About the author
Martin Sloboda (born in 1974 in Bratislava, Slovakia) is a Bratislava-based author, guide, photographer, lecturer, travel consultant and event coordinator. He focuses on promoting Bratislava and Slovakia as an attractive tourist destination.
Background
Sloboda was born into an old Bratislava family, where speaking German, Hungarian and Slovak was part of every-day life. Thanks to his grandparents’ and parents’ guidance, he developed, at an early age, his passion for Central Europe’s rich history in general and for Bratislava’s in particular.
Education
In 1999 Sloboda obtained MA from British and American Studies, and German Studies, specialization Translation & Interpreting, at the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. Simultaneously, he took further courses at schools in Germany (Universität Würzburg, Universität Tübingen), England (International Language Academy, Cambridge), France (Ecole Azurlingua, Nice), Italy (Istituto Linguistico Bertrand Russell, Padova) and Australia (Australian College of English, Sydney).
Martin Sloboda and his products. With foreign ministers of Slovakia and Austria. Accompanying US Ambassador in Slovakia. Making of a film about Bratislava with ARD team.
Career
While student, Sloboda obtained the city of Bratislava’s official license and started working for travel agencies in Bratislava as a tour guide. Before long he had become independent and had made his way from guiding tourist groups to corporate clients and eventually accompanying top-level state visits.
Following his graduation, Sloboda established MS Agency in 2000 specializing in high quality Guided Tours. He has been continually expanding the team by carefully selecting guides with personality, language skills and charisma in order to deliver highest quality service. Among his clients are some of the worlds most luxurious tour operators. Simultaneously, he added Publishing to his business. He combined his passion for history, touring and photography and started publishing successful guidebooks and postcards. In 2004 he added Event Planning, which has since developed into an important part of the business. The Stock Photography business has been steadily gaining importance hand in hand with the rising interest for Slovakia in the world. Ever since his images of Slovakia have been published in renowned international magazines and newspapers.
Sloboda’s other activities include Travel Consultancy for foreign travel writers covering Bratislava and Slovakia, TV stations working on documentaries about Slovakia, radio stations, newspapers and magazines. He gives regular Lectures on Slovakia on board luxury American cruise ships as well as for special interest groups. Thus, annually thousands of influential North Americans learn about the country and become Slovakia's "ambassadors" abroad. One of his most emotionally rewarding activities is Genealogy. He assists North American Slovaks in searching for their roots, rediscovering their ancestral land, locating living relatives and finally bringing families back together after more than a century.
In 2007, during European Union's 50th Anniversary in Berlin, Sloboda was selected into the European Union Panorama of " 27 True Europeans" representing Slovakia among 27 member states.
Personal Life
Sloboda lives in Bratislava, Slovakia with his wife and two children. As an active Rotarian he helps to raise funds for handicapped children in Slovakia. He acts as an "ambassador" of Slovakia and continues to do what he believes he was born for.