Success Key: 5 Curious Tips for a Greener Event in Portugal

11.14.2018

/uploads/Blog/2-Blog-EN/Success-Key-5-Curious/greener-event-in-portugal-9.jpg

As companies and organisations are becoming more concerned with the environment, hosting sustainable events is becoming a trend in the MICE industry. Discover why Portugal is a great destination for ecological events and some tips to make your event greener.

Why Should Companies Host More Ecological Events?

People in general are becoming more aware of the importance of preserving natural resources. By reflecting on these matters and applying them into practical measures, companies have the opportunity of taking responsibility and bringing positive impacts to the planet. This is important for the employees, as they feel part of a company that worries about their social responsibility and for the public reputation of the organisation.

By hosting an ecological Incentive Travel Event, companies can reinforce their values and social responsibility, but also find creative ways to help the environment and involving the whole team in doing so. Some people tend to think that an ecological event is more expensive than others, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, when thinking about the organisation of a sustainable event it is even possible to balance costs and end up with a better value than for other type of events.

Incentives Portugal is a Portuguese company that offers unique programmes, as they have specialized in hosting sustainable incentive events and meetings. Therefore, there are some important tips to take into consideration when organising this type of event:

The Vision

To organise a sustainable event, it is very important to have a specific vision about how this could apply to your incentive travel or meeting. Is your organisation concerned with the environment? Why? How could you transmit these ideas in an event?
For you to have a successful eco-friendly event, the vision is the first (and more important step). This is what guarantees that your event is coherent, and that sustainability is at the core of your event and has been materialized in every detail: from the hotel, the suppliers, the transportation, amongst others.

The Venues and Location

One of the most important details of any event is the location. The way your team or guests feel in the space and the sustainability of the place are key for an ecological event. In terms of location, Portugal is an excellent destination for a greener event, as the country has been more and more concerned about sustainability. Apart from being a country with many natural reserves and with amazing pristine areas of natural beauty, it also has ecological venues with green certification.

If you are organising a meeting or congress, the Congress Centre of Estoril has the gold certificate of the Earth Check. If you are planning a Corporate Event, there are some ecological hotels and lodges that are leading the eco-friendly way, as the Inspira Santa Marta Hotel – an hotel in the heart of Lisbon that offers ecological lighting, thermal heating, recycling, water flow reducers, amongst other measures that aim to make a difference without sacrificing comfort.

The Materials

When organising a green event, it is very important to think about the residues and the materials that are being used and how these can be changed to reduce the environmental impact of your event. If it is possible to send all the information through electronical devices, instead of printing everything, or replacing plastic for other biodegradable materials this is the way to go.

The Meals

Whether you are organising an entire Corporate Event or a single meeting, the meals are a big part of any event. And this is one of the things in which is possible to make a difference. Choose suppliers that offer alternatives and work with locally sourced products. Think about ways in which the meals can reflect the vision of the event: if it makes sense, offer vegetarian meals on certain days; or rely as much as possible in organic products from local producers.

The Team Building Activities

If you have a vision for a sustainable event, it is important that you communicate this vision through your event. Team Building experiences are an excellent way of getting your staff or guests involved in the theme of the event and make them feel part of this vision. Some of the eco-friendly activities that you can do in Portugal are:

Water Hiking

Thanks to its proximity to the sea, Portugal is an excellent destination to practice water-hiking, which consists in swimming and watching sea life with a snorkel and sea glasses. This is an excellent way of getting your team to be aware of the richness and beauty of natural life and wanting to preserve it even more.

Horse ride

Horse riding is an excellent way of enjoying the outdoors and getting to discover some of the beautiful landscapes of Portugal, in a very sustainable and fun way.

Trekking Team Challenge

From mountains to cliffs, Portugal has the perfect landscape to do some trekking and see natural beauty that will amaze you. This can be the opportunity to reconnect with nature and make your event more meaningful.

TIf you feel inspired to host a sustainable event and you would like to make it in Portugal, contact our expert team. With the most creative ideas and a green philosophy, we will help you to organize an eco-friendly event that suits the needs of your organisation!