Company event in Greece

off-site in Greece

Company event in Greece

Why (and how) to produce a corporate event in Greece with a local Event Planner

March 28, 2023

A One on one with Yonathan Hirschfeld, Co-Founder & Head of Business Development at Sirtaki Events

Always wanted to plan a memorable company off-site event in Greece?

Greece has everything – magical Islands with golden beaches, beautiful nature, a vibrant capital city, rich culture and delicious food – all the prefect elements to make it the ultimate destination for a company off-site, conference or incentive trip.

So how do you start planning an off-site event? And why should you use an Event Planer even for an event that is considered small? An Event Planner will tailor any event however big or small and create the perfect concept for your company’s needs, assist in choosing the destination according to season, purpose of the event, group size, theme, budget and more.

Yonathan Hirschfeld, Co-founder, and head of Business Development at Sirtaki Events gave us an insight into the process of planning a business event with his clients, tells us about the key advantages of working with an Event Planner, and reveals his favourite areas in Greece for an event:

Why work with an Event Planner for an off-site company event?

There are quite a few factors that needs to be taken into consideration when starting to plan an off-site company event. Unlike a one -day company event, an off-site event has many variables and chances for unexpected things to happen . When it comes to an event that is not in your country of origin, a local planner or a company can really make your life easier – first of all, you will not need to go out of your way to find each supplier separately, and they will know how to respond to every request as they are familiar with the localsff-site in Greece

What are the main advantages of working with a an Event Planner even for smaller events?

There is no difference between taking out 20 people, or 200 people in terms of the operation. The difference is not in the number of people but in the type of the event. The requirements, and the desire for everything to work properly is the same. A good Event Planner will be the person to be in charge of all these things.

Many of the smaller companies that approach us express some concern in hiring an event planner for their event, especially due to budget limitations. The general assumption is that using a planners’ services will be significantly more expensive and they don’t wish to use most of the budget on this service.

At Sirtaki Events, this is something that is very much a part of our company’s agenda – we adapt and tailor our service to every budget and every event regardless of the number of guests – this goes for both private and business events

What is the process you go through with a client when planning a business event?

When a client contacts us, we usually start with an initial conversation where all the ideas and dreams are written down. In the second stage and according to the budget, we offer a number of potential locations. We usually build the concept of the entire event together with the client, starting with branding, merchandising, theme, design language and teasers for the team even before the event even started.

In the next step we will present a number of optional suppliers that the client can choose from – photographers, caterers, tours, activities, etc.

After that, we present the client with a production portfolio that includes an hour-by-hour specification of the event together with the entire technical setup so that the client knows what is happening at any given moment. We believe in complete transparency in the work process.

In the final stage, which is actually the event itself, we are on site with the company at any given moment, from greeting them at the airport, check-in at the hotel and the rest of the activities during the event. We are always there – a production manager and a production team is present on site to make sure everything works smoothly and according to plan making sure the event will be perfect and unforgettableoff-site in Greece

What would be the description of the ultimate Off-Site event from your point of view?

In my opinion, an ultimate company event in Greece will include many local culture elements. One example could be an urban company event in Athens: A Greek market style reception welcomes the employees upon arrival, with branded gifts. The event itself will include food tours, local taverns and customised trips tailored according to the company’s culture, competitions or team building games such as The Run for a Million, etc. At night, visiting clubs, or a roof top party with good cocktails and delicious snacks where the local cuisine guides the whole vibe. Each day will hold some surprises planned with the company such as personalised ouzo bottles with the company name, branded bags and shirts, and much more. The goal is to express appreciation for the teams, to create a unique experience for them and especially to be busy just having fun. When the employees are dancing on the tables, I know we have achieved that goal!

What are you favourite areas in Greece for a company event?

What a big question! Well, contrary to popular opinion, Greece is a country whose climate caters all year round for any type of event! Whether the choice is an urban event at autumn, Athens is a classic destination for an off-site event during winter – a winter event at one of Greece’s ski resorts is also an amazing experience – the Aruhova area is stunning this time of year. The seaside areas in the summer – like a stunning resort in Evia Island in the center of Greece or in Halkidiki in the north, these are definitely my favourite areas!off-site in Greece

Would you like to start planning your event? We would love to talk to you. Contact us