Travel agencies are a dime a dozen, but the latest one to open in the Czech Republic has a slightly different selling point. They offer full-blown tourist experiences - to cuddly toys. That's right. Thanks to the Dragons' Den equivalent, Den D, customers across the world can pay to send their favourite cuddly toy to the agency, the employees of which will then take it on a whistle-stop tour of Prague - and take the pictures to prove it!
22 year old decorator Marek Hlavka pitched the idea which was a hit with the Czech business moguls. The concept was apparently inspired by the film 'Amelie' which features something similar with a garden gnome rather than stuffed toys. The travel agency are targeting the American and Japanese markets to begin with, and apparently they've already had plenty of interest - with 15,000 hits on the website in one week alone!
All clients need do is post their chosen toy to the agency, and they'll do the rest. There are various packages available for those pampered cuddly toys - ranging from 90 Euros to 150. The best of the best even includes a massage for the plucky toy! It's not clear exactly how that works, but it certainly is inventive! The agency will take photos of the toy at various famous sights around Prague, and it will then be sent home with the evidence in tow - much to the delight of the toy's owner.
It's expected that this new idea will take off quite quickly, with interest currently spreading like wildfire. It's only fair to assume that 'copycat' style companies will soon be cropping up across the globe. So, wherever it is that you live, be sure to be on the lookout for teddy bear tourists!