How to choose the length of your convention
The length of a convention does not depend on the budget but on two questions: where the group is coming from and what needs to happen while it is together. These are the four formats we organise most often in Barcelona:
| Length | Who it suits | What fits in | Programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Local teams or teams arriving that same morning | Plenary, breakouts, lunch, awards and a closing activity or dinner | 1-day convention |
| 2 days and 1 night | Teams travelling from other cities | Plenary, welcome dinner, workshops and some time in the city | 2-day convention |
| 3 days and 2 nights | International kick-offs and sales conferences | Content, team activity, free time and an awards gala | 3-day convention |
| 4 days or more | Groups from other continents and conventions with an incentive element | Two days of content, an excursion, a gala and a sailing activity | 4-day or longer convention |
A practical rule: if more than half the group has to take a flight, add at least one night. And if the convention includes awards, the gala works better on the middle night than on the last, when people are already thinking about their suitcases.
Barcelona or a destination a short trip away?
Barcelona has convention hotels, congress centres and unique venues for groups of any size. But leaving the city changes a team's energy, and the surrounding area offers destinations that make this possible without long journeys:
- Sitges. Around 40 minutes by road, with convention hotels by the sea. It is the classic choice for a two-day getaway: we have organised conventions there for Duscholux and Edenred, as well as Provital's Providay.
- Montserrat. Mountain, monastery and the Bages countryside around it, for conventions with a retreat feel. We organised Edenred's convention at Món Sant Benet, close to the mountain.
- Tarragona and PortAventura. For large groups looking for a resort, a theme park and the Mediterranean in one place, with the Priorat close by for a wine day. In the Priorat we organised Edenred's "Haka" convention at Hotel Terra Dominicata.
- Costa Brava and Girona. Coves, masias and medieval villages. It needs longer transfers and at least two nights, and lets you fly out via Girona airport.
- Pyrenees and Cerdanya. Mountains, snow in winter and the outdoors in summer, for teams that want to switch off. There we organised "Hasta la cima", Lindt's event in the Cerdanya.
Many companies combine both worlds: the convention in Barcelona and a night or a day of incentive outside the city, or the other way round. We help you weigh up timings and transfers so that the change of scene pays off.
What all the programmes have in common
Each programme proposes a main venue with figures checked against official sources, an hour-by-hour agenda that alternates content, experiences and downtime, what our management covers, possible variations and the questions organisers ask us. None of them shows prices: we explain what the budget depends on and send you an itemised estimate with the proposal.
Behind all of them is the same method we apply to our company conventions and, when you are looking for a turnkey experiential convention, to [re] Conventions Experience. If your convention includes a reward trip, have a look at incentive travel too, and to work out the cost lines, our guide on how much a convention in Barcelona costs.
Already have dates and attendee numbers? Tell us about your project and within 24 business hours we will send you a proposal with venue, agenda and an itemised estimate.