before, when visiting a new city, you’re a tourist. Research ahead of time helps, but actually walking to the metro or to a restaurant is very different. I think the walking tour helped a lot, especially since I can now look along the street, recognize shops, and know exactly where I am.
As for effective tourism marketing, I think CzechTourism is doing a nice job at marketing Czechia as a whole, not just Prague. Looking at the pamphlet, yes, Prague is the most visited region tourism-wise, however, the other regions have tourists too.
Amongst the most popular in other regions were zoos and museums, which I’ve noticed is a trend in most of the world. Prague Castle was unsurprisingly at the top of the list. Personally, I don’t think I’ve seen a Czechia tourism commercial or ad ever, so all I know about the country is from classes or my own research. I didn’t know much of anything about Prague till I started researching for this trip.
Some may blame the DMO for this, but again, looking at the tourism numbers, Czechia doesn’t get too many yearly. As for now though, I think the marketing that is shown and seen is very effective and makes a huge impact on visitors.
Aegina was probably one of the days I looked forward to the most, not just because it was a semi-free day but because the place looked so beautiful online and I just couldn’t wait to see it in person. When we first arrived and began the Scavenger hunt, we got a couple really easy but at one point, we began asking locals for help guiding us since it started to get really hot. We passed by a couple shops which sold bikinis, Aegina gift shops, and others. Although our plan was to stay in one of the nearby beaches, we met a very nice man who pointed us toward Moni Island as a very cool spot to chill at. The little boat that took us was the cutest thing and we were able to see the water beneath us, so clear and blue. The views as we went there were unbelievable. The island itself was small with animals wandering around with people as well. Despite the few squabbles we had with the people that work there, we had an amazing time. We got chairs and umbrellas, got a couple drinks and food, and we just sunbathed for majority of the day.
When we got back to Aegina, there was the cutest ice cream shop which had probably the nicest workers we have met on this entire trip. Aegina was both a historical site with gorgeous sites as well as beautiful tourist attractions such as the beaches, boats, and ATV’s. The scavenger hunt was actually really fun because we were able to explore the city at our own pace but also interact with the local people and have a more intimate experience that also allowed us to learn and have fun at the same time.
The ferry was a great experience, I had never been inside a boat that big and to my surprise, the seats were much more comfortable than airplane ones. I’m so grateful I didn’t feel seasick because that definitely would’ve made a dent to the entire day. Overall, I had so much fun at Aegina and will definitely be back.
The first thing to note for this blog is how amazing the food is. Yes, the service may not be as great from what we are used to back home in America but nonetheless no one can deny Greek cuisine is definitely top tier. We were served a lot of food that day and some of the girls decided to give it to the homeless people of the city which was very nice and thoughtful of them. The day before we had been to the Wyndham Hotel, a beautiful establishment with awesome amenities, but to me the market and local stores are what always makes me so happy especially because they’re usually a mom and pop shop.
The winery’s views were to die for. When we first arrived, we had a tour of the building and we were taught how wine gets made and stored. It was really interesting to learn the different details that make the difference in between the different kids of wines. I specially found it fascinating to see all the barrels (Can you imagine almost a whole lifetime passes by before it’s served?) The wine itself was different, but not bad, and since she explained the tones would be more “earthy”, I was prepared. To wrap it up, I bought my dad’s favorite wine as a way to thank him for helping me be able to come on this beautiful trip.
The Feta Cheese Producer was exactly what I expected, a family run business with quality cheese. Although they’re not a restaurant or anything of the sort, their service was amazing and they were so incredibly nice. I didn’t go on the small side quest to check out how cheeses were made but I stayed behind listening to the owner’s daughter play the piano as we enjoyed their products and got to know each other better.
Overall, these two days were some of my favorites because we were able to learn in-depth some of Greek’s top economic powers. Everyone that worked there was so welcoming and I learned a lot about their respective fields.
