Organised incentive trip to Seville
Blood and tears maybe not, but we've had to work up quite a sweat to adequately solve the challenges that we as an organisation sometimes face. I told you about it in the previous blog and kept our promise: an account of the incentive trip to Seville. The blog below gives an account of this wonderful incentive travel.
Brief recap of the last-minute challenge
Before I report on the incentive trip to Seville, here is a brief summary of my previous blog. A week before the incentive trip was due to start, we received a call from the client. Could we move two groups of 55 people each to a hotel outside Seville? An almost impossible task, because at goMICE we like to have everything arranged down to the last detail in advance and want to see all locations with our own eyes first. Partly thanks to the dedication and creativity of goMICE consultant Nadia, we managed to find a suitable location for both groups and the incentive trip to Seville could still go ahead.
Report on the incentive trip to Seville
Fortunately, the rescheduling of the groups did not affect the four-day programme we had put together for this incentive trip. The programme was packed with fun activities and hidden gem restaurants.
Just like all other locations, we always select the restaurants ourselves. Restaurants that we have been using for years, sometimes discovered by chance during previous trips. Sometimes we also cross restaurants off our list and, unfortunately, for the incentive trip to Seville too, we had to cross out a frequently used restaurant for our incentive trips. After inspection and tasting the menus, the restaurant turned out to no longer meet our high quality standards. This is usually caused by a new owner who wants to take a different approach. A shame, but quality comes above all else for us and when we discover new gems during inspection trips, it is not nearly so bad to have to say goodbye to a restaurant known to us.
Day 1: fresh tapas lunch, soaking up some culture and welcome drinks & dinner on an incredible rooftop
One of these new gems was found in a side street off the square where the beautiful cathedral stands. Immediately after arriving on the first day of the incentive trip to Seville, we took the bus there to have a somewhat late lunch. While enjoying delicious fresh tapas, the compliments came thick and fast. Everyone was surprised by the lovely restaurant and the space it offers for groups. It remains the ultimate challenge: finding a typical restaurant where the locals also go and that can also accommodate (larger) groups.
After the delicious lunch, it was time for culture. Together with a guide, we visited the cathedral so that everyone could get a good first impression of all the beauty Seville has to offer. Afterwards, we had selected one of the finest rooftops in Seville for the welcome drinks and the informal walking dinner.
It was truly a wonderful first evening, which was accompanied in style by the DJ we selected.
Day 2: bicycle tour & restaurant gems
Day 2 of the incentive trip to Seville was dedicated to a bicycle tour of the beautiful city. This allowed the groups to properly explore the city, and during the coffee stop there was plenty of time to discuss all the impressions they had gathered. The bike tour ended at a new hidden gem where we were served a delicious lunch. In the evening, our guests were once again surprised by the restaurant we had selected and enjoyed the special treats on the menu. We always carefully select the menus in advance so that the same dishes do not appear on the menu multiple times. Just like the incentive trip, the food must remain deliciously surprising!
Day 3: Flamenco workshop in typical finca
On the third day, we left the warm city to attend a number of workshops at a typical finca (hacienda). Watch the organised flamenco workshop below.
We also learned how to make sangria and olive oil and took part in a cheese tasting. Naturally, there was a jury to announce the winners. The delicious lunch that followed was served on the patio, after which there was time to take a dip in the swimming pool.
Everyone agreed that we wouldn't be able to surpass the previous restaurants, but surpass them we did. The restaurant was going to amaze them all over again, but first we had a huge surprise in store. They couldn't believe their eyes, because what had we done? Instead of a coach, we had arranged 14 horse-drawn carriages with CAVA and some snacks, to properly mark the 5-year partnership with our client. Our surprise was therefore greeted with loud applause and singing.
The carriages took us on a 45-minute tour through the city to our chosen restaurant, where we naturally arrived completely in style. Our guests still couldn't believe we had organised this for them, and that is precisely why we do it. Creating the ultimate experience and building in a surprise every now and then. After this wonderful surprise, it was time to show them the final restaurant for the evening. We thoroughly enjoyed all the reactions again during dinner at yet another diamond of a restaurant.
The final day of the incentive trip to Seville
The final day was still dedicated to Segwaying and a cooking class, and the trip was concluded by an early dinner at the oldest tapas restaurant in Seville. The trip couldn’t have gone better. Everyone was 100% satisfied. So, for us, it was once again fantastic to have been able to organise and run this event.
The feeling you get when you are personally thanked on the final evening and get to receive all the compliments remains indescribable. Every single time. Tired, but fulfilled, Nadia and I were once again able to tick off this incentive trip. Afterwards, we received WhatsApp messages from many participants, which naturally made us travel back to the Netherlands with grins from ear to ear.
Below is a selection of the many lovely messages.
Participant 1
I would like to thank you once again for the wonderful trip. It was brilliantly organised yet again. Compliments!!
Participant 2
What a fantastic trip again. Thanks for looking after us so well over the last 4 days in Seville. Hopefully see you again soon.
Participant 3
Thank you very much for the great organisation. The surprise with the carriages was a huge success, so thank you very much for that as well.
Participant 4
Each time we thought, where does it end? Every year you live up to it again and we go from one surprise to the next. And those restaurants…..how do you manage to find them every time? I think I'm 3 kilos heavier after 4 days….!
Want to discover even more of our incentive travel? Then take a quick look on our blog page!