Business trip to Bratislava, Slovakia.
The Bratislava Region is the wealthiest most prosperous region in Slovakia as of 2007. It accounts for about 26% of the Slovak GDP. The GDP per capita (PPP), valued at € 33.124 (2005), is 147.9% of the EU average and is the second-highest level (after Prague) of all regions in the new EU member states and higher than all regions of France except Paris. The Bratislava Stock Exchange (BSSE), the organizer of the public securities market, was founded on March 15 1991.
The average brutto salary in Bratislava region in first three quarters of 2008 was € 1.015,47 (30.592 Sk).
The unemployment rate in Bratislava was 1.83% in December 2007. Many governmental institutions and private companies have their headquarters in Bratislava. More than 75% of Bratislava’s population works in the service sector, mainly composed of trade, IT, tele-communications, and tourism.
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The automaker Volkswagen built a factory in Bratislava in 1991 and has expanded since. Now, its production focuses on SUV’s, which represent 68% of all production. The VW Touareg is produced in Bratislava, and the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 are partially built here.
In recent years, high-tech-oriented businesses and service have prospered in Bratislava. Many global companies, including IBM, Dell, AT&T, Lenovo, SAP, and Accenture, have built outsourcing and service centres here or plan to do so soon. Reasons for the increase of multi-national corporations include proximity to Western Europe, skilled labor force and the high density research facilities and universities.
Other large companies in Bratislava include Slovak Telekom, Slovenská sporitelna, Hewlett-Packard Slovakia,Kraft Foods Slovakia, Tatra banka, Orange Slovensko, Doprastav, Slovnaft, Henkel Slovensko, Slovenský plynárenský priemysel, Whirlpool Slovakia, Železnice Slovenskej republiky, and Tesco Stores Slovak Republic.
The Slovak economy’s strong growth in the 2000s has led to a boom in the construction industry, and some major projects have been completed or are planned in Bratislava. Areas attracting developers include the Danube riverfront, where two major projects already under construction: River Park in the Old Town, and Eurovea near the Apollo Bridge. Other locations under development include the areas around the railway and bus stations, around the former industrial zone near the Old Town and in the boroughs of Petržalka, Nové Mesto and Ružinov. It is expected that investors will spend € 1.2 billion on new projects by 2010. The city has a balanced budget of almost 6 billion SK (€182 million, as of 2007), with 1/5th used for investment. Bratislava holds shares in 17 companies directly, e.g.: in the public transport company (Dopravný podnik Bratislava), the waste collection and the water utility. The city also manages municipal organizations such as the City Police (Mestská polícia), Bratislava City Museum and ZOO Bratislava.
For more in-depth information I suggest you buy and read the "Global Business Etiquettes" book.
- Communication:
Use formal names, professional and academic titles.
Slovaks are direct, but they prefer it delivered with subtlety.
Never interrupt somebody.
Dress formal and conservative. - Meetings and negotiations:
When making appointments use the 24-hour clock time format to avoid misunderstandings.
Be very punctual, if you suspect you will late, call and explain the situation.
Never cancel a meeting at the last minute.
Shake hands with everyone upon arriving at the meeting and leaving.
Remain standing until invited to sit down or others do so.
Quit some time is spent to getting to know you before the business conversation begins.
The strict following of the agenda’s is to be set by the most senior host during the meeting. Durations can differ much from the planned timing.
Keep your presentation as short as possible, to the point, accurate and precise, do not exaggerate.
Follow up a meeting with a letter or an e-mail with all agreements outlined. - Table manners:
If unsure on how to behave, mimic the behavior of others.
Wait until you are appointed a seat.
Avoid alcohol if possible, otherwise drink little.
If making a toast, stand up.
The napkin stays folded next to the plate, eat not too much but finish your plate.
Keep your hands above the table when eating.
After finishing your plate lay your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles to the right.
Thank your host at the end of the meal.
In less than 20 years after the fall of communism the Slovak economy has grown to an advanced economy. Slovakia transformed from a centrally planned economy to a market-driven economy. The most important privatizations are nearly completed. The banking sector is almost completely in private hands, and foreign investments have risen.
In 2006, Slovakia achieved the highest growth of GDP, which came to almost 9 percent, among the members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The annual GDP growth in 2007 is estimated at over 10% with a record level of more than 14% reached in the fourth quarter. Slovak GDP per capita was about 72 percent of the EU average in 2008.
Unemployment, peaking at over 19 percent at the end of 1999, decreased to 7,5 percent percent in October 2008 according to the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. In addition to economic growth, migration of workers to other EU countries also contributed to this reduction. According to Eurostat, which uses a calculation method different from that of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, the unemployment rate is still the second highest after Spain in the EU-15 group, at 9.9 percent.
