The CzechTourism Story Unveiled

We’ve been chatting a lot about the Czech Republic lately, and now it’s time to tell you why. Jiri Duzar, Director at CzechTourism is here to tell the story.

Jiri Duzar, part of our Prague Travel Massive chapter, helps travelers from the United States and Canada discover a very unique destination in the heart of Europe, the Czech Republic. He does everything from social media and online marketing, to press and fam trips, events and travel industry co-ops. However, Jiri is certainly no ordinary DMO, he’s also an avid traveler with a passion for photography and owner of a new travel blog.

Can you understand why it’s been such a blast promoting the Czech Republic the last couple months?

So we finally asked Jiri to tell us all about CzechTourism, who they are, what they do and why we’ve been talking all things #VisitCZ for the past couple months.

Tell us about CzechTourism.

We’re a country tourism board with more than a 20-year-long history. Our head office is in Prague and we currently have 19 foreign offices all around the world. I’m lucky to be based in New York City with an office situated only 2 blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Our mission is to inspire travelers from all around the world to visit our destination. We’re also out there for travel professionals who need our help. We work with airlines, tour operators and travel agencies, OTAs, hotels, DMCs but also with travel writers, bloggers and content creators.

How did CzechTourism become the “Land of Stories”?

It was just 4 years ago when we branded the county as the Land of Stories. Why? Because there are so many stories to be told about the history of the Czech Republic including the inspiring people who became world-renowned (think Kafka, Freud or Mozart), the incredible cultural and the natural heritage sites.

What makes your tourism board unique?

Although we have more than two decades of history in our company, we still consider ourselves a young organization. I think it’s awesome that we give a chance to young travel professionals to start their careers, learn and grow with us. We’ve also been able to engage in a lot of very smart marketing projects in the recent years. Take our awesome partnership with Travel Massive as a great example. We’ve already hosted #VisitCZ events in Toronto, New York City and Miami.

How is your brand changing the future of the industry or helping to make travel better?

We’re constantly rethinking our marketing strategies and trying to keep up with new trends. We gave up on costly print and out-of-home advertising and are predominantly focused on online and social where wee see the future of travel, mainly on the consumer side.

We think more travel brands should tap into the online media industry. How do you work with bloggers, vloggers, or the travel industry to amplify your brand?

I absolutely agree. We’ve been showing a great appreciation for influencers and have already had a chance to work with many amazing travel writers, bloggers, vloggers and Instagramers. We are always planning trips and blogger content campaigns, so definitely get in touch with us!

Is your brand doing something cool and innovative this year?

Speaking on behalf of our US office, we’ve created a free co-working space for NY-based travel professionals at the Bohemian National Hall, a cultural venue in Upper East Side, Manhattan, belonging to the Czech Republic. People in our industry meet on different occasions for trade shows, media events or Travel Massive chapter meetings, but I think what they’re lacking is an opportunity to network more intensively and I also think it’s cool to be able to change your working environment once in a while.

How will the way consumers travel change in the future?

I think that people will travel more individually, look for more great value and book their next vacation using a mobile device in only a few easy steps. Soon enough, a lot of people will have finished their traditional bucket lists and start looking for new, off-the-beaten path, local and authentic experiences. Culinary, boutique hotels and sustainable tourism are my guesses for the future of travel.

What kinds of travel or tech trends should we watch out for in 2-5 years?

The most exciting thing I’m watching out for is the way we will project information. I think that portable devices such as mobile phones and tablets will remain the main travel accessory in the following few years, but I foresee augmented reality and holographic projections playing an important role.

As a brand, why do you attend Travel Massive events?

To meet new people, find new business contacts, inspire others about our product and learn new things.

During the past couple of years, I have been able to connect with tons of experienced, talented and great-to-work-with travel professionals. That was also one of the reasons I decided to enter into our newest US & Canada partnership program with Travel Massive and host three consecutive events in Toronto, New York and Miami.

You can learn a lot more about CzechTourism and our newest Travel Massive partnership by checking out some of our recent promotions including the Travel Massive Toronto Event Summary and the New York City Art Meetup. Don’t forget to check out the hashtag: #VisitCZ for more exciting news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.