A record number of people stayed in Czech hotels over the Easter holiday. Around 280,000 foreigners traveled to Prague, according to Mag Consulting, which monitors the tourism industry. Willy Ribbe, director of the Prague Marriott hotel, talks to The Prague Post about what hotels can do to attract guests who aren't tourists. He also reveals whether the Prague Marriott will have to make any adjustments to its rooms to accommodate the basketball players staying there while participating in the Euroleague Final Four tournament in Prague in late April.

1. This weekend, the Prague Marriott will be hosting top European basketball players competing in the Final Four tournament in Prague. Will you need to equip your rooms with extra-large beds or any other extraordinary amenities?

So far we have not had any special requests, but we are always listening and ready to accommodate our guests.

2. Speaking of professional basketball players, who is the most famous guest you've hosted at the Prague Marriott? Who would you most like to stay at the hotel and why?

We have hosted a variety of world-known personalities, including Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schröder, Ramón Vargas, Rolando Villazón and Kevin Costner, to name a few. The presence of personalities with recognized names is an honor. Nevertheless, every guest is important to us. I personally would like to meet and spend some time with Mr. Nelson Mandela, whom I admire for never giving up.

3. The Marriott is just about to open its fourth hotel in Prague this June. Have you considered building hotels outside of Prague?

There are currently two new Courtyard projects under construction, one at [Prague Ruzyně] Airport and the other in Plzeň. Both are scheduled to open in the summer of 2006.

4. Your marketing campaigns seem to target corporate clients. Most recently, the Prague Marriott began offering business lunches that guarantee business people won't spend more than 45 minutes at the table. Is that what most business people are looking for?

Businessmen are always looking for opportunities to save time and get good value for their money. We have started to offer business clients of our restaurant Brasserie Praha a delicious and time-efficient business-lunch menu. We guarantee service within 45 minutes of placing the order. If we do not keep our promise, the lunch is on us! I think hotel restaurants don't get the credit they deserve when it comes to food and service.

5. What percentage of your annual revenue comes from food and beverage services? Are food services growing in terms of contribution to overall revenue?

The food and beverage segment is a significant part of any hotel operation, and I'm delighted with the high quality of our food and service. The current share of food and beverage revenue is 39 percent, compared with 61 percent for rooms and other revenue.

6. The European Union wants to boost incoming tourism by launching a Web site to promote European destinations. Do you think this initiative can actually significantly increase tourism in Europe?

We all know that electronic media is growing [quickly], giving it an increasingly significant role in the decision-making processes of all business, including ours. I believe that building destination awareness by any means will increase travelers' interest. For destinations like Prague, with all its beautiful sites and places of interest, I feel [the initiative] would be a powerful tool to attract even more travelers.

7. The Czech Republic is discussing imposing visa requirements on U.S., Canadian and Australian citizens in response to the visa requirements these countries place on Czechs. Is this narrow-minded? Could this measure harm incoming tourism here?

It is hard to project the future. I personally believe that all the above-mentioned countries will find a mutually beneficial and reasonable way to communicate effectively and work out the appropriate conditions for their travelers.

8. International hotel chains such as Marriott usually have a multinational staff. How difficult is it to manage people from different cultures?

At this point, the majority of our associates are Czech citizens. In my past assignments, when I worked with a multinational staff I always felt that the key is to have respect for and understanding of cultural differences. If the manager is sensitive to these differences, you can work with any nationality and achieve great results.

9. Some foreign managers who've come to work in this country complain that Czech people aren't the most diligent workers, that they often take sick leave, etc. Do you agree?

I can only talk about my associates, who do an outstanding job providing high-quality service to our guests. Everybody works hard and is dedicated to making our guests feel comfortable and welcome in Prague and the Czech Republic.

10. Every hotel executive interviewed for 10 Questions is asked to talk about the most bizarre or unique request he or she has received from a guest. What is yours?

My most bizarre request was in the United States, when a guest asked for his bathtub to be filled with champagne. It cost him about $10,000 (231,000 Kč).