Introduction

At Barcelona Inside and Out we use our extensive local knowledge and contacts to create unique experiences and events for companies that have chosen Barcelona as the destination for their corporate event.

We were approached by Tom Brown, founder of The Information Lab, a multinational data tech company, in January last year with a request to organise an unforgettable incentive weekend for their hardworking data tech teams.

About the Client

The Information Lab is a rapidly growing, multinational software development company whose client base includes major retail, pharmaceutical and finance companies.

Their global workforce of data tech experts generally has limited contact with their counterparts in other countries. Post-covid, they also have fewer opportunities to interact with colleagues at their own locations.

Wanting to address this and also reinforce company loyalty, Tom and his team decided to bring everyone together for a global incentive trip in Barcelona, which nearly 400 people signed up for.

Tom approached Barcelona Inside and Out because we have proven success in organising similar events for companies such as Revolution Bars, for whom we created a unique gastronomy weekend for a group of their chefs and suppliers.

What We Did

The Information Lab had initially booked a hotel in Sitges, a beautiful seaside town just south of Barcelona in 2020, just before Covid struck. But by the time the pandemic was over, the company had grown in size and the group had now doubled to 400 people, which was when they contacted us.

After two years of waiting, they had new ideas on what they wanted to achieve with the trip for their teams and just needed help organising and putting the whole thing together.

Our remit was to organise a fun-packed weekend with a variety of activities that would provide ample opportunity for people from all The Information Lab’s teams to meet and bond, improving team cohesion and strengthening company loyalty.

A key part of the event was a sit-down dinner for the whole group with a party afterwards. There were also the transport logistics to take care of for all the transfers to and from activities to be held during the weekend.

When the event was held in October, we provided a seamless ‘turn-up and enjoy’ experience, with activities that gave everybody the chance to mix with and get to know people from their own teams and others from around the globe.

The main activities for the weekend were:

• Catamaran trip: We brought a 120-person catamaran with sound system, bar and crew down from Barcelona especially for the weekend. This proved to be really popular and we ran cruises during the event. All those on board had a couple of drinks tickets and it was the perfect opportunity to relax with, get to know and even dance with colleagues and friends.
• E-bike ride through the vineyards: A really memorable morning riding through the vineyards of the picturesque Penedes wine region, which was topped off by an atmospheric, open-air wine tasting in a secluded woodland surrounded by vines. 70 people signed up and feedback was fantastic (see the video clip below).
• Cava Tour: Cava country is only a 30-minute drive from Sitges, so we took a coach load of the group to Codorniu, one of the most spectacular wineries in Spain. The visit included a full tour with an electric train ride through their huge cellars and finished off with a full tasting of their best cavas.
• FC Barcelona: For those who love their football no trip to Barcelona would be complete without a visit to the Nou Camp. We arranged a full tour of the ground and its museum. We included VR headsets that let you experience what the stadium is like during El Clasico, when the atmosphere is at fever pitch.
• Main dinner event: For the main meal of the event, we worked with a beachside nightclub and restaurant to organise a three-course, sit-down dinner for everyone. The meal kicked off with a stand-up welcome drink giving everyone time to mingle and get to know each other over a glass of cava. The dinner was followed by a speech from Tom before the private party for the whole group hosted by a local DJ.

Aside from this, some of the team independently requested a football match, which we were very happy to organise for them at the local municipal stadium.

In terms of transport logistics, people were arriving from 7 different destinations, at different times of the day, so we had our work cut out! But we were able to arrange a carefully coordinated fleet of coaches of various sizes, timed for the arrivals and departures at both Barcelona’s terminals, maximising efficiency and minimising costs.

What Were the Outcomes?

It was evident from the outset that the opportunity to interact and bond with people from across the company was genuinely welcome. We were on the ground at the event all weekend to make sure everything went without a hitch, and feedback from everyone involved was really positive.

The Information Lab has since reported better team collaboration and communication across the European teams as a result of the event. It also helped to establish and build new relationships which are being used for knowledge sharing and for growth opportunities in sales.
Overall, the main takeaway was that the weekend of events in Sitges improved team morale considerably, bringing with that improved results across the board and increased company loyalty.
Some comments from the WhatsApp group were:
“It was great seeing so many awesome people from across the company – I am honoured to be part of it all.”
“Appreciate the entire weekend. So great to catch up with many old and new faces”.
“I had such an incredible time this weekend and would like to thank all those involved for bringing all these wonderful people together and making sure that we have a really great time. It was a real pleasure to finally meet so many of you in person after only ‘knowing you’ via online and I’m so happy to catch up with people”.
“Thank you to everyone who made these last few days what they were – genuinely don’t think I could’ve had any more fun. So fantastic to meet so many people from other offices and feel very lucky to work at TIL.”
“Loved hanging out with everyone. Think we can all agree we work at a very cool company.”
“Glad to have met so many new people – the highlight for me. Hopefully when visiting various countries I can always call on team members to show me around.”
The feedback from Tom Brown was:
“Thanks to Anthony for helping to create such a great itinerary and ensuring it all ran smoothly – getting nearly 400 people in the right place at the right time to have a lot of fun is no mean feat and it was managed extremely well”

Summary

Offering corporate trips to exciting destinations is a fantastic way to incentivise employees, facilitate bonding and boost morale by giving your team an incredibly memorable experience together.

Barcelona Inside and Out offers a range of corporate travel experiences perfect for tech teams, no matter the size of the group or the itinerary you have in mind. Our hands-on approach and attention to detail make us the perfect partner for these events in and around Barcelona.

To start planning your trip, get in touch, and we’ll be happy to tell you more about our services.