Big interview
organise the ICCA Congress. Surely
that helped put PCC and Prague even
more prominently on the map?
I was in the bidding team and with PCB
we succeeded in winning the congress
for Prague. Later I became the Sales and
Marketing Director of the PCC and had
the opportunity to be a part of local host
committee. In the meantime, PCC was
modernised and also rebranded.
The ICCA congress was the first
event we hosted after the reconstruction
which made it even more special. It was
especially pleasing that the 56th ICCA
congress was evaluated as one of the
most successful of all and I was pleased
to be a part of that. We gained some
great publicity value.
Left: Prague
Congress Centre
CEO, Lenka
Žlebková
What of the issue of over-tourism in
Prague? Is that something the
meetings sector needs to be aware
of?
Yes, before the current crisis situation,
Prague had to face over-tourism in the
historical city centre, so the city was
strongly supporting the development of
the meeting industry as part of the drive
to sustainable tourism. Now, thanks to
Covid-19 the problem with over-tourism
is over and we need to rethink the new
tourism model for Prague in the future.
The meetings industry can play a big
part here.
this year or first half of the next year. We
have been very flexible with financial
conditions with our clients, allowing
them to reschedule with no cancellation
fees. Of course, much depends on the
future situation with Covid-19 and the
government policies around the world
whether we will be able to host any
international event until the end of this
year.
Has the Czech government helped
the meetings and events sector at all
at this time of crisis?
Unfortunately, there has not yet been big
support of from the Czech government
towards our industry, nor for tourism as
such. There is only a special programme
covering part of the salaries of our
employees.
What other issues are important to
you at PCC and as ambassadors for
the Czech lands in our industry?
Generally, a sustainable development and
operation is very important to us, that is
why we invested a lot of money in our
heating and cooling system and were
able to save 30% of our energy
consumption. We also launched a Zero
Waste concept with our catering partner
where we use only biodegradable cutlery
and equipment, no plastic is allowed. On
a city level, the PCB initiates also a lot of
activities with its members to enhance
sustainable practices within the
destination. Prague started to be part of
the GDS index last year too.
Looking ahead, which areas do you
think you will concentrate on for
winning more business at PCC?
Wherein lies the USP?
I believe that our investment in new
technologies and innovations, sustainable
operation combined with our current
USPs of being located in the city centre
with excellent public transportation
accessibility, hotel availability nearby and
our 39 years of expertise will be a clear
value to anyone looking for a suitable
venue.
Tell us about your role in helping to
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