TRAIN-e-HOTEL Project Meeting in Riga

The Department of Tourism as the leading institution of the international Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership project KA220-HED-000023291 accepted the invitation on behalf of Ing. Norbert Beták, PhD. and Viktória Bíziková, PhD., MBA.

The international meeting was held at Turiba University in Riga, the capital of the Baltic country Latvia, from January 24 to 27, 2023. The project meeting was attended by delegations from the partner institutions, i.e.  University of Pannonia in Hungary, University of Silesia in the Czech Republic, and   University del Salento in Italy.

The main programme of the meeting was presentations of the achieved partial results of the project in the field of research and educational activities, in which the students of the study fields of the institutions involved actively participate. During the meeting in Riga, valuable contributions were made to the mapping of  cultural specifics of the countries of the partner institutions as one of the starting points for the elaboration of strategic decisions in the international hotel marketing environment. The next topic was an introduction to the creation of an interactive digital campaign for a virtual hotel. The next item on the agenda was a contribution to the preparation of the implementation of the hotel information system, including the application of the so-called PMS (Property Management System) and a presentation on the development of the hotel’s environmental strategy in the context of managing the sustainable operation of the accommodation facility in accordance with the legislation in force in each country.

Each session included discussions, exchange of views, knowledge and experience within the project. The project TRAIN-e-HOTEL is currently under development. It can be stated that it continuously fulfils its purpose and contributes to bringing students closer to the real practise of hotel management, enriching their knowledge and skills, and deepening the general and professional competencies required to work in the tourism industry.

A highlight of our visit to Riga was a guided tour of the National Library of Latvia. It is a public institution that plays an important role in the development of the information society in Latvia, and supports research and further education. This extraordinary, imposing building, called the 'Castle of Light' and located on the banks of the Daugava River, is also a vantage point overlooking the historic centre of Riga, which is a World Heritage Site UNESCO.

Text: PhDr. Viktória Bíziková, PhD., MBA