A highlight of the trip was the meeting with representatives from Kraków’s City Council. Students had the opportunity to engage directly with professionals from the departments of Tourism, Social Communication, and Cultural Heritage. Through informative presentations and candid discussions, students explored issues of over-tourism, sustainability, and urban identity preservation. For those involved in business studies and city branding projects, this interaction offered invaluable practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of public-private collaboration.
The field experience extended beyond professional insights, as students visited Kraków’s historic center and Kazimierz, the city's historic Jewish Quarter. Guided walks allowed students to appreciate the unique character of these areas, defined by their vibrant yet solemn historical narratives. The engaging storytelling by local guides brought the city's Jewish history vividly to life, connecting past and present and reinforcing the profound impact of cultural heritage on urban identity. This experiential learning fostered not only academic enrichment but also critical soft skills such as empathy, cross-cultural awareness, and reflective thinking.
The most profound aspect of the trip was the visit to Auschwitz. Students experienced a poignant and emotionally charged exploration of this critical historical site. The immersive nature of visiting Auschwitz emphasized the importance of preserving historical memory, highlighting how direct experiences can impart deeper, more meaningful learning than traditional classroom-based approaches alone. The eloquence and sensitivity of the tour guides significantly enhanced this component of the field trip, leaving students with a lasting understanding of history's relevance and their responsibility to remember and reflect.
Concluding the trip, a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine provided a distinct contrast, showcasing a different facet of Poland’s cultural and historical heritage through the mine's impressive subterranean sculptures and tunnels. This lighter, yet equally educational component demonstrated the diversity of heritage tourism and the wide-ranging skills required in the field of destination marketing.
Overall, this field trip to Kraków was an impactful educational journey, emphasizing experiential learning as central to academic and personal growth. Students returned to Rome with enhanced professional insights, strengthened soft skills, and a renewed appreciation for how history profoundly shapes city identity, proving the transformative potential of learning experiences beyond the classroom.
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Thanks to student Jose Ortega for contributing to this article.