Inflation dropped from an average annual rate of 12 percent in 2000 to just over 3 percent in 2002 but it rose again in the years after that because of rising labor costs and excess taxes. It reached almost 4 percent in 2005.
Slovakia adopted the euro currency on 1 January 2009 as the 16th member of the Eurozone. The euro in Slovakia was approved by the European commission in 2008.
Slovakia is an attractive country for foreign investors mainly because of its low wages, low tax rates and well educated labour force. In recent years, Slovakia has been pursuing a policy of encouraging foreign investment.
Slovakia still faces major challenges in the field of the knowledge economy. The business and public research and development expenditures are well below the EU average. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks Slovak secondary education the 30th in the world (placing it just below the United States and just above Spain).
In 2008, the Ministry of Finance announced that Slovakia’s economy is developed enough to stop being an aid receiver from the World Bank. At the end of that same year Slovakia even became an aid provider.
Although Slovakia’s GDP comes mainly from the services sector, the country’s industry also plays an important role within its economy. The main industry sectors are car manufacturing and electrical engineering. Since 2007, Slovakia has been the world’s largest producer of cars per capita, with a total of 571.071 cars manufactured in the country in 2007 alone. There are currently three car manufacturers: Volkswagen in Bratislava, PSA Peugeot Citroen in Trnava and Kia Motors in Žilina.
Bratislava’s geographical position in Central Europe has long made Bratislava a crossroads for international trade traffic. Various ancient trade routes, such as the Amber Road and the Danube waterway have crossed territory of today Bratislava. Today Bratislava is the road, railway, waterway and airway hub.
| Currency | EUR |
| Time zone | GMT +1 |
| Population | 5.463.046 |
| Area | 49.036 km2 |
| Population density | 110 / km2 |
| GDP | € 76 billion |
| GDP per capita | € 13.930 |
  | Product tip: Buy a passport holder! Get a big wallet that takes passport, tickets and receipts all together in one place. This way you have all your documents organised and easy to find. |
Bratislava Airport is nine kilometers northeast of the city center and is named after Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a soldier that crashed his airplane above Bratislava in 1919. Cities such as Vienna in Austria and Brno in the Czech Republic are only an hour drive from this airport.
Address
Bratislava Milan Ratislav Štefánika Airport
Letisko M.R. Štefánika
823 11 Bratislava 21
Slovakia
Telephone: +421(0)2 3303 3353
Fax: +421(0)2 4342 5829Email: information@airportbratislava.sk
www.airportbratislava.sk
Airport codes
IATA airport code: BTS
ICAO airport code: LZIB
Lost property
In case of baggage loss or damage after the arrival you will find the office for Lost and Found at the:
Terminal B: phone: +421 2 3303 3389
Terminal C: phone: +421 2 3303 3345
Terminal map
Connectivity from the airport
Bus
Bus line 61 goes every 10 or 20 minutes to the train station in Bratislava. Tickets are only available in the ticket machine. The ride to the center takes approximately half an hour. There are good tram and bus connections with the rest of the city from the train station, including to the main bus station, Bratislava AS Mlynské Nivy, trolley bus 210.
Terravision (tel: +421(0)2 3303 3324) maintains a direct connection with the city center of Vienna, this bus leaves from the stop in front of Exit C.
Taxi
The taxis outside the Arrivals Hall charge high rates for a ride to Bratislava, it is better to order a taxi by telephone (tel: +421(0)2 4444 1111), then you pay Sk 200-350, depending on the amount of traffic and time.
Bratislava’s taxis are not as bad of a nightmare as those in some other cities of the region. Bratislava has about 20 separate taxi firms with over 1,000 vehicles and at least one hundred additional drivers who are not signed up with any firm. Taxis that carry a sign with the name of a taxi service are generally a cheaper and safer option than unmarked cars with only a yellow taxi light on the roof. The individual firms usually hold drivers accountable for complaints. These are usually also cheaper than hotel taxis at large hotels.
Here are the names and telephone numbers of a few taxi companies (with a little bit of luck, when you call the person will speak English):| Fun Taxi | 16777 or +421216777 from your mobile |
| Hello Taxi | 16321 or +421216321 from your mobile |
| Profi Taxi | 16222 or +421216222 from your mobile |
| Trend Taxi | 16302 or +421216302 from your mobile |
Prašná Bašta
A favorite with locals, this restaurant has an outdoor terrace area. The menu is filled with a variety of chicken and pork dishes, but a selection of vegetarian options are also available.
