Prague, also known as the Golden City, is located on the banks of the river Vltava. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe and its historic centre is on UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list. The world-famous astronomical clock, the Charles Bridge and the house where Franz Kafka was born can also be found here. In this wonderful historical city, the third-year Hotel and Event Management students spent a fantastic week and got to enjoy a wide range of different activities. Lecturer Arno de Bont joined them on their trip.
Conference: MICE in Prague
The first day was all about the conference. The conference’s theme was “Ready to know MICE in Prague.” MICE means Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions. Many different speakers were invited to the event. The Dutch ambassador, Mr Klompenhouwer, gave us some insight into his daily activities, while other speakers told us more about e.g. the “meeting industry” in Prague and the importance of leadership skills when organising events. The conference concluded with a presentation by students from the University of Prague about their involvement in the organisation of the 56th ICCA Congress, which was held in Prague in November.
Show by the Losers Cirque Company
After the conference, we visited the University of Prague and got a tour from its students. From there, we attended a rehearsal of the Losers Cirque Company. That same night, we saw the show itself. It proved to be a wonderful combination of acrobatics and ballet, along with an interesting storyline about human needs and peculiarities.
Tour of the city
After a luxurious breakfast, the next day started with a tour of the city aboard a historical tram that took us to the highest parts of the city, the fortress and the Royal Palace. From there, we enjoyed a leisurely walk downhill and listened to the many stories our guide told us along the way about this city’s rich history.
Visiting the Hilton
In the afternoon, a visit to the Hilton was planned. Although opinions about its aesthetic worth were divided, there is no denying the building was an impressive sight. During the tour, many questions were asked and answered about this Hilton hotel in Prague, as well as about other Hilton hotels all over the world and the various hotel chains that are also part of the Hilton group. After a boat tour of the Vltava, we enjoyed our dinner in the local Hard Rock Café, where many of us feasted on the legendary HRC burger.
Escape rooms
The next day, the students visited a large hall with twenty-five escape rooms that contained all sorts of challenges that had to be overcome within three hours. Despite their enthusiasm, deliberations, perseverance and collaboration, not a single team managed to complete all challenges before their time ran out. Nevertheless, this was a fantastic and very fun experience for all of us.
Dinner: exotic event
After returning to Prague, we had a little time to get changed before dinner. We went to U Pavouka where eating has been made into a real event. Throughout the entire night, the people there made music, engaged in sword fights, performed exotic dance routines, breathed fire and gave guests a chance to overcome their fear of snakes.
Return journey
The return journey was the perfect opportunity for many students to catch up on the sleep they lost during the trip. This was a truly exciting study trip, packed with impressions, meetings, information and fun.