Croatia Addendum
113
A spectacular celebration – whipped cream on the cake
The arrival of guests to Croatia was organised by four private charter flights to Split airport, where 16 buses were waiting to transport this large group to Split and then on to the island of Hvar by catamaran. The Hotel Amfora in Hvar was exclusively reserved for the group, mostly employees of the company, while additional staff from the organisations and agencies (more than 70 people) were housed at the Hotel Palace. During their stay in the hotel guests had a gala dinner, access to an open bar and an organised DJ party at the cascade pool. To experience the destination in the most authentic way, the guests had the opportunity to choose from among many discovery activities, and in less than 15 minutes they had been divided into 10 smaller groups that went on tours with jeeps, safaris in VW Beetles, bike tours, a culinary discovery of Hvar and many other activities. The festive evening to celebrate the 20th anniversary and the award ceremony for employees and their contribution to the success of the company was the focus of the trip - and also the most complex task for organisers. A concert with four DJs, singers, a drummer, violinist, saxophonist, two trumpeters and a group of dancers was organised in Veneranda club. Preparations included the reconstruction of the building, which took three months, and an extra six days for the more detailed preparation and improvements. It took seven trucks to bring all the necessary equipment for sound, lighting, stage, furniture and decoration. Everyone involved - from the director of the concert, performers, technical support staff, to event organisers and catering - gave their best to create an amazing concert experience. The guests were also served with typical Dutch snacks such as Bitterballen and Kaastengels, purchased especially for this occasion from a Dutch supplier. “The guests were not aware that there was going to be the concert in the evening, and it was important to prepare every single detail without guests finding out in order to completely surprise them,” said the organisers at Intours.
Two years of preparations for a successful event
Tomislava Vrgoč, head of the MICE sales department in Sunčani Hvar, said that as the hosts they are very satisfied with the event. “It was a great challenge, one of the biggest ones we have done in recent years. As the event was organised at the beginning of the season, this can be an excellent indicator of how the season can be extended, which is our strategic aim and can be achieved with the implementation of projects like this. Cooperation with partners who support the promotion of Hvar as a tourism destination is crucial.” When asked how many hotel staff would be needed to support such an event, Vrgoč stated: “The numbers also surprised me! For example, for carrying the luggage we had to use 18 porters. From housekeeping, reception, kitchen, service staff and back office - at any time of preparation more than 100 people were working. In the sales department, the focus on this event lasted for almost two years, since June 2014, when we received the initial request for a destination inspection.” Twenty event organisers from Intours DMC were involved together with a group of trusted suppliers and associates. Special attention was given to the impeccable organisation of this logistically very challenging event to make sure it ran smoothly. “We worked with our long-term suppliers who guarantee an excellent service in all circumstances. Starting with the Intours DMC team, the hotel team and technical support team to support staff, they were all well prepared and coordinated in order to complete their piece of the puzzle and contribute to a successful event.” Considering also the size of the event, Intours DMC took care of all the requirements of security, medical and fire support. “As we are local experts and are aware of possible changes at the last minute, especially due to weather conditions, a backup plan is always in place. Another factor of success is the excellent cooperation between the client, tourist agencies and our team, who have worked side by side from September 2014 to May 2016” they revealed.