Reality Czech

Not so long ago, the Czech Republic seemed shrouded in the mists of communist rule — a mysterious, definitively foreign place open only to the most intrepid of visitors, and certainly not the casual conference-goer or incentive trip attendee.

Fast forward to today, however, and you’ll find a very different picture, a country with a rich history of famous scientists and musicians; Jewish, Bohemian, Hapsburg and Slovakian cultures; and intricate glass and textile arts, all nestled in countryside that seems lifted from a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale.

Nearly two decades after 1989’s Velvet Revolution, the country has officially made a comeback, with Prague, its capital, as the center of Eastern European culture, nightlife and business, with an ample environment for international events and meetings.

“In the past two to four years, I’d say, the changes made post-communism reached critical mass for the hospitality industry,” says Christian Grage, general manager at the Corinthia Towers Hotel (www.corinthia.cz) in Prague.

With more than 6.4 million visitors to the country in 2006, the hospitality industry is booming. The growth is due not only to infrastructure and facilities, but also to “cultural openness and welcoming attitudes” nationwide toward tourism and business travelers, says Grage.

That hearty welcome is apparent at mealtime. Visitors enjoy traditional seasoned food such as venison, beef and freshwater fish, complemented with herbs, mushrooms and wild forest fruits. Beer enthusiasts will enjoy the jovial Czech beer-drinking culture, while oenophiles can partake of Czech and Moravian wines. Tour organizations like Greenways Travel Club (www.gtc.cz) specialize in physically active tourism for large groups, such as vineyard tours to Moravia, on eastern side of the country.

Traveling is Serious Business

Getting around the country, roughly the size of South Carolina, is uncommonly easy due to a strong infrastructure of highways and public transportation.

Prague’s Ruzyne airport (www.prg.aero) is easily navigable, even for non-Czech speakers, and so well taken care of it’s hard to imagine tens of thousands of travelers pass through it daily. The city’s safe, efficient metro system ensures attendees can easily visit major attractions.

One popular metro stop drops attendees at the Prague Congress Center. With 70 classroom spaces varying in capacity from 20 to more than 2,700 people, it’s the largest conference property in the Czech market. It hosted the Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank as well as a NATO Summit in 2005, and frequently welcomes global pharmaceutical and financial companies.

Directly across from the congress center is the five-star Corinthia Towers Hotel. As the second-tallest building in the country, the hotel’s magnificent vistas are a sure crowd-pleaser, and the executive floor provides top business professionals with a private lounge and business center, along with easy access to the city center via the metro.

The most commonly recommended method of travel in the Czech Republic, however, whether you’re in Prague or a rural town, is on foot.

Famous sites like Prague Castle, featured in the 1984 Oscar-winning film “Amadeus,” historic Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Art Noveau Municipal House and the Charles Bridge are all an easy afternoon walk away.

DMCs such as Maxin Prague (www.maxin-prague.cz) offer a variety of special-interest tours that emphasize elements of the history of the region, including Jewish culture-focused outings, music and concert-focused excursions, and castle and chateau architecture tours.

Luxe Options at Historic Venues

The luxury service market has recently emerged, with strong interest from American companies. Maxin Prague has used multiple chateaux for dinners, rented high-end vehicles for transportation, and even gained access to the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle to host an evening of classical music for an American pharmaceutical firm’s event, says Managing Director Jarmila Skorikova.

Another unforgettable venue, the neo-Renaissance Palac Zofin (http://zofin.cz), situated in a centuries-old park on Prague’s Slavonic Island, hosts conferences and social occasions in the breathtaking Velky Sal ballroom (capacity 800), with a smaller hall, vestibule and parlor available for sessions with 80 to 250 attendees.

The daily rental fee, including setup, staffing, parking and A/V needs, is $390,000.

Take a Healthy Trip

Day trips outside the city take attendees into the heart of the country. Visitors often visit the healing spa city of Karlovy Vary, a 75-mile bus ride from Prague. The city’s 12 mineral geysers or “spas” provide warm, healing water of varying microelement mineral content, drawing centuries of visitors seeking their balneological benefits.

Incentive trips to the city are popular year round, as attendees can soak in spas and drink mineral waters as part of a relaxation program available at nearly all hotels in the area, most notably the Grand Hotel Pupp (www.pupp.cz), which boasts seven halls and lounges for events.

The film industry also has strong ties to the city through the Karlovy Vary International Film festival, held annually in the town’s central park, and the Hotel Thermal, where movie stars such as Danny DeVito received awards in this past July.
The picturesque city was also a site for filming of 2007’s James Bond flick “Casino Royale.”

Provincial Paradise

South of Prague, the provincial city of Cesky Krumlov (www.ckrumlov.cz) nears the Czech border with Austria, and a day trip offers spectacular views of lakes and mountains in brisk weather that rarely tops 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unusual event venues abound in the area, including a former horse stable and gardens at Castle Riding School, a factory converted into the Egon Schiele Art Centrum with works from the celebrated bohemian artist, and a legendary revolving auditorium at the Castle Gardens.

Local wares like garnet jewelry, bohemian crystal, gourmet chocolate and spiced liquors are top draws for visitors.

An annual three-day summer Renaissance festival in Cesky Krumlov, the Five-Petalled Rose Celebration, includes concerts, medieval games, scores of brewery tours and period theater productions that are open to the public.

Your attendees can get a taste of Renaissance life at the Tilt Yards at the Castle Gardens. Individuals and groups can re-create knightly tournaments by practicing horseback riding and shooting historical weapons (approximately $6 per adult).

A Natural Choice

What is now the Czech Republic was one of the top European industrial regions during Europe’s industrial revolution in the late 1700s, and it has returned as a top producer of biodiesel fuel after privatization of former state industries and entrance into the European Union in 2004.

Attendees interested in natural resource history can don lighted miners’ hard hats and enter Cesky Krumlov’s granite mines for an underground excursion, in English ($10 per adult).

With so much natural and historical tourism available, it’s not surprising international meeting planners are focusing on the Czech Republic for unique venues, luxurious treatment, and a hearty, delicious welcome — and demand is only increasing.

“Our job has changed absolutely,” says Skorikova. “Now we truly have to find something unforgettable.”