São Miguel Redefined

São Miguel Redefined

When planning corporate events, convenience is often king. But one bold client came to us with a different vision: “Take us somewhere meaningful, somewhere off the beaten path.” Our answer? “São Miguel, the green heart of the Azores, a volcanic island brimming with natural beauty and authentic culture”.
 
We curated a four-day incentive and strategy retreat for 60 participants, blending business sessions with unforgettable local experiences. The mission: to create moments of awe, genuine connection, and a deep sense of place.

Highlights of the program included whale watching along the island’s breathtaking coastline, offering participants a rare, emotional connection with the natural world. In the evenings, the group gathered for a private dinner set within centuries-old Fort Terrace Restaurant, where historic stone walls hosted refined regional cuisine and ambient music.

Hosting an event on a remote island brought its own set of challenges, from limited flight connections and scattered accommodations to rapidly changing weather patterns. But each obstacle was met with a proactive strategy:

• Flight logistics were resolved through staggered arrivals, with personalized airport pickups and a warm welcome at the hotel for early arrivals, complete with refreshments and local hosts offering orientation.

• Accommodations, spread across four boutique hotels, were carefully selected within walking distance of each other. We created a WhatsApp group to coordinate daily transfers and ensure the group felt unified, despite being in different locations.

• Weather unpredictability, a known trait of the Azores, was met with layered planning. For each outdoor activity, we developed a tailored Plan B, not just a fallback, but a meaningful alternative. When rain disrupted the whale watching schedule, we seamlessly pivoted to a private cultural immersion at a local ceramic studio, where participants took part in a hands-on tile-painting workshop and enjoyed a surprise tasting of local liqueurs.

In the end, the event was more than a success, it was a story. A celebration of place, people, and purpose. São Miguel reminded us that the most remote destinations often create the most powerful experiences.