Event planning in Ibiza has a special charm and flow, as the island itself. Ibiza is an example of destination reinvention, somehow like the Madonna of the destinations.
In this article we will comment about the influence of the clubbing culture of the island and its impact on event planning in Ibiza.
When thinking of Ibiza, many used to label it as the party island. And this comprehensible, as the music and show life is part of the culture of the island.
BUT IS THIS ALL THAT IS?
Of course not!
Along the years, the island has always been an appealing destination for groups and events. Although it has been traditionally seen more as an incentive destination mostly, in the last years the island managed to position itself as a versatile destination attracting all kind of events: from product launches to conferences, trainings or annual conventions.
AND HOW DOES THIS INFLUENCE THE EVENT PLANNING PROCESS?
This is what we are about to discover next.
So, let’s see the key aspects to keep in mind when planning an event in Ibiza and what are the Do’s and Don’ts in this case.
Probably the most curious thing about Ibiza is that it comes to life on the day of the clubs opening parties, which is usually during Mid-May and then everything stops all of a sudden, like waking up from a dream the day after the closing parties, at the beginning of October. It really feels like turning on and off the light on the island. The contrast is so strong between the two faces of this destination, that the day after or the day before seem almost unreal.
If your event dates coincide with these two periods or even if you are just planning an event including some party time for your guests, here are the DO’s and DON’Ts:
DO’s:
- Secure all suppliers with enough time. The opening and closing parties are the most demanded during a season, therefore, availability is scarce everywhere.
- If your budget is a little tight, but you still want to enjoy the charm of Ibiza, maybe you can check different dates than the opening and closing parties’ period, as these ones are usually the most expensive.
- Reconfirm if restaurants work in several shifts and if the dinner time per guest / group is limited, as some venues tend to apply this kind of policies during the season and most demanded dates in order to accommodate all requests received.
- Limit spontaneous requests of plans as the island and all venues are usually packed, as the opening and closing parties are meant to be the greatest shows of the season
- First row tables or VIP areas at discos are best to be booked in advance, as they are sold out quite easy.
- Disco’s open usually at 00.00hrs, so make sure to organize a plan for the guests to spend the time between dinner and disco access. Also, count this time and resources needed in your event agenda and budget.
- Think about switching breakfast the next day after the party to a brunch as most of the guests will most probably prefer to sleep the early hours of the day.
- Pay special attention to the pick-up and drop off by bus of the guests. As traffic increases in the main streets where the clubs are located, it is highly advised to make sure you define correctly the spot where the busses can stop and consider also the time they are allowed to wait without blocking the traffic in the area.
- Inform your guests about closing time of the bars and restaurants of the hotel they are accommodated at, to assure no disappointment in case they may fancy to take the after-hours to the hotel.
- Think about a drinks plan at the club or hotel bar afterwards in case the company would like to pay for the drinks, as this is one of the biggest challenges you may encounter. The best option would be booking a VIP area at the club including one of the packages available for groups or hiring an open bar at the hotel in advance.
DON’Ts:
- Avoid last minute changes in your event programme as suppliers tend to be fully booked, so less flexible
- Don’t wait to buy disco tickets for your guests on the last minute…you may not find any or much more expensive!
- If your guests are attending a night party, make sure not to start the next day’s activities too early.
- Don’t book one-way transfers from the disco back to the hotel to a certain hour, as the bus may return empty. If you would like to provide transportation, you may want to consider a shuttle bus during several hours, so guests can choose when to return.
- Don’t consider only the night parties. On the island there are plenty day party options, including boat parties, pool parties, beach parties and so on!
- Don’t plan the party for the last night on the island as check out may result at least challenging, if not complicated and this may delay your airport times on departure.
- Don’t expect the group to be able to skip the line at the discos, especially on the opening or closing party day. Although it is true that groups that have booked VIP areas have a different entrance, usually, they may have to wait a little in the queue.
Some of the above points may sound a bell and some may sound strange or even preoccupying, but in the end, it is all about knowing the peculiarities of the destination forehand and understand the local culture.
The best option to make sure you don’t miss any detail and avoid any unexpected turnout is to rely on local partners and support that are used to deal with all this on a daily basis.