Zámočnícka 11
811 03 Bratislava
+421 2 5443 4957
www.prasnabasta.sk (Only partly in English)
Reštaurácia Modrá hviezda
Modra Hviezda, or “Blue Star” is a traditional Slovak restaurant halfway up the hill to Bratislava’s beaten-up castle. It was, apparently, once some kind of stable block, and has wonderful old barrel vaulted rooms with various old bits of ironwork hanging up.
Beblavého ulica č. 14
800 00 Bratislava
+421 2 5443 2747
www.modrahviezda.sk (Only partly in English)
Camouflage restaurant
Luxury Camouflage Restaurant Bratislava offers excellent international foods of the nouvelle cuisine. The restaurant shows original of Andy Warhol in its attractive interior. Camouflage has also a summer terrace. If you are on a business trip to Bratislava, this is a great restaurant for entertaining your hosts.
Ventúrska 1
811 01 Bratislava
+421 2 209 227 11
www.camouflage.sk
Tips to save money on hotel costs during your business trip to Bratislava.
To get the best price for a good hotel room during your business trip to Bratislava it's not only important to compare the prices the hotel charges for a room, but also compare the prices of the different booking agencies.
This can save you, or your company, a lot of money!
- Go to this hotel listing for Bratislava.
- Select the "Check-in" and "Check-out" date.
- Select filters like: "Hotel brand", "Ratings", "Location" and "Price ranges".
- Select the hotel you like.
- You will get an overview of the prices from up to 24 booking sites
- Select the best offer in the list and book the room!
We have selected the following established business hotels for your convenience:
Crowne Plaza Hotel
The Crowne Plaza Bratislava, a first class hotel, combines the best central location with comfortable accommodation, modern conference facilities and superb cuisine.
Hodzovo Namestie 2
Bratislava, Slovakia
+421 2 5934 8111
More info about Crowne Plaza Hotel Bratislava
Park Inn Danube Hotel
Located a short distance from Bratislava Castle, the Park Inn Danube Hotel houses excellent value guest rooms that offer charming views over the Old Town.
Rybné námestie
Bratislava, Slovakia
+421 2 5934 0000
More info about Park Inn Danube Hotel Bratislava
Radisson Blue Carlton Hotel
Originally constructed in 1837, the hotel retains many of its original features to provide guests with a unique and memorable hotel stay. With the National Theatre and Slovak Philharmony as neighbors, and excellent shopping, restaurants and city sights nearby, the hotel is the perfect base for business travelers.
Hviezdoslavovo nam. 3
Bratislava 811 02, Slovakia
+421 2 5939 0000
More info about Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel Bratislava
Shopping in Old Town
The beautiful streets in Old Town Bratislava are lined with shops offering the finest luxury merchandise, and priced accordingly. Here you will find the perfect gifts for your loved ones when your return from a business trip to Bratislava. An adjacent section of central Bratislava, focused around Obchodna ulica, offers a different mix of shops, mostly inexpensive.
Today under the Michael’s gate are luxury shops and restaurants such as Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Ed Hardy, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Clain, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Swarowski, Tiffany’s, Bvlgari and many others. This street is one of the most expensive streets in Central Europe.
Street markets in Bratislava
Mostly outside of Old Town but still easily reachable, Bratislava’s street markets are real gems if the season is right.
Shopping malls and shopping centres
There are at present four shopping centres in Bratislava, all of which designed in the style of shopping malls that have sprung up around the world in recent decades. Their specific style and attractions differ slightly, but all will feel familiar. Each has a cinema, numerous cafes and restaurants (some of which are exceptionally good), a food court, a grocery supermarket and approximately 50 to 100 conventional services and shops, most of which specialize in clothing. In addition, each of the four offers certain special features:
- Polus (close to sports stadiums) – cinemas, special events; easiest access by public transportation
- Aupark (across the Danube from Old Town) – cinemas, bowling, indoor water play area, spa, special children’s attractions in summer; relatively easy access by city bus
- Avion (close to Bratislava Airport, on the edge of town) – IMAX cinema, ice skating rink, special indoor children’s attractions; very easy parking
- Soravia Palace (close to Zlate Piesky beach, on the edge of town) newest mall, with especially active special events; easy parking and moderately easy access by public transportation
Bratislava Castle
The strong rectangular building with four corner towers stands on an isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava. It is an outstanding feature of the city. If you have enough time for sightseeing during your business trip to Bratislava, I would recommended you to visit it.
Since 1968, the castle has been housing expositions of the Slovak National Museum and at the same time its rooms have been used by the Slovak National Council (today the National Council of the Slovak Republic) for presentation purposes. In 1992, the castle housed a branch-office of the Czechoslovak president temporarily and later in the 1990s the Slovak president temporarily. It still houses the museum and the presentation rooms for the National Council of the Slovak Republic and for the president. A massive reconstruction was started in 2008. It should take 5 years.
