Prague is a fabulous holiday destination, but it's not a half-bad place to do business either. Congress tourism is on the rise, and Prague, and indeed the entire Czech Republic, has a range of offerings, both large and small to meet the needs of all sorts of meetings, conferences and congresses.

There are a load of reasons to consider the Czech Republic when you are planning your next big company function. There are a range of luxury hotels with meeting space on site plus a number of congress facilities capable of holding up to 5000 people. Prague itself has plenty of extracurricular activities for participants to explore in a group or on their own. Cost, of course, is always a factor and the Czech Republic still offers low-cost but high standard amenities; in a strategically central location in the middle of Europe. Prague is a safe city, with a modern and easy-to-navigate public transport system, plus a spacious and comfortable airport. The recently opened North 2 Terminal at Ruzyně Airport has a capacity to serve 10 million passengers a year; about 50 airlines offer direct flights to Prague from more than 100 international destinations.

Whether you need a huge hall to accommodate a big group, or simply some small to medium size meeting or work rooms; the country has you covered. In Prague, the largest venue is the Prague Congress Centre (www.praguecongresscentre.com) with 20 conference halls and 50 meeting rooms. Up to 9,000 people can be accommodated here. Other large scale venues include O2 Arena (www.o2arena.cz) or the stunning Municipal House (www.obecni-dum.cz). If you are looking to give your attendees a different feel for the country; look to one of the larger cities outside of the capital. Brno, the Czech Republic's second city, has both an Exhibition Grounds (www.bvv.cz) and a Congress Centre. Brno is linked to Prague via train and bus; plus motorway. It is also an easy connection from Vienna, which makes it a great central choice for a number of international conferences. Ostrava, Karlovy Vary, Plzeň, Hradec Králové and Olomouc are other smaller cities to consider. All offer varying sizes of conference facilities; but in a smaller city for a more intimate background. There are small regional airports scattered across the country as well for charter flights. If you are looking to combine your event with an outdoor element; choosing one of these cities is a great option.

There are a number of exhibition halls scattered across the country to host trade fairs, exhibitions and other large-scale presentations. They include Incheba Expo Prague (www.incheba.cz); Prague Trade Fair Area Letnany (www.pva.cz); the Brno Exhibition Centre (www.bvv.cz) and the Ostrava Exhibition Centre (www.cerna-louka.cz).

If you are looking for atmosphere to surround the dull business meetings; look no further than one of the Czech Republic's many chateaux. Dealings can be done in historical settings in Mikulov (www.mikulove.cz) close to Brno; and Dobříš Chateau (www.zamekdobris.cz) near Prague. If you prefer to stay in the city; Prague's Palace Žofín has the space and character to impress.

What about downtime? Arranging activities for your attendees to do when they are done plotting strategy is an important consideration. Tours of medieval Prague is an obvious introduction to the city; and be sure to include an evening of music. The State Opera and National Theatre are spectacular venues in which to experience some world class symphony, opera or ballet. Day trips from Prague include the opportunity to visit castles like Karlštejn or Konopiště or the macabre but fascinating bone church near the town of Kutná Hora. Beer lovers won't want to miss the intriguing brewery tour in Plzeň, nor the architecturally interesting city itself. If you are in Brno or other Moravian cities, wine will be something to explore. A good trip would be a visit to the National Wine Bank housed in the chateau in Valtice. Valtice's next door city Lednice boasts a grand chateau with a wonderful park.

The golf course is an excellent place to do business. Golf facilities, and indeed golf tourism as a whole, have been rapidly expanding throughout the country. Close to Prague, both Karlštejn and Konopiště have courses. North, in the spa town of Karlovy Vary there are a number of well-regarded courses. For the less athletically inclined; why not arrange a Czech cuisine tasting evening? Your guests will be pleasantly surprised by the new wave of Czech cooking; much lighter and fresher than is normally associated with our kitchens. Accompanied by a Czech brew or wine; it will be a fun and memorable event.

It's not difficult to find modern, well-equipped facilities in any part of the country. There are a number of local, dedicated professional conference organisers and destination management companies to assist you in finding your perfect spot. A few to consider include Absolute Solutions (233 32 40 67, www.absol.cz); AIMS International (284 00 73 40, www.aims-international.com) and IB Travel (222 71 81 11, www.ibtravel.cz).