Isa Holtus
Anyone who says that a business group trip should primarily consist of meetings clearly hasn’t been to Valencia with us yet. For a group of 19 participants, we organized a five-day trip where we worked seriously, but the destination played just as important a role. From a catamaran tour across the Mediterranean to extensive dining at local restaurants. And then there was Sergio, the guide who, during a tapas tour, proved that you can get to know a city better with a plate full of tapas than during an endless walk.Â
Because if you fly to Valencia together, it would be a shame to only see the inside of a meeting room. Right?Â
The five-star hotel SH Valencia Palace served as the base for five days. A central location with all the facilities for a good business program, but also the perfect place to retreat to after a meeting. On Monday, a full meeting day was scheduled, and on Tuesday and Wednesday the group also began their meetings together in the meeting room.Â
In this kind of trip, it’s all about finding the right balance. The content should be of high quality, but the destination should definitely not be an afterthought. That’s why we created a program in which the business moments were logically interspersed with activities, good restaurants, and plenty of free time. Not a busy schedule where everyone runs from one part to the next, but a trip where you actually get to experience something of Valencia.Â
After the meeting on Tuesday and a joint lunch, it was time to leave the office routine behind. The group headed to the harbor, where a catamaran was ready for an afternoon on the Mediterranean Sea. A rather pleasant change after an early morning filled with content, where the conversations naturally turned to something other than the topics that had been on the agenda earlier that day.Â
After the catamaran trip, there was deliberately room to go out on your own. Just go back to the hotel, explore the city, or just sit down on a terrace somewhere. Later the group got back together for dinner at La Pepica, a restaurant that over the years has also welcomed many famous guests. Apparently, it’s not just we who know where to eat well in Valencia.Â
Because let’s be honest: a program doesn’t automatically get better when you fill it up every few hours. Sometimes the real power lies in the space you leave open.Â
On Wednesday afternoon, a tapas tour of Valencia was scheduled. A combination of local gastronomy, history, and a walk through the city. At least, that was the idea. Because as soon as guide Sergio took the group on a tour, it quickly became clear that the emphasis would mainly be on the culinary part.Â
And that turned out surprisingly well.Â
Sergio enthusiastically told the group about the history of Valencia along the way and took them to restaurants where you can really eat well. The walking tour ended up being a bit shorter than expected, but that was more than made up for by the stories, the local cuisine, and the time spent together enjoying the food and the company.Â
It became one of the absolute highlights of the trip. Not because there was a spectacular program component on the itinerary, but precisely because a good local guide was able to transform an ordinary city walk into an experience that the group would remember.Â
As far as we are concerned, the reason why you shouldn't just book the first activity is because the right people in the right place make the difference. And Sergio? In our opinion, he should be allowed to decide the route more often.Â
What made these five days in Valencia so special was the combination of content, relaxation, and the freedom to explore the city on our own. The meetings were an important part of the trip, but around them we created moments when colleagues could talk to each other outside of the usual work environment.Â
From a shared evening in a special restaurant to an afternoon at sea and a tapas tour where the culinary stops were at least as interesting as the stories along the way. Each part had its own place in the program, without the trip feeling like a race against time.Â
And that is exactly how we at GSE The Agency approach corporate group travel. We don’t cram as many activities into a few days to make an impression, but choose the right experiences that strengthen the program. With attention to the content, the group, and the destination.Â
Because if you’re going to Valencia anyway, you might as well make the most of it. And yes, tapas is part of that.Â
Karen van den Berg
Team Manager