The castle building includes 4 towers (one on each corner) and a courtyard with an 80 m deep water well. The biggest tower is the Crown Tower in the south-east from the 13th century, which housed the crown jewels. Behind the entrance, there is an arcade corridor and then the big Baroque staircase, which leads to the expositions of the Slovak National Museum. The left part of the southern part of the building houses the 4 halls of the Treasure Chamber with a collection of the most precious archaeological findings and other objects found in Slovakia, including the prehistoric statute called the Venus of Moravany. The 3rd floor houses the exposition History of Slovakia. The 1st floor in the southern part of the building houses the rooms of Slovak parliament - the National Council of the Slovak Republic - including parts of furniture from the 16th century. The northern part of the building- the former Baroque chapel, houses the Music Hall in which concerts are held. The court yard includes the entrance to the Knights Hall.
Michael’s Gate
The only preserved gate of the medieval city fortifications. Its Gothic foundations were laid in the first half of the 14th century. During 1511 - 1513 it was heightened, and during 1753 – 1758 it was rebuilt into its present appearance when a statue of St. Michael was placed on the top of the 51m high tower. Today, there is a museum of medieval fortification of Bratislava and arms located in the tower. You will get familiar with the town’s fortification beginnings, reconstructions and their final destruction in the 18th century as the fortified walls were preventing the city’s growth. On the sixth floor of the tower there is a balcony that offers a magnificent view of the Old City, the Castle, and surrounding areas.
This beautiful palace has seen its fair share of Kings and Queens over the years. It was here in 1805, that Napoleon signed the Pressburg Peace Treaty. Today, the palace houses part of the Municipal Museum, and has an excellent collection of English Tapestries, which were found hidden in the palace. The Hall of Mirrors is a wunderful room, and the chapel within the Palace can still be hired out for weddings.
Devin Castle
The ruined and recently renovated Devín Castle is in Devín, on top of a rock where the Morava River, which forms the border between Austria and Slovakia, enters the Danube. It is one of the most important Slovak archaeological sites, and contains a museum dedicated to its history. Due to its strategic location, Devín Castle was a very important frontier castle of Great Moravia and the early Hungarian state. It was destroyed by Napoleon’s troops in 1809. It is an important symbol of Slovak and Slavic history. Entrance fee 5 Eur. Open daily except Monday 10.00 - 17.00, in May - September (10.00 - 19.00). Castle Devin is far from from Bratislava about 25 km.
Make sure your health care insurance is sufficiently covered.
Maybe this is already covered in your regular health care insurance but often you will need to cover this with the travel insurance. Also a good travel insurance should cover the costs of travel for a relative in case of seriously illness or an accident.
The business trip travel insurance should also cover the costs of search, rescue and repatriation.
When you go on business trips on a regular basis, the easiest way to get insured is with an annual multi-trip insurance.
Keep in mind that you can also use this insurance for your pleasure trips so don`t forget to include to insure your leisure activities.
| General emergency number | 112 |
| Police | 158 |
| Ambulance | 155 |
| Fire | 150 |
Fortunately, doctors in Slovakia tend to be well-educated and well-travelled, and many have picked up terrific foreign language skills on the way. So it’s not too hard to find an English-speaking doctor in town.
Nemocnica s poliklinikou Podunajske Biskupice
Krajinska 91
Tel: +421 2 4025 1111 (MUDr. Capova, 0918-379 623)
Dr. Ana Čapová, who is the staff doctor at the American Embassy, is also happy to treat foreigners who are not embassy personnel.
The Slovak language is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages (together with Czech, Polish, Silesian, Kashubian, and Sorbian). Slovak uses a modification of the Latin alphabet.
Although in business people speak English, some Slovak phrases can always come in hand....
| How are you? | Ako sa mate? |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | Ďakujem, dobre. A vy? |
| What’s your name? | Ako sa voláte? |
| My name is ... | Volám sa ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Teší ma |
| Good morning | Dobré ráno (used until 8am) |
| Good day | Dobrý deň (used from 8am until dark) |
| Good evening | Dobrý večer |
| Good night | Dobrú noc |
| Goodbye | Dovidenia, Zbohom |
| Cheers/Good health! | Na zdravie! |
| Have a nice day | Pekný deň! Pekný deň prajem |
| Bon appetit | Dobrú chuť! |
| I don’t understand | Nerozumiem |
| Please write it down for me | Napíšte mi to prosím |
| How do you say ... in Slovak? | Ako sa po slovensky povie ...? |
| How much is this? | Koľko to stojí? |
| Sorry | Pardón! |
| Thank you | Ďakujem vám |
| Where’s the toilet? | Kde je záchod? |
| Yes/ No | Áno/ Nie |
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