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A company retreat in Greece is always an empowering experience. Indeed, it helps with team bonding, boosts employee engagement, and fosters a deep sense of belonging. When producing such a corporate getaway abroad, you should be even more creative and precise. Consequently, we caught up with Itzik Nahum, HR Business Partner at Go Global, who shared the details of their incredibly successful company retreat Athens journey.
We are Go Global, a leading global technology company operating in the tourism sector. Specifically, we provide premium B2B services to travel agents who utilize our proprietary reservation system. While our main headquarters are based in Israel with 70 employees, we also manage 24 international branches with 540 additional team members worldwide. Ultimately, this specific company retreat in Greece was curated exclusively for our talented Israel-based team.
Although we are not a traditional high-tech company, we work hard to provide our team with the same exceptional benefits. For instance, we make sure to arrange an annual corporate getaway abroad for our employees. Since our time is always limited, finding a destination with a short flight was absolutely essential.
However, we also wanted a location that remains highly engaging and culturally rich. Athens proved to be the absolute perfect destination for us. Besides the quick flight, the city and its surroundings offer a endless array of premium attractions. It is a vibrant capital that truly has it all—history, culture, exciting nightlife, incredible food, and gorgeous spring weather.
I discovered Anat and Yonatan through a personal recommendation. After sending Anat a message, she responded immediately, and we established an instant connection. Right away, I felt that she understood exactly what I was looking for.
In general, Anat and Yonatan gave us a complete “your wish is our command” experience. This approach provided a wonderful sense of security from the very start. Initially, they asked the right questions to understand our budget and carefully ensured we did not overspend.
Choosing the right date was our first major challenge. However, Anat and Yonatan handled this smoothly by suggesting great options and offering flexible alternatives whenever we hesitated. Ultimately, everything went flawlessly, making the entire planning journey easy, short, and incredibly enjoyable.
When Itzik contacted us to produce Go Global's annual company retreat in Greece, we knew he had a clear vision. Since Go Global takes their team abroad every year, staying innovative was highly important. Consequently, creating excitement and building a buzz for the perfect retreat became our main mission.
Athens was indeed an excellent choice. While an urban getaway is not the first thing people imagine when thinking of Greece, the capital definitely has its own charm. As we do with every corporate event in Greece, we carefully followed Itzik's guidelines. These included a premium 5-star hotel, a central city location, and exciting activities within walking distance. Additionally, we made sure to design plenty of quality free time into the schedule.
A few key elements were absolutely vital to our team:
Branding: We wanted customized gifts for our employees. Remarkably, Anat and Yonatan took care of the entire creative process from start to finish!
Team activities: Exciting team-building experiences were a top priority. Consequently, Anat and Yonatan planned amazing tours, including a thrilling “Run for a Million” race.
Culinary: Since our employees love to indulge in fine food, having an abundant culinary experience was essential. Fortunately, we felt in incredibly good hands due to Anat’s professional background as a chef. We were certainly not disappointed. Every single restaurant and traditional tavern they selected was excellent, providing endless delicious dishes. Indeed, Anat did an outstanding job in this area.
One of our main principles when designing an event is creating a cohesive narrative. By doing so, the client truly feels the authentic vibe of the destination, connects with the local community, and experiences the same excitement we feel walking through Athens. Consequently, we made sure to focus every activity, meal, and branding element on the beauty of Greece.
Upon arrival, we welcomed the guests at the hotel with a Greek market-themed welcome event featuring colorful food stalls. Additionally, we combined rich Greek history with key company milestones during "The Run for a Million" race and our custom culinary tours. Ultimately, when selecting the menus for every dining experience, we placed a strong emphasis on choosing the finest local cuisine.
Everything was absolutely perfect from the very moment we arrived in Greece.
As previously mentioned, cohesive branding was highly important to us. Consequently, custom-branded buses, along with Yonatan, were already waiting to transport us to the hotel as soon as we landed. Thanks to Anat’s expert recommendation, we planned in advance for each employee to receive a curated branded bag.
Upon arrival at the hotel, an incredible meal supervised by Anat was waiting for everyone. This welcome featured a fully branded experience, including custom booths, merchandise, and a live DJ. Naturally, the entire vibe was incredibly happy, serving as the perfect opening for a perfect retreat. It truly felt that Anat and Yonatan cared on a deep, personal level about making everything exactly how we envisioned it.
For the teams, “The Run for a Million” activity in Athens was an amazing way to explore the city together. This bonding competition kept everyone highly engaged. Afterward, we enjoyed a spectacular dinner at a premium rooftop restaurant, which was an extraordinary experience in itself.
Throughout the entire journey, Yonatan was always available to answer our needs. Even when unexpected situations arose, he handled them effortlessly. Indeed, even our most unconventional requests were always answered with a genuine smile.
Without a doubt, the absolute highlight was the Friday night dinner on the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Everything was perfectly arranged by the team. With festive, high-end decor, exquisite food, and a breathtaking view of the illuminated Acropolis, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.
For us, the first-day dinner at the traditional Greek restaurant with a live band was by definition the coolest highlight. Specifically, we booked a private room with an authentic Greek band that had everyone dancing in no time.
Fortunately, the food and premium service were completely on point. We loved seeing how relaxed and happy everyone was throughout the evening. Ultimately, this lively celebration marked the true success of the entire trip for us. As Yonatan always says, "When I see a client dancing on the table, I know I have achieved my goal!"
As we do after every major corporate getaway, I sent out an anonymous survey to gather the team’s honest feedback. Specifically, I wanted to find out what they genuinely thought of the organization and activities.
Remarkably, the reactions were absolutely phenomenal. Every single question, without exception, received an outstanding score of either 4.5 or 5 out of 5. Our entire team thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the trip and felt completely delighted. Ultimately, there is not much left to say—the feedback speaks for itself and makes us smile!
First of all, I highly recommend choosing Athens for your next destination. It is a perfect city that effortlessly accommodates every kind of activity you could possibly want.
Secondly, I recommend partnering with Anat and Yonatan without thinking twice. Indeed, I am incredibly glad to have met them. If you decide to put your event in their creative hands, you are guaranteed to receive the highest level of care. Having worked with quite a few production companies in the past, Sirtaki Events is definitely a level above them all!
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