March 2021. The pandemic was still at its peak. A client had a contractual obligation under an EU project to hold a conference. A standard in-person format was not possible. MICE.BA proposed a hybrid solution. The client agreed. The result was one of the most visible events we have organised.
This case study is relevant for any agency or organisation planning a conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina that requires creative problem-solving, protocol-level speakers and reliable hybrid delivery.
Event Details
Client: Office for European Integration, Government of West Herzegovina County
EU Project: Cycling Rural — Cycling Routes for the Promotion of Natural and Cultural Heritage of Herzegovina and Montenegro
Funder: European Union, Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro
Project: Cycling Rural
Event type: Hybrid conference
Venue: Hotel Bigeste, Ljubuški
Date: 12 March 2021
On-site participants: 30
Online participants: Over 150
Media mentions: Over 75
The Challenge
The client needed to hold the closing conference for the Cycling Rural EU project. Bringing a large audience together in person was not possible at that point in the pandemic. At the same time, the event had to be credible and professionally delivered. The programme included high-level speakers from international organisations and partner countries.
MICE.BA proposed the hybrid format as the right solution. We advised the client through the decision-making process and took full responsibility for the delivery.
The Speakers
Coordinating speakers of this institutional level in a hybrid format requires precise advance communication and technical preparation without margin for error.
The Adriatic Outdoor Adventure Forum brought together:
- Ambassador Johann Sattler, Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Steliana Nedera, UNDP Resident Representative in BiH
- Nils Wetzel, EU4Business Project Manager at GIZ
- Thomas Bullmann, Outdooractive (Germany), the largest European outdoor platform
- Ed Lancaster, European Cyclists’ Federation (Belgium)
- Jack Delf, Black Mountain Montenegro
- Iva Bencun, DMC Feral Tours (Croatia)
Managing a multilingual international panel across an in-person and online format simultaneously is a specific skill. MICE.BA handled all of it.
What MICE.BA Delivered
Concept development and advisory
We proposed the hybrid format and advised the client on the full implementation approach.
Programme design and speaker coordination
We designed the conference programme and coordinated communication with domestic and international speakers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Germany and Belgium.
Technical hybrid setup
We built the complete technical infrastructure for the hybrid event using the Zoom platform. We managed online registrations and online programme access for over 150 participants.
Online simultaneous interpretation
We organised simultaneous interpretation from English into Croatian for online participants. This is a specialist service that requires an experienced translation team and careful technical coordination.
Live stream and video production
We streamed the conference live on the organiser’s Facebook page and uploaded the full recording to the organiser’s YouTube channel. The video remains publicly available as a project record.
PR campaign and media communication
We prepared press materials ahead of the conference, sent invitations to journalists and distributed a press release after the event. The conference generated over 75 mentions in media and on social media.
Post-event follow-up
We conducted a structured follow-up with participants and speakers to collect feedback on the hybrid format experience.
YouTube video “Adriatic Outdoor Adventure”
What This Project Demonstrates
This event confirms something we see regularly in our work: the right solution is not always the standard one. When circumstances change and the planned format is no longer viable, the value of an experienced local partner is in their ability to find an alternative that still meets the client’s objectives and the donor’s requirements.
For international agencies working with public sector clients in Bosnia and Herzegovina on EU-funded projects, this case study shows what MICE.BA can deliver when the brief is complex and the stakes are high.
Planning a Hybrid or In-Person Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
If you need a local partner to organise a conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina, send us a brief and we will respond within 48 hours.
Author: Josipa Terzić – Rezić, CIS and CCMEP Certified Professional Event Organiser
CIS – Certified Incentive Specialist (certified by SITE – Society for Incentive Travel Excellence)
CMPA – Certified Congress, Meeting, and Event Professional (certified by the HCCP – Croatian Association of Congress Professionals)
